Difference between revisions of "Norita"

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'''Norita Kōgaku''' (ノリタ光学) was a Japanese lens and camera maker. It was reportedly founded in 1951 by Kurumada Toshio (車田利夫), a former employee of [[Tōkyō Kōgaku]].<REF name="ja.wikipedia"> [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8E%E3%83%AA%E3%82%BF%E5%85%89%E5%AD%A6 Norita Kōgaku] in the Japanese Wikipedia. </REF> The company apparently worked as a subcontractor for other companies, and little is known of its early products. It is said that Norita made pentaprisms for [[SLR]] cameras,<REF name="ja.wikipedia" /> but this activity could only flourish after pentaprisms became common on Japanese cameras, around 1960.
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'''Norita Kōgaku''' (ノリタ光学) was a Japanese lens and camera maker. It was founded in 1951 by Norita Toshio (車田利夫),<ref name="hagiya82">Hagiya, p.82.</ref> a former employee of [[Tōkyō Kōgaku]].<REF name="ja.wikipedia"> [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8E%E3%83%AA%E3%82%BF%E5%85%89%E5%AD%A6 Norita Kōgaku] in the Japanese Wikipedia. </REF> The company worked as a subcontractor for other companies, starting with lenses for binoculars and moving via binocular prisms to pentaprisms for [[SLR]] cameras including the [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Rittreck 6×6]] of [[Musashino and Wista|Musashino]].<ref name="hagiya82" />
  
After some time, the company started making lenses too, notably supplying the Rittron lenses sold by [[Musashino and Wista|Musashino]] on the [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Rittreck 6×6]] and at least some of the Zenzanon lenses sold by [[Bronica]].<REF name="ja.wikipedia" /><REF name="Norita Club 2"> [http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/Topconclub/Norita2.htm Norita Club page 2], at the Topcon Club. </REF> One of the lens designers was Maruyama Shūji (丸山修治), another former employee of [[Tōkyō Kōgaku]], who previously worked on the postwar [[Simlar|Simlar 5cm f/0.7]].<REF> [http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/Topconclub/lens8.htm This page] of the Topcon Club. </REF>
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After some time, the company started making lenses too, notably supplying the Rittron lenses sold by Musashino for the Rittreck 6×6<ref name="hagiya82" /> and at least some of the Zenzanon lenses sold by [[Bronica]].<REF name="ja.wikipedia" /><REF name="Norita Club 2"> [http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/Topconclub/Norita2.htm Norita Club page 2], at the Topcon Club. </REF> One of the lens designers was Maruyama Shūji (丸山修治), another former employee of [[Tōkyō Kōgaku]], who previously worked on the postwar [[Simlar|Simlar 5cm f/0.7]].<REF> [http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/Topconclub/lens8.htm This page] of the Topcon Club. </REF>
  
In 1972, the [[Musashino and Wista|Musashino]] company closed its doors, and Norita took over the production of the [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Rittreck 6×6]], which was slightly modified and rebadged [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Norita 66]].<REF name="Norita Club 1"> [http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/Topconclub/Norita1.htm Norita Club page 1], at the Topcon Club. </REF> The company entered distribution agreements with [[Graflex]], who sold the camera in the United States as the [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Graflex Norita]].
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In 1970, the [[Musashino and Wista|Musashino]] company closed its doors, and Norita took over the machine tools and some of the staff from production of the [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Rittreck 6×6]], which was modified and rebadged [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Norita 66]].<REF name="Norita Club 1"> [http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/Topconclub/Norita1.htm Norita Club page 1], at the Topcon Club. This says that Musashino closed in 1972.</REF><ref>Hagiya, p.82. Hagiya implies that it closed in 1971.</ref> The company entered distribution agreements with [[Graflex]] (a division of Singer), which sold the camera in the United States as the [[Rittreck 6×6 and Norita 66|Graflex Norita]].
  
In 1976, the company stopped the production of cameras and camera lenses, but remained in business, making projection lenses and other products.<REF name="ja.wikipedia" /> It became a dependent company of Enplas in 2000 and was renamed Enplas Optics (エンプラスオプティクス) in 2001, but shut its doors in 2005.<REF name="ja.wikipedia" />
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In 1976, the company stopped the production of cameras and camera-related products, but remained in business, making projection lenses and other products.<REF name="hagiya90">Hagiya, p.90.</REF> In 1994 Hagiya Takeshi wrote that the Norita products his readers were most likely to encounter were the three (RGB) lenses for large television projectors.<REF name="hagiya90" />
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Norita became a dependent company of Enplas in 2000 and was renamed Enplas Optics (エンプラスオプティクス) in 2001, but shut its doors in 2005.<REF name="ja.wikipedia" />
  
 
== Products ==
 
== Products ==
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== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
 
<references />
 
<references />
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==Sources==
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* Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Norita 66: Yūshutsu o mein toshita 6×6 cm-ban ichiganrefu" (ノリタ66 輸出をメインとした6×6 cm判一眼レフ, Norita 66: A 6×6 SLR mainly for export)). Chapter 4 of {{Zunow10}} Originally published in {{KKS018}}
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==

Revision as of 06:01, 3 October 2010

Norita Kōgaku (ノリタ光学) was a Japanese lens and camera maker. It was founded in 1951 by Norita Toshio (車田利夫),[1] a former employee of Tōkyō Kōgaku.[2] The company worked as a subcontractor for other companies, starting with lenses for binoculars and moving via binocular prisms to pentaprisms for SLR cameras including the Rittreck 6×6 of Musashino.[1]

After some time, the company started making lenses too, notably supplying the Rittron lenses sold by Musashino for the Rittreck 6×6[1] and at least some of the Zenzanon lenses sold by Bronica.[2][3] One of the lens designers was Maruyama Shūji (丸山修治), another former employee of Tōkyō Kōgaku, who previously worked on the postwar Simlar 5cm f/0.7.[4]

In 1970, the Musashino company closed its doors, and Norita took over the machine tools and some of the staff from production of the Rittreck 6×6, which was modified and rebadged Norita 66.[5][6] The company entered distribution agreements with Graflex (a division of Singer), which sold the camera in the United States as the Graflex Norita.

In 1976, the company stopped the production of cameras and camera-related products, but remained in business, making projection lenses and other products.[7] In 1994 Hagiya Takeshi wrote that the Norita products his readers were most likely to encounter were the three (RGB) lenses for large television projectors.[7]

Norita became a dependent company of Enplas in 2000 and was renamed Enplas Optics (エンプラスオプティクス) in 2001, but shut its doors in 2005.[2]

Products

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hagiya, p.82.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Norita Kōgaku in the Japanese Wikipedia.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Norita Club page 2, at the Topcon Club.
  4. This page of the Topcon Club.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Norita Club page 1, at the Topcon Club. This says that Musashino closed in 1972.
  6. Hagiya, p.82. Hagiya implies that it closed in 1971.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Hagiya, p.90.

Sources

Links

In Japanese with some English:

In Japanese: