1.
Photography
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Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected or emitted from objects into a real image on the light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure. With an electronic sensor, this produces an electrical charge at each pixel. A negative image on film is used to photographically create a positive image on a paper base, known as a print. The word photography was created from the Greek roots φωτός, genitive of φῶς, light and γραφή representation by means of lines or drawing, several people may have coined the same new term from these roots independently. Johann von Maedler, a Berlin astronomer, is credited in a 1932 German history of photography as having used it in an article published on 25 February 1839 in the German newspaper Vossische Zeitung. Both of these claims are now widely reported but apparently neither has ever been confirmed as beyond reasonable doubt. Credit has traditionally given to Sir John Herschel both for coining the word and for introducing it to the public. Photography is the result of combining several technical discoveries, later Greek mathematicians Aristotle and Euclid also independently described a pinhole camera in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE. Daniele Barbaro described a diaphragm in 1566, wilhelm Homberg described how light darkened some chemicals in 1694. The fiction book Giphantie, published in 1760, by French author Tiphaigne de la Roche, the discovery of the camera obscura that provides an image of a scene dates back to ancient China. Leonardo da Vinci mentions natural camera obscura that are formed by dark caves on the edge of a sunlit valley, a hole in the cave wall will act as a pinhole camera and project a laterally reversed, upside down image on a piece of paper. So the birth of photography was primarily concerned with inventing means to capture, renaissance painters used the camera obscura which, in fact, gives the optical rendering in color that dominates Western Art. The camera obscura literally means dark chamber in Latin and it is a box with a hole in it which allows light to go through and create an image onto the piece of paper. Around the year 1800, British inventor Thomas Wedgwood made the first known attempt to capture the image in a camera obscura by means of a light-sensitive substance and he used paper or white leather treated with silver nitrate. The shadow images eventually darkened all over, the first permanent photoetching was an image produced in 1822 by the French inventor Nicéphore Niépce, but it was destroyed in a later attempt to make prints from it. Niépce was successful again in 1825, in 1826 or 1827, he made the View from the Window at Le Gras, the earliest surviving photograph from nature. Because Niépces camera photographs required a long exposure, he sought to greatly improve his bitumen process or replace it with one that was more practical. With an eye to eventual commercial exploitation, the partners opted for total secrecy, Daguerres efforts culminated in what would later be named the daguerreotype process
2.
Kodak
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Eastman Kodak Company, commonly referred to as Kodak, is an American technology company that produces imaging products with its historic basis on photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York and is incorporated in New Jersey, Kodak provides packaging, functional printing, graphic communications and professional services for businesses around the world. Its main business segments are Print Systems, Enterprise Inkjet Systems, Micro 3D Printing and Packaging, Software and Solutions and it is best known for photographic film products. Kodak was founded by George Eastman and Henry A, during most of the 20th century, Kodak held a dominant position in photographic film. The companys ubiquity was such that its Kodak moment tagline entered the lexicon to describe a personal event that was demanded to be recorded for posterity. Kodak began to struggle financially in the late 1990s, as a result of the decline in sales of photographic film, as a part of a turnaround strategy, Kodak began to focus on digital photography and digital printing, and attempted to generate revenues through aggressive patent litigation. In January 2012, Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. In February 2012, Kodak announced that it would stop making digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames, in January 2013, the Court approved financing for Kodak to emerge from bankruptcy by mid 2013. Kodak sold many of its patents for approximately $525,000,000 to a group of companies under the names Intellectual Ventures, on September 3,2013, the company emerged from bankruptcy having shed its large legacy liabilities and exited several businesses. Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging are now part of Kodak Alaris, on March 12,2014, it announced that the board of directors elected Jeffrey J. Clarke as chief executive officer and a member of its board of directors. As late as 1976, Kodak commanded 90% of film sales, Japanese competitor Fujifilm entered the U. S. market with lower-priced film and supplies, but Kodak did not believe that American consumers would ever desert its brand. Kodak passed on the opportunity to become the film of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Fuji won these sponsorship rights. Fuji opened a plant in the U. S. and its aggressive marketing. Fuji went from a 10% share in the early 1990s to 17% in 1997, fujis films soon also found a competitive edge in higher-speed negative films, with a tighter grain structure. The complaint was lodged by the United States with the World Trade Organization, on January 30,1998, the WTO announced a sweeping rejection of Kodaks complaints about the film market in Japan. Although Kodak developed a camera in 1975, the first of its kind. In the 1990s, Kodak planned a journey to move to digital technology. CEO George M. C. Fisher reached out to Microsoft, Apples pioneering QuickTake consumer digital cameras, introduced in 1994, had the Apple label but were produced by Kodak
3.
