Difference between revisions of "Tanaka"

From Camera-wiki.org
Jump to: navigation, search
m (link fix)
(detail)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
''See also the [[Tanaka (wartime)|wartime Tanaka]], maker of the [[Mulix]], and [[Tanaka Shōkai]], an unrelated distributor.''
 
''See also the [[Tanaka (wartime)|wartime Tanaka]], maker of the [[Mulix]], and [[Tanaka Shōkai]], an unrelated distributor.''
  
'''Tanaka Kōgaku''' (田中光学) was a Japanese camera and lens maker. It announced a Leica copy called [[Tanack 35 to IV-S|Tanack 35]] in late 1952, improved in 1954 as the [[Tanack 35 to IV-S|Tanack IIIS]] and in 1955 as the [[Tanack 35 to IV-S|Tanack IV-S]]. The latter model met some success and was produced until 1958. At the same time, Tanaka made a series of [[Tanar lenses]] in [[39mm screw lenses|Leica mount]], to go on the Tanack cameras.
+
'''Tanaka Kōgaku''' (田中光学) was a Japanese camera and lens maker. It was perhaps already active in the early 1950s, making screw lenses and camera accessories.<REF> Awano, p.52 of {{KKS}} no.37. </REF> It announced a Leica copy called [[Tanack 35 to IV-S|Tanack 35]] in late 1952, improved in 1954 as the [[Tanack 35 to IV-S|Tanack IIIS]] and in 1955 as the [[Tanack 35 to IV-S|Tanack IV-S]]. The latter model met some success and was produced until 1958. At the same time, Tanaka was making a series of [[Tanar lenses]] in [[39mm screw lenses|Leica mount]], to go on the Tanack cameras.
  
 
In 1957, Tanaka released an ambitious rangefinder camera called [[Tanack SD]], inspired by the [[Nikon S2]] but taking [[39mm screw lenses|Leica mount lenses]]. The camera was produced until 1959 but met very limited success.
 
In 1957, Tanaka released an ambitious rangefinder camera called [[Tanack SD]], inspired by the [[Nikon S2]] but taking [[39mm screw lenses|Leica mount lenses]]. The camera was produced until 1959 but met very limited success.
Line 28: Line 28:
 
== Bibliography ==
 
== Bibliography ==
 
* {{Showa10}}
 
* {{Showa10}}
 +
* Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Kokusan Barunakku-gata kamera: Tanakku" (国産バルナック型カメラ・タナック, Japanese Leica-type cameras: Tanack). In {{KKS037}} Pp.52–5.
 
* {{McKeown12}} Pp.913–4.
 
* {{McKeown12}} Pp.913–4.
  
 
[[Category: Japanese camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Japanese camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Japanese lens makers]]
 
[[Category: Japanese lens makers]]

Revision as of 15:59, 17 April 2009

See also the wartime Tanaka, maker of the Mulix, and Tanaka Shōkai, an unrelated distributor.

Tanaka Kōgaku (田中光学) was a Japanese camera and lens maker. It was perhaps already active in the early 1950s, making screw lenses and camera accessories.[1] It announced a Leica copy called Tanack 35 in late 1952, improved in 1954 as the Tanack IIIS and in 1955 as the Tanack IV-S. The latter model met some success and was produced until 1958. At the same time, Tanaka was making a series of Tanar lenses in Leica mount, to go on the Tanack cameras.

In 1957, Tanaka released an ambitious rangefinder camera called Tanack SD, inspired by the Nikon S2 but taking Leica mount lenses. The camera was produced until 1959 but met very limited success.

In early 1959, the company made an attempt to give a successor to the Tanack IV-S, releasing the Tanack V3 with a specific bayonet mount. Tanaka finally produced the Tanack VP, an evolution of the V3 turning back to the Leica screw mount, but it lacked the resource to develop it further, and disappeared in 1959 or 1960.

Camera list

Lens list

Other

  • accessory finders for the Tanar lenses
  • Universal zoom finder for 35mm cameras (announced in mid 1953)[3]

Notes

  1. Awano, p.52 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.37.
  2. Advertisement in Ars Camera May 1953, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.145.
  3. Advertisement in Ars Camera May 1953, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.145.

Bibliography