今月のカメラ-Cameras of the month

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Elega 35 (left) and the Chiyoca 35 IF (right), the only Japanese Leica Standard copy.

Elega 35 was supposed to be released in 1952.　It looks similar to Leica Standard but its mechanism is unique. It has a behind-the-lens planer leaf shutter, a forerunner of the later compact cameras begining with the Rollei 35. The Elegar lens is not interchangeable. At least the Elega lens on the later model is detachable, but no other lens was provided. 　 The Elega 35 uses double casettes and cannot rewind the film. The look-alike-rewind knob is only for tightening the film. The body shape and the shutter mechanism of the Elega 35 have a strange similarity to the Look camera of 1949.| It seems that the same engineer designed both cameras or someone bought the design dropped the rangefinder mechanism of the Look for simplifying the manufacturing. 　 Both the Look and the Elega 35 were made by Nitto Seiko co. in Ayabe, a small city on the north of Kyoto. The Look was designed by Mr.Chatani, the inventor of a lateral movement metal focal plane shutter which later became the Copal Square shutter. The Look camera was sold through Mr.Chatani's Look camera corp. but it did not sell well land the manufacturing was difficult for Nitto Seiko and the camera didn't benefitted them. One year after, Nitto Seiko made Elega 35 removing the rangefinder from the Look. This time Mr.Chatani was not involved in. The Elega was sold through Doi Trading in Osaka. They also sold Elegaflex TLRs. It seems that they renamed themselves Nitto Photo Equipment corp. and moved to Tokyo.

、今月の変なもの Odd photographic item of the month

先月までのカメラ
Cameras of the past months.

トプコンペ-ジ
レンジファインダ-トプコン
TOPCON pages.
Rangefinder Topcon.

ニコンＦ関係の物 Some interesting Nikon F related items

日本光学製光学機器 Other Rare Nippon Kogaku equipment

珍品豆カメラ Rare miniature cameras