Y.K. Optical
Y.K. Optical was a small company based in Yokohama (Japan). It used the brand names Kobalux and Avenon for two wide-angle lenses in Leica screw mount:[1] Kobalux seems to have been the predominant name in north America, and Avenon the only name within Japan. The lenses were also available under other names, such as Pasoptik,[2] Bower and Adorama, perhaps also Avenar.[3] The existence of a "Komura" name variant is probably a false rumour.[4]
There was a Kobalux Wide 28/3.5 and a Kobalux Super Wide 21/2.8, both in chrome or black finish. The Cameraquest page tells us that the 21/2.8 existed in at least three variants. The two lenses were sold together with an external finder (also available separately).
Production stopped in February 2002.[5]
Notes
- ↑ These lenses are mentioned here and there in photo forums as being in Leica M mount, but it seems that they were only sold in screw mount, with an adapter offered as an option.
- ↑ See a picture in this page at photo.net.
- ↑ This is reported in this page by Peter Lausch.
- ↑ See however this page by Frank Mechelhoff. This page of a Hong-Kong forum copies an erroneous earlier version of this very Camerapedia page.
- ↑ See the 20 November 2002 web archive of the Kobalux website.
Links
In English:
- Kobalux website (web archive version dated 9 August 2002) and announcement of the lenses being discontinued (web archive version dated 20 November 2002)
- Kobalux 21mm and Kobalux 28mm at Cameraquest
- Kobalux lenses at Dante Stella's site
- Pasoptik name variant in a post at photo.net
- Post about the history of YK in a Hong-Kong forum
In German:
In Japanese:
