Difference between revisions of "Opema"

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The '''Opema''' was a 24x32mm camera made by the Czech company [[Meopta]] in the 1950s. It had a focal plane shutter with speeds B-25-500 and interchangeable lenses, and existed in two versions.
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The '''Opema''' is a 24×32mm camera made by the Czech company [[Meopta]] in the 1950s. It has a focal-plane shutter with speeds B, 25–500 and interchangeable lenses, and existed in two versions.
  
 
The '''Opema I''' has a viewfinder only, and the '''Opema II''' has a coupled rangefinder combined with the viewfinder.
 
The '''Opema I''' has a viewfinder only, and the '''Opema II''' has a coupled rangefinder combined with the viewfinder.
  
The lens mount is special, and is a 38mm diameter screw mount. It is advised not to try to put Leica screw lenses on this body, if force is applied you could strip the mount thread.
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The lens mount is a 38mm diameter screw mount that may ''look'' the same as the 39mm [[39mm screw lenses|Leica screw mount]] but is crucially different and unique to the Opema. Attempting to mate a 39mm screw lens with an Opema (or a Meopta lens with a Leica or other screw-mount body) risks stripping one or both threads. This does not stop some would-be sellers from misdescribing Meopta lenses as "Leica mount", whether unscrupulously or (more likely) out of simple ignorance.
  
 
The lenses designed for the Opema include:
 
The lenses designed for the Opema include:
* Openar 45/2 collapsible
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* 30/6.8 ''Largor'' (not rangefinder-coupled)<ref>[https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Meopta-Largor-6.8-30mm/A00876 Largor 30mm f/6.8] serial no.110309 with viewfinder, offered for sale at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Auction-44/ 44th Leitz Photographica Auction], in June 2024.</ref>
* Belar 45/2.8 collapsible
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* 45/2 ''Openar'' collapsible
* Belar 45/3.5 collapsible
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* 45/2.8 ''Belar'' collapsible
* Tele-Mirar 90/4.5 and accessory finder
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* 45/3.5 ''Belar'' collapsible
* Tele-Mirar 135/4.5 and accessory finder
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* 90/4.5 ''Tele-Mirar''
* Telex 180/6 and accessory finder
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* 135/4.5 ''Tele-Mirar''
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* 180/6 ''Telex'' (not rangefinder-coupled)
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An Opema I was sold at Westlicht, with an f/1.5 Sonnar, apparently adapted by Meopta from Leica mount for the Opema.<ref>[https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Opema-I-1.5-6cm/AI-5-23728 Opema] with ''6'' cm (described thus in the auctioneer's notes) f/1.5 'Leica Sonnar' sold at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-5/ fifth Westlicht Photographica Auction]; the auctioneer's notes state that the lens barrel was certainly made by Meopta themselves, to adapt the lens for the camera. It seems very likely that the focal length is in fact 5 cm; this is the length of the known Leica-mount Sonnar; see [[Zeiss 39mm screw lenses]].</ref>
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<!-- commenting this out, rather than deleting it, because it includes discussion
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[http://www.auction2000.se/auk/w.Object?inC=WLPA&inA=5&inO=229 Westlicht Auction 29/5/2004] with a [[Carl Zeiss Jena]] Sonnar 6cm <!-- Really 6cm, and not 5cm? It is what the auction's description says
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f/1.5 lens with no engraving, adapted by Meopta for the Opema mount. -->
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All the camera top housings and lenses are in chrome finish. All the lenses other than the 45mm were sold with a dedicated accessory finder.
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==Notes==
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<references/>
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==Links==
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In English:
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*[http://www.novacon.com.br/odditycameras/Opema.htm Opema I and II comparison] at [http://www.novacon.com.br/odditycameras/index.htm Oddity Cameras]
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180723124943/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/iannorris/leica_lookalikes/leicalook_m/opema.htm Opema] and **[https://web.archive.org/web/20180723124948/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/iannorris/leica_lookalikes/leicalook_m/opema2.htm II] at Ian Norris's *[https://web.archive.org/web/20180722231010/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/iannorris/home.htm Leica Copy website] (archived at archive.org in June 2018)
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*[https://cameracollector.net/meopta-opema/ More about Meopta Opema] in [https://cameracollector.net/ cameracollector.net]
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In Japanese:
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161102044409/http://homepage3.nifty.com/KAR120C/opema01.htm Opema no sekai] first of a series of seven pages on the Opema and its lenses (follow the "Next" links) by collector 'Heckel Tomita'; it is well illustrated with pictures of the whole range of lenses
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* [http://t-oku.com/etc-RF/page1-etc-RF.htm Opema II and sample pictures] with the Openar 45/2, at [http://t-oku.com/ t-oku.com] (The photographer is not impressed.)
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* [http://endoscopy.jp/moto/camera/camera_repair/opema2/ Opema II repair notes] and [http://endoscopy.jp/moto/camera/camera_repair/opema2/photo/index.htm sample photos] with the Belar 45/3.5, at [http://endoscopy.jp/moto/camera/ Takasaki Motohiro's camera site]
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In Chinese:
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041109113656/http://www.sy916.net/info/sy916test2/showarticle.php?id=172 Brief description] in Chinese (archived)
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[[Category: 35mm viewfinder]]
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[[Category: 35mm rangefinder system]]
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[[Category: Czechoslovakia]]
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[[Category: Meopta]]
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[[Category: O]]

Latest revision as of 16:03, 4 May 2024

The Opema is a 24×32mm camera made by the Czech company Meopta in the 1950s. It has a focal-plane shutter with speeds B, 25–500 and interchangeable lenses, and existed in two versions.

The Opema I has a viewfinder only, and the Opema II has a coupled rangefinder combined with the viewfinder.

The lens mount is a 38mm diameter screw mount that may look the same as the 39mm Leica screw mount but is crucially different and unique to the Opema. Attempting to mate a 39mm screw lens with an Opema (or a Meopta lens with a Leica or other screw-mount body) risks stripping one or both threads. This does not stop some would-be sellers from misdescribing Meopta lenses as "Leica mount", whether unscrupulously or (more likely) out of simple ignorance.

The lenses designed for the Opema include:

  • 30/6.8 Largor (not rangefinder-coupled)[1]
  • 45/2 Openar collapsible
  • 45/2.8 Belar collapsible
  • 45/3.5 Belar collapsible
  • 90/4.5 Tele-Mirar
  • 135/4.5 Tele-Mirar
  • 180/6 Telex (not rangefinder-coupled)

An Opema I was sold at Westlicht, with an f/1.5 Sonnar, apparently adapted by Meopta from Leica mount for the Opema.[2]

All the camera top housings and lenses are in chrome finish. All the lenses other than the 45mm were sold with a dedicated accessory finder.

Notes

  1. Largor 30mm f/6.8 serial no.110309 with viewfinder, offered for sale at the 44th Leitz Photographica Auction, in June 2024.
  2. Opema with 6 cm (described thus in the auctioneer's notes) f/1.5 'Leica Sonnar' sold at the fifth Westlicht Photographica Auction; the auctioneer's notes state that the lens barrel was certainly made by Meopta themselves, to adapt the lens for the camera. It seems very likely that the focal length is in fact 5 cm; this is the length of the known Leica-mount Sonnar; see Zeiss 39mm screw lenses.

Links

In English:

In Japanese:

In Chinese: