Difference between revisions of "Nittō Kōgaku"

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'''Nittō Kōgaku K.K.''' (日東光学株式会社) is a Japanese optical company that still (2006) exists, now spelling its name "Nittoh". It was founded in 1943 as '''Nittō Kōgaku Kikai Seisakusho''' (日東光学機械製作所), and took its current name in 1951. In 1950, it started to produce the "Kominar" (コミナー) lenses used in a variety of cameras, as well as enlarging lenses. The company's address in 1960 was Chiyoda-ku Kanda Asahichō 18&ndash;2 (千代田区神田旭町18&ndash;2) in Tokyo.<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Asahi Camera]] Annual '60''. </REF>
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'''Nittō Kōgaku K.K.''' (日東光学株式会社) is a Japanese optical company.
  
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Nittō Kōgaku also made cameras as a subcontractor for other companies, beginning with the [[Fujipet]] in 1960. Examples included the [[Olympus Trip 35]], the [[Revue 400 EF]] and so on.
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==History==
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'''Nittō Kōgaku K.K.''' (日東光学株式会社) is a Japanese optical company. It was founded in 1876 as a silk producer. In 1943 the company was restructured as an optical manufacturing company and renamed to '''Nittō Kōgaku''' (日東光学機械製作所), usually rendered in English as '''Nittoh Kogaku'''. In the 1940s, the company worked with '''Nihon Kogaku''' (now known as '''[[Nikon]]'''). In 1951 the company incorporated as a joint stock company and became known as '''Nittoh Kogaku K.K.'''. In 1996, the company launched an Indonesian production facility as a joint venture with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Astra Group, known as Pt. Adiwira Presisi Industri. In 2007 the company acquired Shoujoh Seiki Co., Ltd. and reorganized it into a subsidiary to boost production capabilities. In 2008, the company acquired full shares of the Indonesian factory, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.<ref name="history">[https://www.nittohkogaku.co.jp/en/company/history.html Nittoh Kogaku K.K. website: History]</ref>
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In 1950, it started to manufacture "Kominar" (コミナー) lenses used in a variety of cameras, as well as enlarging lenses. In 1961 the company began to manufacture complete cameras.<ref name="history" />
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The company's address in 1960 was Chiyoda-ku Kanda Asahichō 18&ndash;2 (千代田区神田旭町18&ndash;2) in Tokyo.<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Asahi Camera]] Annual '60''. </REF>
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Nittoh Kogaku also made cameras as a subcontractor for other companies, beginning with the [[Fujipet]] in 1960. Examples included the [[Olympus Trip 35]], the [[Revue 400 EF]] and so on.
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Today the company continues to manufactures optical equipment including plastic lenses, CCTV lenses, projection lenses, lens modules for digital still cameras.<ref name="history" />
  
 
== Cameras with Nitto lenses ==
 
== Cameras with Nitto lenses ==
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=== Medium format ===
 
=== Medium format ===
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==== 75mm f3.5 Kominar (3 elements, 3 groups) ====
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==== 7.5cm f3.5 Kominar (3 elements, 3 groups) ====
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*[[Walzflex]] IIA, IIIA, IIIC
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* [[Semi Leotax DL and R]], and an isolated example of the earlier [[Semi Leotax]]
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* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six II and III]]
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==== 75mm f3.5 S-Kominar (4 elements, 3 groups) ====
 
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*[[Mine Six]] (first model)
 
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*[[Mine Six|Mine Six IIF]]
 
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*[[Walzflex]] IIB, IIIB
 
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==== 75mm f3.5 Kominar ====
 
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<!-- Probably all 3/3, but not yet known/checked -->
 
 
* [[Walcon Semi]]
 
* [[Walcon Semi]]
 
* [[Walcon 6]]
 
* [[Walcon 6]]
 
* [[Walzflex|Wagoflex]]
 
