History
This website is operated by Asahi Pentax UK and its licensees, which includes Asahi Pentax web store and eBay store. This history covers information collected at this website and information collected offline by us.
Asahi Optical Co.
The original company was founded as Asahi Optical Co., Asahi Kogaku Goshi Kaisha in November 1919 by Kumao Kajiwara, at a shop in the Toshima suburb of Tokyo, and began producing spectacle lenses.
In 1938, it changed its name to Asahi Optical Co., Ltd. (Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha); by this time, it was also manufacturing camera/cine lenses. In the lead-up to World War II, Asahi Optical devoted much of its time to fulfilling military contracts for optical instruments. At the end of the war, Asahi Optical was disbanded by the occupying powers, being allowed to re-form in 1948. The company resumed its pre-war activities, manufacturing binoculars and consumer camera lenses for Konishiroku and Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō (later Konica and Minolta respectively).
The period around 1950 marked the return of the Japanese photographic industry to the vigorous level of the late 1930s, and its emergence as a major exporter. The newly reborn industry had sold many of its cameras to the occupation forces (having had far more disposable income than the Japanese), which were well received. The Korean War saw a huge influx of journalists and photographers to the Far East, where they were impressed by lenses from companies such as Nikon and Canon for their Leica rangefinder cameras, and also by bodies by these and other companies to supplement and replace the Leica and Contax cameras they were using.
In 1952, Asahi Optical Co. introduced it's first camera, the Asahiflex (the first Japanese SLR using 35mm film). The name "Pentax" was originally a registered trademark of the East German VEB Zeiss Ikon (from "Pentaprism" and "Contax") and acquired by the Asahi Optical company in 1957. Since then the company has been primarily known for its photographic products, distributed 35mm equipment under the name "Asahi Pentax" and medium format 120 6x7cm equipment under the sub brand "Pentax 6x7" (from 1969 to 1990) and "Pentax 67" (from 1990 to 1999). Equipment was exported to the United States from the 1950s until the mid-1970s; being imported by Honeywell Corporation and branded as "Heiland Pentax" and later "Honeywell Pentax". The company was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. It was one of the world's largest optical companies, producing still cameras, binoculars, spectacle lenses, and a variety of other optical instruments. In 2004, Pentax had about 6000 employees.
Asahi Pentax 6x7
Asahi Pentax 6×7 – the original model, launched in 1969 (first generation)
The Pentax 6×7 is a Japanese medium-format SLR roll film camera by Asahi Pentax. Pentax's plans for a 6x7 SLR arose about 1960. However, there were challenges during the camera's development, including changing from a mechanical to an electronic shutter and adjusting the camera for 220 film use, and it took until the 1966 Photokina for the camera to be presented in prototype form as the Pentax 220. The name reflected that it supported 220 film, which had become available in 1965 (see also the Linhof 220). The prototype had a mixed chrome and black finish.[2] The final version of the Pentax 6x7 launched in 1969 with an all-black finish. It produces 6×7 images on 120 or 220 roll film.
The body is in the style of an oversized 35mm SLR camera; some have referred to it as a "super SLR." The camera has a dual Pentax bayonet lens mount. The inner mount is typically for lenses with a focal length from 35mm to 300mm, while the outer mount is for lengths of 400mm to 1000mm. The shutter is a cloth-based focal plane shutter with speeds of 1 to 1/1000 of a second plus a bulb mode. The camera supports a time (T) mode; to enable this feature the shutter dial has to be set between 1/1000 and X. The shutter release has a locking collar as well as a screw-in cable release connector. For flash synchronisation there are two PC sockets on the left-hand side of the mirror housing, one for FP bulb and another for X electronic sync at 1/30 of a second. There is no cold accessory or hot shoe built in. The optional left-hand grip does contain a shoe. The camera is completely battery-dependent, using a 6V PX28/4LR44 battery. The body does not have a built-in exposure meter.
The film transport uses a single-stroke film advance wind lever. The film automatically stops at the correct frame, so no red window is required. The film counter is located on top of the advance lever. Loading film requires opening the film back by pulling the latch on the left side of the back downwards. The left side of the film chamber is for the unexposed film, and the right for the film take-up spool. The base of the camera has film spool knobs that must be pulled out and aligned with the spools. The film backing paper must be aligned with the start indicators in the film chamber, which has two marks--one for 120 and another for 220. Roll film type can be selected by a small knob on the right-hand side of the camera and by sliding the film pressure plate for either 10 or 20 pictures. Sliding the pressure plate also changes the film type reminder window on the back. The camera shutter does not work without film. To test fire, open the camera back and set the film counter dial on a frame number. Close the back while holding the dial. Crank to cock the shutter. The camera locks again when the counter dial has exposed the last frame.
