Miranda T and TII
The Miranda T was the first Miranda 35mm SLR camera, released in 1955. The prototype was introduced in 1954 as the Phoenix, but the name was changed due to a trademark conflict before production commenced.
The early cameras were manufactured by Orion Seiki, and are engraved Orion Camera Co. above the lens mount. These are among collectors simply referred to as the "Miranda Orion", although the correct name would be "Orion Miranda". In 1957, after just two years of production, the company name was changed to the Miranda Camera Company, and the cameras were accordingly marked Miranda Camera Co.
The Miranda T was an advanced camera at the time of introduction. It was the first camera made by this manufacturer, but they were already widely known for their engineering ingenuity, reputedly able to solve almost any problem, like special lens adapters for most cameras, even those otherwise considered impossible to match (see Orion adapters). A particular speciality leading up to the introduction of this camera, was the the Mirax reflex housing for rangefinder cameras. The Miranda T was the first Japanese SLR equipped with a pentaprism finder, only introduced about five years after the pioneers Contax S, Rectaflex and Alpa Prisma Reflex.
The Miranda T is equipped with an interchangeable finder and a dual lens mount, including a large 44mm screw mount, inherited from the Mirax reflex housing, and a sturdy external bayonet mount introduced specially for the camera. The original standard lens was the rare Zunow 5cm f/1.9. Among the early interchangeable lenses available for the camera was the Orion Supreme 10.5cm f/2.8. The Focabell bellows, which actually preceded the Miranda camera, was also available from the start.
A small number of these cameras was made available with shutter speeds to 1/1000 sec., known as the Miranda TII. It has a slightly different styling, including a black shutter-speed dial, and it was usually sold with the Arco 5cm f/2.4. The Miranda camera with the Orion Camera Co. markings is among the most sought after 35mm SLRs by camera collectors today. The serial numbers have six digits, of which the first two certainly indicate the year of manufacture.
Links
In English:
- Orion Miranda T at Cameraquest
- Pages of the Miranda Camera website:
In Japanese:
