Home ] Su ] [ Screw Mount Oddities ] Bayonet Oddities ] Various Oddities ]

 


Screw Mount Era Oddities: 1952-1975

Click on thumbnails on left to enlarge images

10035takt.jpg (12021 byte) 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
pentarst.jpg (10095 byte) 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
pentarkt.jpg (6977 byte)
pentarkbt.jpg (12661 byte)
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)
h2storet.jpg (11240 byte) 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.
h2aflxt.jpg (10565 byte) 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
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
noctat.jpg (9736 byte) 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. 
s123gunt.gif (3896 byte) 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 camera’s film advance lever. It shot by shutter release button breaking the lens elements in front of it.
photo: CIA website
spgoldt.jpg (9928 byte) 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.
spiicut_01t.jpg (12446 byte) Cutout Spotmatic II (1971)
Non-working cutout camera, made by Asahi Opt. Co. for demo purpose.

photo courtesy Preston Cook
spfzeisst.jpg (9379 byte) 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

but01inde.gif (3235 byte)


Page updated 5th Aug. 2003