Yashica

K. K. Yashica (Japanese株式会社 ヤシカ, kabushiki - gaisha Yashika, .. Engl Yashica Co., Ltd. ) was a Japanese camera manufacturer based in Okaya in Nagano Prefecture. Since the takeover by Kyocera in 1983, it only is a brand name.

Company History

The Yashima Seiki K. K. (八 洲 精 机 株式会社; engl Yashima Seiki Co.. ) Was founded in December 1949 in Nagano, Japan. In June 1953, the name in Yashima Kogaku Seiki KK (八 洲 光学 精 机 株式会社; engl Yashima Optical Industry Co.. ) Modified and introduced as the first camera Yashimareflex, a twin-lens reflex camera, from 1954 she was called Yashinaflex. Also in 1953 began the cooperation with the Tomioka Kogaku Kikai Seizo optics manufacturer Sho.

The company name was in 1958 in Yashica K. K. changed. In the same year took over the Nicca Yashica Camera Founded in 1940, who had previously built rangefinder cameras by Leica model. The Nicca - range lives on in the form of Yashica YE and YF.

In 1959 the first small format SLR Yashica Yashica the PentaMatic.

The published in 1965 Yashica Electro -35- viewfinder cameras were comparable camera models closure largely technically superior. Yashica continued, inter alia, the first camera Bauer integrated electronic circuits a.

In 1968, his Yashica Lens suppliers KK Tomioka Kogaku Kikai Seizōsho (富 冈 光学 器械 制造 所, Eng. Tomioka Optical Co., Ltd. ). In the same year the last twin-lens reflex camera, the Yashica Mat 124 G, a popular entry-level model appeared.

In the same year Yashica TL Electro X with the set before the first SLR with fully electronic exposure meter.

1972, a cooperation agreement between Yashica Carl Zeiss and FA was Porsche to develop cameras under the Contax name with Design by FA Porsche and lenses from Carl Zeiss completed. 1974 appears as the first result of this cooperation, the Contax RTS. Due to the compatibility of lenses and motor drives the Contax and Yashica SLRs formed a single system. Later, numerous other Contaxkameras, from 1984 also compact cameras, from 1994 rangefinder cameras with interchangeable lens, 1998, the medium-format SLR Contax 645 followed in 2000, presented Contax N system had no equivalent in the Yashica range. The subsidiary Tomioka Optical took over soon after the contract manufacturing of most Zeiss lenses for the Contax cameras.

In 1975, with the Yashica FX- 1, the bayonet of the Contax RTS for its own cameras. 1976 was followed by the FX-2 and FR 1977, FR- I and FR -II. In 1979 with the FX -3 a successful entry-level model, which remained with various modifications to 2002 in the range.

In 1980, the FX -D Quartz came out with the published in the same year Contax was largely the same design 139 Quartz.

1983 Yashica was acquired by Kyocera Corporation. The cameras were, however, continue to be marketed under the name " Yashica " and " Contax ", so that the former company name was retained. In 1985, with the Yashica FX -103 Program, a camera with a host of automatic functions, including TTL flash control.

In 1987, the brand name Yashica was enhanced by the construction of a small SLR camera system with auto focus. Having been the most significant cameras bearing the name " Contax ", the new Yashica 230 AF was soon aka Yashica 230 super a real middle-class camera, similar to the Minolta 7000th which was followed by Yashica 200 AF as a simplified variant. The autofocus cameras use a new bayonet, called Yashica bayonet MA itself (otherwise also under the name " Sigma Y- AF" or " AF Kyocera " known), for which no Zeiss lenses were offered. The bayonet looks the Minolta A-mount ( for the AF - SLR System) confusingly similar to, yet there are differences in detail, so that no direct compatibility is ensured. The flange focal distance of 45.50 mm ( or 45.8 mm). However, the adaptation of lenses of the old system was possible with an auto focus tele-converter. With the models of Yashica 210 AF, Yashica 270 AF and at the end Yashica 300 AF (1993 ) was followed by some new models, however, the new system did not prevail against the competition and was discontinued in the 1990s. In 1988 with the mid- format camera Yashica Samurai X3.0 the first bridge camera, an SLR lens-fitted in a new compact housing similar to a video camera. It was followed later the model and the Yashica Samurai X4.0 4000ix, an APS film camera.

The range manually focusing cameras continued to live while and was supplemented by the successive models 107MP, 109MP and 108 MP. This provided a built-in motor and automatic program, but only limited manual intervention. The brand name disappeared in 2002 with the Yashica FX- 3 Super 2000. The Contax / Yashica bayonet only lives on in the form of a replica offered by Braun Photo Technik this camera.

The term " Dental Eye" various special cameras were offered primarily for the medical field. They were based in each case on contemporary SLRs Yashica range, a macro lens with ring flash was inextricably connected to the housing. The last version was released in 1998, the Yashica Dental Eye III, it contained a 4,0 / 100 mm lens, a data back and are complete with system case.

Among compact cameras is the Yashica T2 (including T3, T4, T5) with their remarkable Zeiss Tessar lens.

In Germany there were two digital cameras from Yashica, the Yashica Kyocera KC 600 from 1997, a camera in a compact format with 350,000 pixels CCD and Compact Flash memory card, and the Yashica Kyocera Samurai 2100 DG 1999, a bridge camera similar to the shape of the SAMURAI X3. 0

Kyocera announced in April 2005 to set all camera production.