Mihama 35
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| Mihama 35-A body no.30184 lens no.55219 (right) Mihama-X body no.102771 lens no.56515 (left) image by KazumaK (Image rights) |
The Mihama 35 is a series of 35mm coupled rangefinder camera made by Mihama (Suruga).
There were two models, Mihama 35-A and Mihama-X, the former of which was also sold under a different model name.
Contents
Mihama 35-A
 
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| Mihama 35-A body no.30184 lens no.55219 Photo by KazumaK, collection of "Shashin-House"(Camera shop in Shimoda city, Shizuoka, Japan). (Image rights) |
The Mihama 35-A was introduced in 1955. It has a C.Kepler 45mm F3.5 lens in a NKS-MX or NKS-FB[1] shutter (B, 1–300), a single-stroke advance lever, and a built-in film cutter. The lever to release the shutter is located on the front of the body.
Specifications
- Format : 24 x 36 mm on 35mm film
- Coupled rangefinder
- Lens: C.KEPLER 45mm F3.5, Coated, unit focusing
- Shutter: NKS MX B 1-1/300 with self timer leafshutter.[2]
- Diaphragm : 3.5 to 16
- Flash synchronisation : Socket on left side. X and M synchronisation
- Dimensions WxDxH: 130 x 85 x 69 mm[3]
- Weight: 700 grams[3]
Wacoh A
 
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| Wacoh A body no.66796 lens no.60967 Posted by KazumaK, these photos are provided by handle: Harimaya Ichizo. (Image rights) |
The same camera as the Mihama 35-A was also sold as the Wacoh A (also known as Wacoh 35) by Chūō Shashin-yōhin in 1956.[4][5]
The Wacho A is almost the same camera as the Mihama 35-A. However, the shutter unit is different. Also, the synchronization contacts are not on the body but on the shutter unit.
Specifications
- Format : 24 x 36 mm on 35mm film
- Coupled rangefinder
- Lens: HERIGON 45mm F3.5, Coated, unit focusing
- Shutter: Unmarked B 1-1/300 with self timer leafshutter.
- Diaphragm : 3.5 to 16
- Flash synchronisation : Socket on shutter. X and M synchronisation
- Dimensions WxDxH: 128 x 80 x 68 mm[3]
- Weight: 630 grams[3]
Mihama-X
 
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| Mihama-X body no.102606 lens no.56573 Posted by KazumaK, these photos are provided by handle: Harimaya Ichizo. (Image rights) |
The Mihama-X was introduced in 1956. It has a C.Kepler 45mm F2.8 lens in a Copal-MX (B, 1-300). The film winding lever resides on the front of the body. It does not have a built-in film cutter.
Awano Mikio points out that there are no common parts, including the body frame, between these two cameras.[6]
Specifications
- Format : 24 x 36 mm on 35mm film
- Coupled rangefinder
- Lens: C.KEPLER 45mm F2.8, Coated, unit focusing
- Shutter: COPAL MX B 1-1/300 with self timer leafshutter.
- Diaphragm : 3.5 to 16
- Flash synchronisation : Socket on shutter. X and M synchronisation
- Dimensions WxDxH: 133 x 80 x 65 mm
- Weight: 632 grams[7], 642 grams[8]
Notes
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 3415.
- ↑ Sugiyama (item 3415) says NKS FB B 1-1/300 with self timer.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The Mihama 35-A was measured by the author, and the Wacoh A was measured by the owner's handle: Harimaya-ichizo. There may be errors in the values due to different measurers.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 3829.
- ↑ Shashin Salon Octobert 1956. "Kokunai shin seihin nyūsu" (国内新製品ニュース, New Products News in Japan). p.165. Introduced as Wacoh 35.
- ↑ Awano, p.1 of Camera Collectors' News no.339.
- ↑ Owned by the author lens:56515 body:102771
- ↑ Collection of handle: Ichizo Harimaya lens:56573 body:102606
Bibliography
Original documents
Mihama 35-A
- Shashin Kōgyō January 1956. p.27.
Wacoh A
- Shashin Salon Octobert 1956. "Kokunai shin seihin nyūsu" (国内新製品ニュース, New Products News in Japan). p.165.
Mihama-X
- Asahi Camera August 1956. "Shashin-kai nyūsu" (写真界ニュース, Photographic News). p.173-174.
- Shashin Salon August 1956. "Kokunai shin seihin nyūsu" (国内新製品ニュース, New Products News in Japan). p.150.
- Shashin Kōgyō September 1956. "News Flash!". p.225.
Recent sources
- Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Item 3415 (Mihama 35-A), 3416 (Mihama X) and 3829 (Wacoh-A).
- Camera Collectors' News no.339, January 2005. Awano Mikio "Mihama-X". p.1.
