COSINA COPIES!

[Rachel]

peterw said:

Thanks for posting the URL of that site, Ron. It's one I hadn't come across before. He's got some interesting things to say about other makes, too (though the M42x1 lens thread was introduced by Praktica, not the Contax D).

Peter, I thought that the Contax D predated any Praktica cameras?

[PeterW]

Hi Rachel,

I should have said that the M42 lens thread was introduced by KW (Kamera Werkstatten), makers of the Praktica.

The Contax D was introduced in, I think, 1953, but its fore-runner the Contax S, which was the first Contax SLR, was officially launched at the Leipzig Fair in the spring of 1949. This was also the show at which the first Praktica was introduced. Both had M42 lens mounts.

The fore-runner of the Praktica, the Praktiflex which was originally launched in 1938 or 1939 and resumed after the war, normally had a unique 40mm lens thread, but the last few models in the autumn of 1948 were offered with an M42 lens mount, a few months before the Leipzig Fair.

The front panel of the Praktiflex to which the lens mount is screwed was interchangeable with the front panel of the first Prakticas so the last of the Praktiflexes were a sort of hybrid model. I have heard that quite a few earlier Praktiflexes were later fitted with Praktica front panels to take advantage of the growing range of M42 lenses.

In his book Classic SLRs, Ivor Matanle says that the Contax S was first shown privately to the photographic trade in 1948, but that it did not have an M42 mount (he doesn't say what the mount was). Maybe the M42 mount on the Contax S was a last-minute rethink?

[fotobiblios]

Hi,, just joined -- seems a friendly group.

To add to the Cosina debate -- Konica (sadly, but at least it puts a limit on my main collection) dropped out of the SLR system business in about 1985, their last in-house slr was the FT1 but they sold a budget body for a year or two more -- called the TC-X (in fact the first DX compatible SLR, but very basic otherwise) ---- word is that this was made by Cosina, and the body shape, shutter etc look right although tailored to Konica. Even better - there are two variants (different battery holder/grip).

To add to another part of the thread -- the manufacture of the 38/40mm f1.7/1.8 compact rfdrs in the late'70s and 80s --- Konica/Minolta/Revue/Vivitar/Canon ---- Konica was the first of these with the S3 (C35FD in Japan) -- the lens barrel/shutter assembly looks as if it could be common, but otherwise I think there are really at least 3 cameras - 1. the Konica, 2. the minolta/revue/vivitar/other(by Cosina?) and 3. the larger Canon -- all excellent - if you want to do an easy check, just unscrew the base of the body and see whether the mechanism is basically the same or not. I won't even think about going into the question of who made the (far more numerous) compact rfdr with the 38 f2.8 - again Konica was the first and has different internals from others I have checked.

Now if Cosina is still so active and they can make cameras for all these mounts - how about a new common basic body with mounts for all our old collectable lenses and then a digital version?

This thread (and the list)will keep on growing.

[Randy]

Thanks for joining and posting. This is the longest running thread on the board. By the way, what should we call you? Photo?

[vintageslrs]

foto

interesting comment about the Konica TC-X.
Hmmm could very well been made from Cosina.
Let me tap some of my sources to see if I can confirm that.
I would love to see Cosina follow your suggestion, but I imagine it all comes down to research and developement saying there is a large enough demand.

Bob

[vintageslrs]

I will be adding the Konica TC-X to our Cosina made SLR list.
I have been able to confirm our suspicion through 2 reliable sources.




thanks
Bob

[vintageslrs]

And here is our current list:

ARGUS STL-1000
BAUER RX1
BAUER RX2
CANON T60
CARENA CX-300
CARENA CX-500
CARENA KSM-1
CARENA KSM-2
CAVALIER MSTL
CHINON CE II
CHINON CM3
CHINON 5000SE
CHINON GAFL-ES
CHINON CHINONFLEX
CHINON CE-3
CHINON CS-4
CHINON CM-5
CHINON CM-7
CHINON CG-5
CHINON CX II
CHINON CP-X
CIMKO LS-1
COSINA C1
COSINA C2
COSINA CT-1
COSINA CT-1EX
COSINA CX-2
COSINA CT-1A
COSINA CT-1G
COSINA CT-1 SUPER
COSINA CS-1
COSINA CS-2
COSINA CS-3
COSINA CT-4
COSINA CT-7
COSINA CT-7D
COSINA CT-9
COSINA CT-10
COSINA CT-20
COSINA CT-90
COSINA EL SOLAR
COSINA HI-LITE
COSINA HI-LITE HDL
COSINA HI-LITE EC
COSINA HI-LITE 405
COSINA CSM
COSINA C1A
ELICAR MN-1
EXAKTA TWIN TL
EXAKTA HS-2
EXAKTA HS-4
EXAKTA HS-3
EXAKTA HS-10
EXAKTA HS-40
EXAKTA KE-5
HAKING HG1
HAKING HG2
HANIMEX DR-1
KENLOCK KG1
KONICA TC-X
MIRANDA MS-1
MIRANDA MS 2
MIRANDA MEMOFLEX
NIKON FM-10
NIKON FE-10
OLYMPUS OM-2000
PANAGOR CT1EX
PANAGOR CT90
PENTAX P30T
PETRI GX-1
PETRI GX-2
PETRI GX-3
PETRI GX-4
PETRI MF2
PETRI MF3
PETRI MF4
PETRI MF101
PETRI MF102
PETRI MF103
PETRI MF104
PORST COMPACT REFLEX
PRINZFLEX SUPER TTL
QUANTARAY R400
QUANTARAY RZ800
QUANTARAY DZ-RZ
RICOH XR-1
RICOH KR-5
RICOH KR-500
RICOH KR-5 SUPER2
RICOH SINGLEX TLS
RICOH KR-10 SUPER
SEARS SL2
SEARS TLS
SEIMAX SV7
SEIMAX SV9
SOLIGAR SC-1
TOPCON AM-1
VIVITAR 220SL
VIVITAR 420SL
VIVITAR 650SL
VIVITAR XV2
VIVITAR XV3
VIVITAR V2000
VIVITAR V6000
VOIGTLANDER VSL 43
YASHICA FX-3 SUPER 2000
ZODEL 2MTL