126 film
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For the unrelated roll-film format produced from 1906 to 1949, see 126 film. 126 is the given to a cartridge-based film format used in still photography. It was introduced by Kodak in 1963, and is associated mainly with low-end point-and-shoot cameras, although 126 was once very popular, as of 2008 it is no longer manufactured, and few photofinishers will process it. In 1963, Kodak introduced a new film, encased in a plastic cartridge, the term 126 was intended to show that images were 26 mm square, using Kodaks common 1xx film numbering system. However the image size is actually 28×28 mm, but usually reduced to approximately 26. 5×26.5 mm by masking during printing or mounting, the 126 film format was defined in ISO3029, which has since been withdrawn. Like the 120 format, there is a backing paper. The cartridge has a captive take-up spool, but no supply spool, the positioning of the image is fixed by the cartridge. The film is 35 mm wide, but unlike 135 film, it is unperforated, except for one registration hole per image, similar to the earlier 828 film. The top edge of the cartridge above the gate has a square notch in a specific position corresponding to the speed of the film in the cartridge. Some of the cameras used this notch to determine the correct exposure, or to set the light meter. Although only film with speeds between ISO 64/19° and ISO 400/27° were ever manufactured in this format, the standard defined 20 different speeds, the film was originally available in 12 and 20 image lengths, at the time regular production stopped it was only available in 24 exposure cartridges. The film does not need to be rewound, and is simple to load and unload. The format was introduced by Kodak under the brand name Kodapak, around ten million cameras were made by Kodak and other companies. However, with a few exceptions, the format was used for fairly simple amateur cameras. Kodak officially discontinued the format on 31 December 1999, Ferrania in Italy, was the last factory producing 126 film. Their product was an ISO200 colour print film marketed under their Solaris brand, the last scheduled production run took place in April 2007, but an unscheduled production run in late 2007 surprised industry observers and raised hopes that it had not actually been discontinued. As of March 2009, Ferrania customer service states that they are producing only 135 format color film in 200 and 400 ASA. Adocolor 126, which was recently available in Europe and was sometimes imported by North American resellers, was manufactured for the German Adox company by Ferrania
4.
Disc film
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Disc film was a still-photography film format aimed at the consumer market, and introduced by Kodak in 1982. The film was in the form of a disc, and was fully housed within a plastic cartridge. Each disc held fifteen 10 ×8 mm exposures, arranged around the outside of the disc, the system was a consumer-oriented product, and most cameras were self-contained units with no expansion capability. The disc film allowed them to be compact and considerably thinner than other cameras, the cameras were very simple to load and unload, and were generally completely automated. The cassette had a dark slide to prevent stray light reaching the film when the disc was removed. As the film was rotated on a disc instead of over a spool, the flat nature of the format also led to the advantage of greater sharpness over curved spool-based cassette formats. Disc film has a very thick acetate base, comparable thickness with 4×5 sheet film, the film was intended to be printed with special 6-element lenses from Kodak, but many labs simply printed discs with standard 3-element lenses used for larger negative formats. The resulting prints often disappointed the consumer, few labs made the investment required to get the best out the small negative size. A problem with labs of the time was the nature of processing the color negative film. This was essentially a process, unlike spool-based films, whose chemical processing could be fully automated. The film was discontinued by the last manufacturer, Kodak, on December 31,1999. There were several different manufacturers of Disc film, Kodak produced films throughout the complete lifespan of the format, but 3M, Konica and Fuji also produced Disc film. While Kodak film was always eponymous, 3M and Konica made Disc film for many third parties, as with most photographic film, for such white-label products the country of manufacture provides the best indication as to the actual manufacturer. Kodaks newest ideas with sharp fine-grained negative film were tested in Disc format first. Kodak, Kodacolor HR, Kodacolor VR, Kodacolor Gold Fuji, Fujicolor HR series, 3M, HR film series and third party film. Manufactured in Italy until the 1990s, then USA, there are still a small number of labs remaining in North America and the UK able to develop unprocessed disc film. Examples are as of June 2015, Film Rescue International Rapid Photo Imaging Center Inc, International, USA Blue Moon Camera & Machine USA Dwaynes Photo USA MS Hobbies UK, Europe Citizens Photo USA Disc film is not available to purchase new due to the very complex design. No manufacturers remain, nor are any likely to recommence production
5.
