RE: [Leica] SLR Revolution

["Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter)" <peterk@lucent.com>]

The first Japanese made 35mm SLR was the Asahiflex I of 1952.  This was 7
years prior to the debut of the venerable Nikon F.  It included a cloth
curtain focal plain shutter, shutter speeds of 1/20 to 1/500 sec. and bulb
setting.  in 1957 a pentaprism was used in the camera and the Asahisflex II
was named Asahi Pentax. "Pentax" being derived from "Pentaprism" and
"Reflex."

Trivia: Name the first 35mm SLR? (Marc you already knnow this so you can't
answer!)



Answer: The Contax S of 1949 built by Carl Zeiss Dresden (East). It had a
built-in Pentaprism.

Peter K

- -----Original Message-----
From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [mailto:ramarren@bayarea.net]
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 1999 8:45 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] SLR Revolution


Heya Mark,

I didn't say that the Nikon F was the first, the best or the only. I just 
said that it defined the tidal wave. I stand by that statement, and I 
think every photo historian (except perhaps you, of course ;) would 
agree. 

Other SLRs were available but frightfully expensive or fairly awful to 
use. I remember the Exactas and the Beseler-Topcons, the Contarex and 
Icarex. The Nikon F defined the professional system 35mm SLR in a way 
that no one else's offerings did. It was over a decade later that other 
folks began to make comparable tools. 

I have always had a fascination with the beautiful cameras from Zeiss 
Ikon, but they were way out of reach and did not have the kind of 
integrated system support that Nikon offered back then. Same for Alpas 
... an Alpa 10d was my dream camera for some while there, whether it was 
worthy of such adulation or not. 

But enough Nikon. This is the Leica Users Group mailing list. My favorite 
F3/T is getting little use since I bought my Leica M6TTL ... 

Godfrey