Bob

[Rachel]

fotobiblios said:

Now if Cosina is still so active and they can make cameras for all these mounts - how about a new common basic body with mounts for all our old collectable lenses and then a digital version?

Hi Foto welcome to the group and good to see you posting. The current Voigtlander ranges seem to be satisfying some of your wishes above but they are very expensive. I have a Bessa T and Bessaflex and they are nice cameras but basic and probably not better than our old collectable cameras which mostly seem to be readily available on the secondhand market.

[Just Plain Curt]

Wow Bob, what a list. I have 15 of these but I'll never be able to assemble one of each. Whew, makes me dizzy just imagining it.

[vintageslrs]

Aw come on, don't give up, Curt....
15 is a great start and you have the rest of your life to complete the collection. ;D




Bob

[Just Plain Curt]

I don't know Bob, today I picked up a few cameras from my US shipping address: a Voigtlander Vito folder, Yashica Electro GS, and a Fed 4. Still have 7 more coming, plus just won another Taron RF and 4 camera lot for tinkering (2 Agfa Silettes, a Halina 35X and a Monte 35). At last count (believe me I only check once in a while these days) I had 146 SLR's so other than the few Prakticas I've scored lately, I'm narrowing it down to Spotmatics and M42 cameras. As far as life goes, if you're as old as you feel I'm 147 lately. Stuck in a blue funk that just won't quit. Even buying more oldies doesn't help.

[vintageslrs]

Curt

146 SLRs...very impressive!!

Blue funk or not you sound like you are enjoying!!

keep on keeping on.....and enjoy what you collect and collect what you enjoy!!


all the best
Bob

[PeterW]

Hi Bob,

Been looking through your revised list of what Cosina made. Umm ... don't think I'm even going to attempt to asssemble examples of all that lot.

I do tend to collect in series, but I chose the cheaper ranges, the 'cameras for everyman' which went one, or even two, better than single speed glorified eye-level box cameras. I don't got out of my way to get them, and only get them when I come across one I haven't got at the right price. Mind you, my idea of the right price doesn't always agree with what the seller thinks.

At the moment, from a series point of view, I seem to have majored on three ranges: Agfa Silette, Agfa Karat and Ilford Sportsman. At the moment Karats from the 1930s seem to be climbing a bit in price, but if the tiny bellows have punctured they're fiddling little bar stewards to make. You don't stand a chance of getting new ones except custom-made at a silly price.

The Silette and the Sportsman (AKA Dacora Digna) were honest well-made cameras for the not so affluent amateur. At the moment they're out of favour - some of them on Ebay don't even raise a 99p starting bid, but what puts me off Ebay is that the cost doesn't end with the bid. I'm put off by the high postage charges.

I've had several of each to pieces for a CLA and I think they're better made than some of the cheaper ranges from the top names. The up-range ones with the better lenses also take darn good pictures. I'm also assembling a series of Retinas, but I place those a little more up-market. Also Canon mechanical SLRs, but they're in a different class.

But I'm wandering off topic (as usual) . I keep promising myself I'll get my personal website up and running before too long, and when I do I'll talk more about them all. It's 80 per cent ready, just needs a lot more pix.

Peter

[Just Plain Curt]

Hi Peter,
Interesting about the Silettes. I have a Silette LK, Silette L, Silette SLE, Silette SL, as well as five Memars, 3 Agfamatic 1A's, and six various Optimas. Even have one poor lonely Dacora Digna. Canons I have many of but like my TX, TLb and FTb best as they're in a more mechanical class than AE1, AV1, AE1 Program etc.

[fotobiblios]

Cosina copies -- a new bunch?? -- sorry I lost the link, but the German marketing company Braun sell what looks like a couple of Cosinas with Minolta or Pentax mount (Braun name, distinctive rounded prism cover) and the word is on the street that they plan to sell one with the Contax slr mount for those disappointed Contax/Yashica lens users.
ps Braun used to be the German Konica distributer until the mid-70s


regards to all - Danny (UK) --(fotobiblios)