Advanced Photo System
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Advanced Photo System is a now discontinued film format for still photography first produced in 1996. It was marketed by Eastman Kodak under the brand name Advantix, by FujiFilm under the name Nexia, by Agfa under the name Futura and by Konica as Centuria. The film is 24 mm wide, and has three image formats, H for High Definition C for Classic P for Panoramic The C and P formats are formed by cropping. The full image is recorded on the film, and an image recorded in one aspect ratio can be reprinted in another, the C format has an equivalent aspect ratio to a 135 film image. In the absence of a format, the machine printing an APS roll will use these indicators to determine the output format of each print. The film is on a polyethylene naphthalate base, and is housed in a single-spool 39 mm long plastic cartridge, the basic diameter is 21 mm, while it measures 30 mm at the slot where the film exits. The slot is protected by a lightproof door and it is available in 40,25 and 15 exposure lengths. The film surface has a transparent magnetic coating, and the camera uses this information exchange system for recording information about each exposure, the camera handles winding and rewinding automatically, to the extent that partially exposed films can, in certain cameras, be removed and used later. A major distinction of APS film was the ability to record other than the image. This information could be read by the printing equipment to determine the print aspect ratio, print information on the back of the photograph. Two methods for storing information on the film were employed, magnetic IX, optical IX was employed on less expensive cameras and disposable cameras, and employed a light source to expose a small section of the film, outside of the image negative area. This method was limited to determining the print aspect ratio of the finished print, magnetic IX was used in the more expensive cameras and allowed for more information exchange. Magnetic IX caused some problems for photo processors, who found their magnetic reading heads had to be cleaned frequently, unlike 135 film, processed APS film is stored in the original cartridge. For identification, every roll of APS film has a six-digit ID code on the label and this ID is usually printed on the back of every individual print. This ID was designed to be an additional convenience both for the photoprocessor and for the consumer, who can easily locate the correct cartridge if reprints are desired, to facilitate automatic processing of film, a unique DX number is assigned to the different types of film. The format was introduced in 1996 by Kodak, Fujifilm, Minolta, Nikon, Canon, APS was mainly used for point and shoot amateur cameras, although some SLR systems were also created, Canon EOS IX, Minolta Vectis, Nikon Pronea with Nikon IX lenses. Of these the Canon EOS IX and the Nikon Pronea could use the existing 35 mm SLR lenses, Nikon developed the IX series of lens that were lighter and had a smaller image circle. Although the Nikon IX series of lenses were not compatible with the Nikon 35 mm SLR, using existing lenses meant that the field of view was reduced by around 1. 6×, but had the advantage of a larger lens selection
6.
16 mm film
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16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film, with other film gauges including 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for film making or for low budget motion pictures. It also existed as an amateur or home movie making format for several decades, alongside 8 mm film. In 1923, Eastman Kodak released the first 16 mm outfit consisting of a camera, projector, tripod, screen, rCA-Victor introduced a 16 mm sound movie projector in 1932 and developed an optical sound-on-film 16 mm camera, released in 1935. Eastman Kodak introduced 16 mm film in 1923 as a less expensive alternative to 35 mm film. During the 1920s, the format was often referred to as sub-standard by the professional industry, Kodak hired Willard Beech Cook from his 28 mm Pathescope of America company to create the new 16 mm Kodascope Library. In addition to making movies, people could buy or rent films from the library. Intended for amateur use,16 mm film was one of the first formats to use acetate safety film as a film base, Kodak never used nitrate film for the format because of the high flammability of the nitrate base. 35 mm nitrate was discontinued in 1952, the silent 16 mm format was initially aimed at the home enthusiast, but by the 1930s it had begun to make inroads into the educational market. The addition of sound tracks and, most notably, Kodachrome in 1935. Used extensively in WW2, there was an expansion of 16 mm professional filmmaking in the post-war years. Films for government, business, medical and industrial clients created a network of 16 mm professional filmmakers. The advent of television production also enhanced the use of 16 mm film, initially for its advantage of cost and portability over 35 mm. At first used as a format, the 16 mm format was also used to create television programming shot outside the confines of the more rigid television studio production sets. The home movie market gradually switched to the less expensive 8 mm film. 16 mm has been used for television production with light cameras in many countries before portable video cameras appeared. Replacing analog video devices, digital video has made significant inroads in television production use, nevertheless,16 mm is still in use in its Super 16 ratio for low cost productions
7.