* [[Walzflex|Wagoflex]]
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* [[Semi Leotax|Semi Leotax New, DL and R]]
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* [[Walzflex]] IIA, IIIA, IIIC
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* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six II and III]]
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==== 7.5cm f3.5 S&nbsp;Kominar (4 elements, 3 groups) ====
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* [[Calm Six|Calm Six Deluxe II]], and an isolated example of the [[Calm Six|Super Calm Six Deluxe]]
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* [[Mine Six]] (first model)
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* [[Mine Six|Mine Six IIF]]
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* [[Walzflex]] IIB, IIIB
  
 
=== 35mm ===
 
=== 35mm ===
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* [[Walz Electric]] 1.8
 
* [[Walz Electric]] 1.8
 
==== 4.8cm f1.9 S Kominar (7 elements) ====
 
==== 4.8cm f1.9 S Kominar (7 elements) ====
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* Walz Envoy 35
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* Walz 35 S
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* [[Walz Envoy 35]]
 
* [[Walz Envoy M-35]]
 
* [[Walz Envoy M-35]]
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==== Other ====
 
==== Other ====
 
* Meprozenit
 
* Meprozenit
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* [[Walz Electric]]
 
* [[Walz Electric]]
 
* [[Walz Wide]]
 
* [[Walz Wide]]
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* [[Ricoh 35 L]
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* Ricoh 35 L
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* Ricoh Wide 2.4
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* Ricohmatic 35
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* Mamiya M3
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* Mamiya 4B (aka Sears 10B)
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* Mamiya EE Merit and Super Merit
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* Mamiya Family
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* Mamiya Super Deluxe (f/2.0 lens)
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== Other Nittoh lenses ==
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===Interchangeable 35mm Lenses===
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* Kominar 300mm f/5.6 MD Preset
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* X-Kominar W 28mm f/2.8 DM (Fujica mount)
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* X-Kominar T 135mm f/2.8 DM (Fujica mount)
  
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== Other Nitto lenses ==
 
 
=== Projection lenses ===
 
=== Projection lenses ===
 
For 8mm movie projectors:<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Asahi Camera]] Annual '60''. </REF>
 
For 8mm movie projectors:<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Asahi Camera]] Annual '60''. </REF>
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In English:
 
In English:
 
* [http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/walzflex.html Walz Walzflex semi-automatic] Matt Denton praises the Kominar lens
 
* [http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/walzflex.html Walz Walzflex semi-automatic] Matt Denton praises the Kominar lens
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* [http://www.popphoto.com/article.asp?section_id=5&article_id=1884&page_number=1 "Speaking Frankly: What's In a Name? Reputation. But Whose?"], an article by Herbert Keppler in [http://www.popphoto.com/ Popular Photography], where we learn that the [[Mamiya U]] was designed by Nitto, among other interesting stories about the subcontracting practice in Japan
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* [https://www.nittohkogaku.co.jp/en/ Nittoh Kogaku] Company Website
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** [https://www.nittohkogaku.co.jp/en/company/history.html A brief history of the company]
 
In Japanese:
 
In Japanese:
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* [http://www.nittohkogaku.co.jp/ Nittoh Kogaku's site], containing the following pages:
 
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** [http://www.nittohkogaku.co.jp/flame/image/01kaisya/kaisya%20enkaku.html A brief chronology of the company]
 
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** [http://www.nittohkogaku.co.jp/flame/image/01kaisya/komina.html A short history of the Kominar lenses]
 
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** [http://www.nittohkogaku.co.jp/flame/image/01kaisya/komina%20big.html Kominar lens advertisements]. Unfortunately they are reproduced so small as to be virtually indecipherable.
 
