Screw Mount Era Oddities:
1952-1975 |
Click
on thumbnails on left to enlarge images |
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Takumar
100mm f3.5 (1957)
This 100mm f3.5 Takumar lens for the Pentax AP was based on Asahiflex lens elements. It
was supposedly it never went into production, but at least two of them are owned by Pentax
Collectors at this time. Here you see it mounted on a Tower 26, US version of the AP, sold
through Sears Roebuck & Co. mail retailers. photo courtesy Preston Cook |
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Asahi
Pentar S (1958)
Rare name variation, for cameras sold in South Africa. The Pentar name replaced the
Pentax, which was registered by Pentacon at the time.
photo courtesy Harold Carlsson |
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Asahi
Pentar K (1958)
Rare name variation, for cameras sold in South Africa. The Pentar name replaced the
Pentax, which was registered by Pentacon at the time.
Those cameras were available either in chrome or black finish, with matching lenses (see
pictures).
photo courtesy Derek White (chrome) and
Preston Cook (black) |
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Heiland
Pentax H2 Store Demonstrator (1959)
Rare demo cameras, supplied to photo stores by Heiland division of Honeywell when they
started distributing Pentax products in USA. |
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Asahiflex
H2 (1959)
Rare name variation, for cameras sold in South Africa. The old Asahiflex name replaced the
Pentax, which was registered by Pentacon at the time.
photo Dario Bonazza |
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Spotmatic
MD + Mirror Lock-Up
(1965-1971)
Mirror lock-up is rather diffused among Honeywell SPII MD and SPF MD
cameras. However it is a rare option in original Spotmatic Motor Drive
cameras. Here is one.
photo courtesy
Preston Cook |
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Nocta
(1966)
Special set for Infra-Red photography. It included camera body, electronic image
intensifier, special infrared corrected lens and two IR light sources. One was continuous
and intended for focusing, while the other was a powerful IR flash for shooting. |
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C.I.A.
single-shot gun-camera (1966)
The Stinger is a single-shot re-loadable .22 magnum pen-gun, perhaps the single most
popular weapon of the C.I.A. In 1966 the Stinger has been "swallowed" by an
Asahi Pentax 35mm SLR and properly cocked via cameras film advance lever. It shot by
shutter release button breaking the lens elements in front of it. photo: CIA website |
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Spotmatic
Gold (1970)
Gold finished award camera, made in 1970 on occasion of '2nd Asahi Pentax World Photo
Contest' Here you can see the prize-giving to Mr. Gino Barbieri, from Modena, winner of
the Spotmatic Gold among Italian photo dealers. |
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Cutout
Spotmatic II (1971)
Non-working cutout camera, made by Asahi Opt. Co. for demo purpose.
photo courtesy Preston Cook |
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Instrument
SPF Motor Drive (circa 1975)
Special instrument camera, made of a standard SPF MD, plus mirror lock-up, shutter dial
locked on 1/60th and a special Zeiss counter back. Probably modified by Zeiss during
a period of co-operation between Asahi and Zeiss.
photo courtesy Preston Cook |