Fujifilm
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Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, better known as Fujifilm or simply Fuji, stylized as FUJiFILM, is a Japanese multinational photography and imaging company headquartered in Tokyo. Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. was established in 1934 with the aim of being the first Japanese producer of photographic films, over the following 10 years, the company produced photographic films, motion-picture films and X-ray films. In the 1940s, Fuji Photo entered the optical glasses, lenses, after the Second World War, Fuji Photo diversified, penetrating the medical, printing, electronic imaging and magnetic materials fields. In 1962, Fuji Photo and U. K. -based Rank Xerox Limited launched Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd. through a joint venture, from the mid-1950s, Fuji Photo accelerated the establishment of overseas sales bases. In the 1980s, Fuji Photo expanded its production and other bases overseas, meanwhile, Fuji Photo developed digital technologies for its photo-related, medical and printing businesses. Like its rival Eastman Kodak which dominated in the US, Fuji Photo enjoyed a longtime near-monopoly on camera film in Japan, the complaint was lodged by the US with the World Trade Organization. On January 30,1998, the WTO announced a sweeping rejection of Kodaks complaints about the market in Japan. The new millennium witnessed the spread of digital technology in cameras. Demand for photographic films plunged in line with the popularity of digital cameras. In response, Fuji Photo implemented management reforms aimed at effecting drastic transformation of its business structures, while both film manufacturers recognized this fundamental change, Fuji Photo adapted to this shift much more successfully than Eastman Kodak. In September 19,2006, Fujifilm announced plans to establish a holding company, Fujifilm and Fuji Xerox would become subsidiaries of the holding company. A representative of the company reconfirmed its commitment to film, which accounts for 3% of sales, Fuji Xerox is a joint venture between Fujifilm and Xerox Corporation of North America. Fujifilm bought Sericol Ltd. a UK-based printing ink company specializing in screen, narrow web, velvia, one of the most saturated and fine-grained slide films, valued by nature and landscape photographers. Fortia, consumer slide film, featuring extremely vivid color rendering suitable for flower photography, Fuji Neopan Professional black & white negative film. As a side note, Neopan 400 and 1600 were designed to use the same developing times, ACROS and SS do not share this feature. This uses the Fuji G-mount lenses, to be released in 2017 The Clear Shot series of 35mm compact cameras Instax series of instant camera, wiki collection of bibliographic works on Fujifilm
8.
