Konica

Konica (コニカ) was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers, founded in 1873. The company merged with Japanese peer Minolta in 2003, forming Konica Minolta.

History

The company traces its history back to 1873 when pharmacist Rokusaburo Sugiura began selling photographic materials at his shop in Konishiya Rokubē, the biggest pharmacy trader in Tokyo at that time.[2]

In 1878, Rokusaburō succeeded to his family and renamed Rokuemon VI (Rokudaime Rokuemon). He gave the original shop to his younger brother and launched a new shop, Konishi Honten (Konishi Main Shop) in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo.

In 1882, Konishi launched a project to produce photography related materials in Japan which were imported at that time. In 1902, Konishi began to sell the "Cherry Portable Camera" (チェリー手提用暗函), the first Japanese produced end-user oriented camera. New products were released respectively, and Konishi Main Shop became the leading camera company in Japan. In 1921, Konishi had his elder son succeed to the family and thus company head with the name, and in this occasion Konishi Honten was turned into a company Konishiroku Honten. The name Konishiroku was taken from the abbreviation of their names, Konishi Rokuemon. Konishiroku released their "Konica I" type camera in 1948, after which they would name their own company in 1987. Since 1949 Konica produced a Medium format-camera Pearl.[3] From 1964 until 1975 Konica manufactured Medium format Omega-cameras, which used Konica's Hexanon-lenses; they were named Koni-Omega for the global market. Two models were named Konica Press for the Japanese market.[4][5]

Konica's single lens reflex cameras pioneered auto-exposure in cameras with focal-plane shutters and fully interchangeable lenses. The Konica Autoreflex of 1965 used an external light meter cell to set the lens diaphragm automatically after the user selected a shutter speed. With the Autoreflex T of 1968, Konica improved this design into a through-the-lens meter, using the same automation system (the user could also set the exposure manually on these cameras). Other camera makers eventually adopted auto-exposure as well, but Konica was the first.

When Konishiroku got the new name Konica in 1987, the company employed about 4,935 people.[6] In the 1990s Konica signed its first major contract with Los Angeles County providing leasing of copiers to the Los Angeles Superior Court. This resulted in a major shift in the industry that had sold only copiers before. The County initial order of 250 copiers required Konica to redirect all of it inventory throughout North America to the county.

On 5 August 2003, Konica merged with Minolta to form Konica Minolta. In 2006, Konica Minolta exited the photography business.[7] In March 2006, the merged company closed down its photo imaging division, which produced color film, color paper, photo chemicals and digital minilab machines. Its digital SLR camera section was transferred to Sony, currently known as the Sony Alpha line. Dai Nippon (DNP) purchased Konica's Odawara factory site and continues to produce paper under its own brand, while Seapac acquired the Konica chemical factory.

See also

• Fotomat - acquired by Konica in 1982.
• List of photographic equipment makers

Works cited

• Konica Minolta (2004). Konica Minolta - History. Retrieved on November 6, 2005.
• Konica Minolta (2003). History of Konica. Retrieved on November 6, 2005.
• Buhl, Andreas (2005). Konica Start page. Extensive Konica SLR site. Retrieved on November 6, 2005.

External links

• The Konica AR System
• The Konica SLR system 1960–1987
• Konica SLR lenses 1960-1987
• Konica C35, C35A and C35V
• Koni-Omega pages
• Rokuoh-sha pages (on the earlier cameras; well illustrated)
• Konica (on Camera-wiki.org)