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Asahi Pentax Screw Mount Cameras

The first Asahi pentaprism SLR was called the Pentax, hence the Asahi Pentax lettering appeared for the first time on front pentaprism housing. The then new Pentacon M42x1 screw mount replaced the narrower M37x1 of the Asahiflex. Since the Pentax name was so nice and the camera so successful, the Pentax name was retained on all next models (which gained a model designation of their own) now the original model is also known as the AP.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. continued selling Asahi cameras for a while, again under their brand name Tower. Then starting from 1959, the Heiland division of Minneapolis Honeywell became the exclusive distributor of Pentax products for USA. Honeywell also sold Asahi Pentax cameras with model designations different from those sold worldwide.

Since the name Pentax was registered by Pentacon in South Africa, Asahi sold their cameras with either Pentar or Asahiflex trade marks for some time, untill they could use Pentax.

Japan

International

USA

Comments Introd. Disc.
AP AP Tower 26 First pentaprism model 5 / 1957 1958
S S Tower 26 Asahi Pentar in South Africa 4 / 1958 1959
K K Tower 29 Asahi Pentar K in South Africa 5 / 1958 1959
S2      (1) H2 / S2    (1) Heiland H2    (1) Early type, without meter coupling - Asahiflex H2 in South Africa 5 / 1959 1961

not available

not available

Heiland H2
Store Demonstrator
Working dealer demonstrator camera 1959 1959
SB

not sold

not sold

Same as S2 - Japanese military model 5 / 1959 1961
SB2

not sold

not sold

Forerunner of the Super S2 - Japanese military model 1961 ?

not sold

not sold

Heiland Repronar Copy camera and stand - Fixed bellows and lens 1960 ?
S3 S3 Heiland H3
Honeywell H3
New body - 1.8/55mm lens 4 / 1961 1962
S2      (2) S2      (2) Heiland H2    (2)
Honeywell H2
Late type, with meter coupling - 2/55mm lens 4 / 1961 1962

not sold

S1 Heiland H1
Honeywell H1
Budget model - 2.2/55mm lens 4 / 1961 1962
Super S2

not sold

not sold

Sold in Japan only instead of the S1/S1a 1962 1968
SV (1) SV      (1) H3v      (1) Early type 1962 1964

not sold

S1a     (1) H1a      (1) Early type 1962 1964
SV (2) SV      (2) H3v      (2) Late types - Improvements to take new 1.4/50mm lens and back catch attached to body instead of back - Orange "R" on rewind knob 1964 1968

not sold

S1a     (2) H1a      (2) 1964 1968
Spotmatic   (1) Spotmatic   (1) Spotmatic    (1) Early type (P/No.231) - First Stop-down TTL metering 7 / 1964 1965
Spotmatic   (2) Spotmatic   (2) Spotmatic    (2) Late type (P/No.23102) 1965 1973
SP Motor Drive SP Motor Drive SP Motor Drive Motor Drive model of the Spotmatic 1965 1973
SP Data II SP Data II SP Data II Data back model of the Spotmatic 1965 1973
Nocta Nocta Nocta 35mm Infra Red - Special order only 1966 ?
SL SL SL Unmetered Spotmatic 1968 1971
Stereo ST-120 Stereo ST-120 Stereo ST-120 Stereo Traffic camera -  Special order only 1970 ?
Spotmatic II Spotmatic II Spotmatic II Introduced S-M-C Takumar lenses 4 / 1971 1976

not sold

not sold

Spotmatic IIa Built in auto flash sensor 4 / 1971 1973
SPII Motor Drive SPII Motor Drive SPII Motor Drive Motor Drive model of the Spotmatic II 4 / 1971 1973
SPII Data II SPII Data II SPII Data II Data Back model of the Spotmatic II 4 / 1971 1973

not sold

SP500 SP500 Budget model of the SP, replacing the SL 1971 1974
Electro Spotmatic

not sold

not sold

First aperture-priority automatic SLR - Japanese home market only 1971 1972
ES ES ES Electro Spotmatic with improved electronics 1971 1973

not sold

SP1000 SP1000 Budget model of the SP, replacing the SP500 1973 1976
Spotmatic F Spotmatic F Spotmatic F Full-aperture metering 1973 1976
SPF Motor Drive SPF Motor Drive SPF Motor Drive Motor Drive model of the SPF 1973 1976
SPF Data II SPF Data II SPF Data II Data Back model of the SPF 1973 1976
SPF MD Data II SPF MD Data II SPF MD Data II Motor Drive + Data Back model of the SPF 1973 1976
ESII ESII ESII Improved ES 1973 1975
ESII Motor Drive ESII Motor Drive ESII Motor Drive Motor Drive model of the ESII 1973 1975
ESII Data II ESII Data II ESII Data II Data Back model of the ESII 1973 1975
ESII MD Data II ESII MD Data II ESII MD Data II Motor Drive + Data Back model of the ESII 1973 1975

Japan

International

USA

Comments Introd. Disc.
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Page updated 26th Mar. 2001