Lomography
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The Lomographic Society International was founded in 1992 by a group of Viennese students after they discovered the LCA, a camera created by LOMO PLC of Saint Petersburg, Russia. Lomography started as an art movement through which the students put on exhibitions of photos within Vienna, the art movement then developed into a commercial enterprise. Since 1995, Lomography has been the distributor of the LC-A camera outside the former Soviet Union. This camera was based upon the Cosina CX-1 and introduced in the early 1980s. Lomography also represents the commercial trademark of Lomographische AG, an Austrian company that produces cameras, the society is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. In 1991, a group of Viennese students discovered the LOMO LC-A and were inspired by its unique, colorful, the Lomographic Society International was subsequently founded in 1992. Since the introduction of the original LOMO LC-A, Lomography has produced a line of their own analog cameras, in 2005, production of the original LOMO LC-A was discontinued. Its replacement, the LOMO LC-A+, was introduced in 2006, the new camera, made in China rather than Russia, featured the original Russian lens manufactured by LOMO PLC. This changed as of mid-2007 with the lens now made in China as well, in 2012 the LC-A+ camera was re-released as a special edition. The company produces several kinds of 35 mm,120 and 110 film, holga, the World Through a Plastic Lens. By Adam Scott and Lomographic Society International, similar to Eastman Kodaks concept of the Kodak moment, the philosophy behind Lomography is summarized in its motto, Don’t Think, Just Shoot. This motto is accompanied by The Ten Golden Rules which are supposed to encourage spontaneity, typical Lomography cameras are deliberately low-fidelity and of simple construction. Some cameras make use of lenses and rainbow-colored flashes, some exhibit extreme optical distortions. The intention of the style is one of acceptance of such deficiencies in order to create images with a unique character. This technique can be employed with any film camera and can be somewhat mimicked with photo-editing software such as GIMP or Photoshop, the Lomographic Society International runs Lomography Gallery Stores and so-called embassies dedicated to the growth, support and public exposure of analogue photography. Customers interact through social events such as exhibits and workshops, an example of the societys events showing peoples lomography talents is the Lomokikuyu competition, which raises money for charity. The organisation organises the Lomography World Congress, an international conference, the Lomographic Society International maintains a community website featuring lomographic photographs. Official website Fabio Pluda - Lomographer Did the Lomo camera save film photography
9.
Model rocket
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A model rocket is a small rocket designed to reach low altitudes and recovered by a variety of means. According to the United States National Association of Rocketry Safety Code, model rockets are constructed of paper, wood, plastic, the code also provides guidelines for motor use, launch site selection, launch methods, launcher placement, recovery system design and deployment and more. Since the early 1960s, a copy of the Model Rocket Safety Code has been provided with most model rocket kits, in the early thirteenth century the Chinese turned black-powder–propelled objects, formerly only used for entertainment, into weapons of war. The Chinese ‘arrows of fire’ were fired from a sort of catapult launcher, the black powder was packed in a closed tube that had a hole in one end for escaping hot gases, and a long stick as an elementary stability and guidance system. Refinements in rocket design were made over the few hundred years. In 1591 a Belgian, Jean Beavie, described and sketched the important idea of multistage rockets, multistaging, placing two or more pockets of fuel in line and firing them in step fashion, is the practical answer to the problem of escaping earths gravitational attraction. They originally designed the motor and rocket for Robert to use in lectures on the principles of rocket-powered flight, but then Orville read articles written in Popular Mechanics by G. Harry Stine about the safety problems associated with young people trying to make their own rocket engines. With the launch of Sputnik, many people were trying to build their own rocket motors. Some of these attempts were dramatized in the fact-based movie October Sky, the Carlisles realized their motor design could be marketed and provide a safe outlet for a new hobby. They sent samples to Mr. Stine in January 1957, Stine, a range safety officer at White Sands Missile Range, built and flew the models, and then devised a safety handbook for the activity based on his experience at the range. The first American model rocket company was Model Missiles Incorporated, in Denver, Colorado, opened by Stine, Stine had model rocket engines made by a local fireworks company recommended by Carlisle, but reliability and delivery problems forced Stine to approach others. Stine eventually approached Vernon Estes, the son of a fireworks maker. Estes founded Estes Industries in 1958 in Denver, Colorado and developed an automated machine for manufacturing solid model rocket motors for MMI. The machine, nicknamed Mabel, made low-cost motors with great reliability, stines business faltered and this enabled Estes to market the motors separately. Subsequently, he began marketing model rocket kits in 1960, and eventually, Estes moved his company to Penrose, Colorado in 1961. Estes Industries was acquired by Damon Industries in 1970 and it continues to operate in Penrose today. Estes produces and sells Black Powder Rocket Motors, companies like Aerotech, Vulcan, and Kosdon were widely popular at launches during this time as high-power rockets routinely broke Mach 1 and reached heights over 3,000 m. High-power motor reliability was a significant issue in the late 1980s and early 1990s, at costs exceeding $300 per motor, the need to find a cheaper and more reliable alternative was apparent
10.
Canon Inc.