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* [http://hunmut.c-get.ne.jp/camera/E-LENS/kominar.htm Kominar-E enlarging lens] (text in Japanese)
 
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* [http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~Tplan/camera/mepro.html Meprozenit] a Soviet camera with a Japanese lens (text in Japanese)
 
 
* [http://blog.livedoor.jp/united3arrows/archives/17007842.html Advertisement for the Kominar 7.5cm f/3.5 and 4.5cm f/4.5] published in 1954, reproduced in a [http://blog.livedoor.jp/united3arrows/archives/cat_911880.html page of advertisements] at the [http://blog.livedoor.jp/united3arrows/ Shashin-Bako website]
 
* [http://blog.livedoor.jp/united3arrows/archives/17007842.html Advertisement for the Kominar 7.5cm f/3.5 and 4.5cm f/4.5] published in 1954, reproduced in a [http://blog.livedoor.jp/united3arrows/archives/cat_911880.html page of advertisements] at the [http://blog.livedoor.jp/united3arrows/ Shashin-Bako website]
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* [http://www.d8.dion.ne.jp/~tyakure/koukoku/kominer.html Advertisement for the Kominar lenses], picturing an S Kominar 4.5cm f/1.8, reproduced at [http://www.d8.dion.ne.jp/~tyakure/index.htm Chakure's website]
 
  
 
[[Category:Japanese lens makers]]
 
[[Category:Japanese lens makers]]

Latest revision as of 15:03, 12 November 2022

Nittō Kōgaku K.K. (日東光学株式会社) is a Japanese optical company.

History

Nittō Kōgaku K.K. (日東光学株式会社) is a Japanese optical company. It was founded in 1876 as a silk producer. In 1943 the company was restructured as an optical manufacturing company and renamed to Nittō Kōgaku (日東光学機械製作所), usually rendered in English as Nittoh Kogaku. In the 1940s, the company worked with Nihon Kogaku (now known as Nikon). In 1951 the company incorporated as a joint stock company and became known as Nittoh Kogaku K.K.. In 1996, the company launched an Indonesian production facility as a joint venture with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Astra Group, known as Pt. Adiwira Presisi Industri. In 2007 the company acquired Shoujoh Seiki Co., Ltd. and reorganized it into a subsidiary to boost production capabilities. In 2008, the company acquired full shares of the Indonesian factory, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.[1]

In 1950, it started to manufacture "Kominar" (コミナー) lenses used in a variety of cameras, as well as enlarging lenses. In 1961 the company began to manufacture complete cameras.[1]

The company's address in 1960 was Chiyoda-ku Kanda Asahichō 18–2 (千代田区神田旭町18–2) in Tokyo.[2]

Nittoh Kogaku also made cameras as a subcontractor for other companies, beginning with the Fujipet in 1960. Examples included the Olympus Trip 35, the Revue 400 EF and so on.

Today the company continues to manufactures optical equipment including plastic lenses, CCTV lenses, projection lenses, lens modules for digital still cameras.[1]

Cameras with Nitto lenses

These lists are incomplete.

That a particular model is listed here should not be taken to mean that all examples were fitted with Nitto lenses.

Medium format

7.5cm f3.5 Kominar (3 elements, 3 groups)

7.5cm f3.5 S Kominar (4 elements, 3 groups)

35mm

4.5cm f1.8 S Kominar

4.8cm f1.9 S Kominar (7 elements)

Other

  • Meprozenit
  • Walz 35
  • Walz Electric
  • Walz Wide
  • Ricoh 35 L
  • Ricoh Wide 2.4
  • Ricohmatic 35
  • Mamiya M3
  • Mamiya 4B (aka Sears 10B)
  • Mamiya EE Merit and Super Merit
  • Mamiya Family
  • Mamiya Super Deluxe (f/2.0 lens)

Other Nittoh lenses

Interchangeable 35mm Lenses

  • Kominar 300mm f/5.6 MD Preset
  • X-Kominar W 28mm f/2.8 DM (Fujica mount)
  • X-Kominar T 135mm f/2.8 DM (Fujica mount)

Projection lenses

For 8mm movie projectors:[3]

  • Kominar 18/1.2
  • Kominar 19/1.4
  • Kominar 25/1.2
  • Kominar 25/1.5

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nittoh Kogaku K.K. website: History
  2. ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera Annual '60.
  3. ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera Annual '60.

References / further reading

Links

In English:

In Japanese:

Retrieved from "http://camera-wiki.org/index.php?title=Nittō_Kōgaku&oldid=218424"