Asahi Pentax 6x7 MLU
Asahi Pentax 6×7 (MLU) – with a mirror lock-up mechanism, launched in 1976 (second generation)
Early in 1976, halfway through its production life, Asahi introduced a mirror lock-up feature. Sliding a switch on the right-hand side of the mirror housing upwards releases the mirror, while a small, flush button located under the numeral 7 in the model name on the right-hand front allows the mirror/shutter cycle to be completed if the shutter has been released without battery power; after depressing the button (e.g., with a ballpoint pen), press the shutter once more to complete the cycle. This feature does consume power, so remember to release the mirror.
Pentax 67
Pentax 67 – with minor cosmetic changes, launched in 1990 (third generation)
In 1989 Asahi released a newer revision, called Pentax 67. Like all models before and after, it shared very similar specifications. Many of the knobs and buttons were changed slightly in appearance and materials, but they are in the same locations as on the previous models. The shutter has been changed; because of that the bulb mode now consumes power. However, Pentax did offer a bulb mode modification service to correct this problem.
The interchangeable finders have been updated and now use the Pentax nameplate without the word Asahi. A new revision of the TTL metered prism is offered; it now uses a silicon photo diode instead of a CdS metering cell, but otherwise the meter specifications remain the same.
Pentax 67II
Pentax 67 II – the fourth generation model, launched in 1999
The Pentax 67II is the newest revision, released in 1998. Its specifications are very similar to those of the previous models. The most notable improvement is the built-in right-hand grip, making handling much easier. For those used to the handling of the previous models a left-hand grip can still be added to the body. A dedicated time mode switch (PS TIME) has been added below the mirror up dial. Using time mode on long exposures does not consume as much battery power as bulb mode. The PC terminal for FP (bulb) flash sync is no longer present; it has been replaced with the Pentax speedlight 5P connector. On this model an LCD panel located by the film advance lever shows information such as frame counter, film ISO, film load status, battery status, shutter cocking, and flash status. The film back still contains the film format (120/220) window but now has as an emulsion memo holder. The film start mark is now the same for both 120 and 220 film. The 220 format mode can now capture 21 exposures compared to the previous 20 exposures. A new self-timer mode is available, located on the same collar as the on/off dial. It has a 12-second delay with an audible beep. Multiple exposure mode is also available. The battery is now 2x CR123A lithium.
A new AE finder available for this model offers aperture priority exposure mode along with the basic manual, T, and B modes. In AE mode the shutter speed range is from 30s to 1/1000. Pentax also offered a half-stop modification to the shutter, so half speeds like 1/45 and 1/90 can also be used. An exposure compensation dial provides a range of 3 EV. An exposure lock feature allows the exposure settings to be retained in memory for 20 seconds. Along with center-weighted averaging metering modes, a spot mode and a multisegment metering mode are also offered. Film sensitivity measuring range is also expanded with a range from 6 to 6400 ISO. The viewfinder display uses LEDs for the display instead of a needle. Also displayed in the finder are shutter speed, aperture, flash status, metering mode, and exposure compensation. In manual exposure mode, under/over indication is shown. Note that the AE finder works only with the 67II, and the TTL finder from the 67 model is incompatible with the 67II.
Trade Mark Acquisition.
All of the above information that we collect, as described above, may be shared among all operations Asahi Pentax and Mamiya stores.
We also may disclose information to outside companies that help us bring you the products and services we offer. For example, we may work with an outside company to: (a) manage a database of customer information; (b) assist us in distributing emails; (c) assist us with direct marketing and data collection; (d) provide us storage and analysis; (d) provide fraud prevention; and (e) provide other services designed to assist us in maximizing our business potential. We require that these outside companies agree to keep confidential all information we share with them and to use the information only to perform their obligations in our agreements with them.
Resurrection and Restoration.
You have several choices regarding our handling of your nonpublic personally identifiable information.
Because customer lists often are prepared well in advance of an offering (sometimes a few months before the offer is made), you may continue to receive some offers after you send us a request not to use your information for specified marketing purposes. We appreciate your patience and understanding in giving us time to carry out your request.
