COSINA COPIES!

[casualcollector]

That's a Chinon. I used to sell these cameras back in the day. G.A.F. imported them under several model names. L-17. L-14, L-CM, L-CS and L-ES are the models I'm most familiar with.

Chinon and Cosina had factories in the same region of Japan, perhaps across town from each other. I imagine they cooperated on some products and competed on others. While their SLRs have similar features, the examples I've seen the internal workings of are different.

[Abbazz]

The Ricoh Singlex TLS was a great camera, very well built and with many advanced features for the time. I still enjoy using mine, even if it is on the heavy side for an everyday camera.

As far as I know, the original Ricoh Singlex TLS (1967) and its numerous rebranded clones were manufactured by Riken Optical in Tokyo. Riken (owner of the Ricoh brand) was the acronym for Institute for Physical and Chemical research, a research institute created to promote Japanese industry and to sell inventions to other Japanese companies. In 1968, Cosina licensed the Singlex TLS design from Riken Optical to make its first SLR camera, the Cosina Hi-Lite, which was later sold under many brands and declined in numerous models. The Cosina SLRs were (and still are) produced in the new factory built by Cosina in Nagano.

So I wouldn't include the Singlex TLS in your list of Cosina made cameras, even if it is true that it's the ancestor of all Cosina SLR models.

Cheers,

Abbazz

[casualcollector]

I'm in agreement with you on that, Abbazz. One camera I keep trying to make a member of this club is the Topcon RE-2/Beseler Topcon D-1. It is a Copal Square S shutter camera with the shutter speed dial on front of the body. I've never examined one closely but the resemblance to the Ricoh and Cosina cameras is strong. It shared the "kid brother" status of Nikkormat to Nikon F, and FTb to Canon F-1.

[Randy]

I'll be removing the Ricoh Singlex from the Cosina Files next time I do an update. I have found another Argus/Cosina version albiet it is also named the STL 1000 with angled corners on the front like the Vivitar 420 also made by Cosina. So far I have found the Hi Lite rebadged STL, the STL, the two versions of the STL 1000 (one has strap lugs on the front and the other has them on the sides), and an earlier version that just says ARGUS that is a dead ringer for the Cosina CR. Petri also made a STL with the ARGUS name on it.

[olroy2044]

Hello everyone. Just found this board through a link on the Spotmatic board. I think Walker put it up. Just read all the way thru the Cosina thread, and was amazed at what I read. It appears that I have several Cosina-built cameras and never suspected it! Couple of questions. I see that when you follow the link to the list from the home page, that all Ricoh's are gone from the list. ?? Is my Kr5 Super a Cosina? Also, I own 3 Pentax p3n's. If the P30T is Cosina-built, it seems to follow that my P3n's are too. Correct?. It seems that I have been suffering from Pentax-Minolta-Zeiss snobbery! Red-faces all 'round! Roy

[Randy]

Sorry Roy, this post must have gotten lost in the shuffle.

[pancake]

Say, anyone refer to this website by any chance?

www.diecastdeluxe.com/cosina.html

[Randy]

pancake said:

Say, anyone refer to this website by any chance?

www.diecastdeluxe.com/cosina.html

That's my website, if you click on Member's Links above you'll find more.

[pancake]

Randy, wow! good thing I didn't say a bad thing about it

Sorry for the newbie confusion.

[felixkh]

Wow Very interesting thread. I used to own the Cosina in 1989/1990 but I cannot remember the model and after that I came across the Vivitar V335, V2000, V6000, Canon T60, Nikon FE-10, FM-10 and the Yasica FX-3 Super 2000 in Singapore.

[Randy]

Welcome to the forum Felix. Read the article about Cosina, if you already haven't.

[Randy]

The Cosina Files have been updated!

[sl]

A question about Cosina SLRs:

What exactly are the differences between Cosina CSR, CSM and CSL? Some web pages suggest that the CSR had optional spot metering. Is that true? I have the CSL and it for sure does not have spot metering, so perhaps that is one possible real difference.

I have also seen and handled the CSM, but that was before I bought the CSL. Still, I can't remember it being different in any way from the CSL.

[daveh]

As I have said previously in idle moments I have been going through old threads.

I have a Cosina CT4 and a CT7 and a few Cosina lenses. I knew Cosina made cameras and lenses which were badged with other names, but I didn't know the full extent until I saw this wonderful shakedown.

I remember reading in the dim and distant past that Cosina were the second biggest manufacturers of optical glass in the world.

Incidentally the Cosinas were stored in the same box as the Topcon Super-D and RE-2. The Topcons came out in perfect condition. On both the Cosinas the door light seals have perished, and the edge of the door on the CT4 is showing signs of rusting. I suppose it proves the point that you get what you pay for.

I now have a list of many Cosina made cameras and this has set me thinking:-

Who made the Olympus FTL?

Camerapedia.org doesn't seem to know. I recall reading about it some years back and I think it was either Fuji or Yashica. I bet it is on a thread here somewhere.

[casualcollector]

Here's some good insight in to the FTL.

www.biofos.com/cornucop/ftl.html

It doesn't say where the design originated. My guess would be Nittoh Kogaku, also known as Komine.

Bill