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It is headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan. Canon has a listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the TOPIX index. It has a listing on the New York Stock Exchange. At the beginning of 2015, Canon was the tenth largest public company in Japan when measured by market capitalization, the company was originally named Seikikōgaku kenkyūsho. In 1934 it produced the Kwanon, a prototype for Japan’s first-ever 35 mm camera with a plane based shutter. In 1947 the company name was changed to Canon Camera Co. Inc. shortened to Canon Inc. in 1969, the name Canon comes from Buddhist bodhisattva Guan Yin, previously transliterated as Kuanyin, Kwannon, or Kwanon in English. The origins of Canon date back to the founding of Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory in Japan in 1937 by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda. During its early years the company did not have any facilities to produce its own optical glass, between 1933 and 1936 ‘The Kwanon’, a copy of the Leica design, Japan’s first 35 mm focal plane-shutter camera, was developed in prototype form. In 1940 Canon developed Japans first indirect X-ray camera, Canon introduced a field zoom lens for television broadcasting in 1958 and in 1959 introduced the Reflex Zoom 8, the world’s first movie camera with a zoom lens, and the Canonflex. In 1961 Canon introduced the Rangefinder camera, Canon 7, in 1965 Canon introduced the Canon Pellix, a single lens reflex camera with a semi-transparent stationary mirror which enabled the taking of pictures through the mirror. In 1971 Canon introduced the F-1, a high-end SLR camera, in 1976 Canon launched the AE-1, the world’s first camera with an embedded micro-computer. In 1982 Wildlife as Canon Sees It print ads first appeared in National Geographic magazine, Canon introduced the world’s first Inkjet printer using bubble jet technology in 1985. Canon introduced Canon Electro-Optical System in 1987, named after the goddess of the dawn, EOS650 autofocus SLR camera is introduced. Also in 1987 the Canon Foundation was established, in 1988 Canon introduced Kyosei philosophy. The EOS1 Flagship Professional SLR line was launched in 1989, in the same year the EOS RT, the worlds first AF SLR with a fixed, semi-transparent pellicle mirror, was unveiled. In 1992 Canon launched the EOS5, the camera with eye-controlled AF. In 1995 Canon introduced the first commercially available SLR lens with image stabilization. EOS-1N RS, the worlds fastest AF SLR camera with a shooting speed of 10 frame/s at the time
11.
Minolta
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Minolta Co. Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten and it is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system. In 1931, the company adopted its current name, an acronym for Mechanism, Instruments, Optics, in 1933, the brand name first appeared on a camera, a copy of the Plaubel Makina simply called Minolta. In 2003, Minolta merged with Konica Corporation to form Konica Minolta,1928, Kazuo Tashima establishes Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten. 1929, Marketed the companys first camera, the Nifcarette,1937, The Minolta Flex is Japans second twin-lens reflex camera. 1947, Introduction of the long lived 35mm rangefinder camera Minolta-351958,1962, John Glenn takes a specially modified Ansco-logoed Minolta Hi-Matic camera into space aboard Friendship 7. The company changes its name to Minolta Camera Co. Ltd,1966, The Minolta SR-T101 SLR camera is one of the first with TTL full aperture light metering. The first is Topcon RE Super from 1963,1972, Minolta signs an agreement to cooperate with Leica in SLR development,1973, The Minolta CL is the first fruit of this agreement. 1976, The Leica R3 is introduced, Minolta produces the R3, R4, and R5 models in the Leica R series. Subsequent cameras are built in Germany by Leica themselves,1977, The Minolta XD-11 is introduced, the worlds first multi mode SLR offering M, A, S modes, with a Program override in S mode effected by a computer chip, the worlds first Program mode. 1981, Implementation of Minoltas invention and patent of TTL OTF exposure metering, the Minolta X-700 manual-focus SLR is introduced, this model is sold until 1999 and is enormously successful. The Minolta XD-11 is the first Minolta product branded with an updated logo,1985, The Minolta Maxxum 7000 Alpha Mount Camera becomes the worlds first autofocus 35mm SLR with in-camera autofocus motor. 1987, Honeywell files lawsuit against Minolta for patent infringement over autofocus technologies,1991, Minoltas autofocus design was found to infringe on the patents of Honeywell, a U. S. corporation. 1994, The company changes its name to Minolta Co. Ltd. because it no longer is primarily a camera company,1995, Introduction of the Minolta RD-175, a 1. 75-megapixel digital SLR camera. 1996, The Minolta Vectis camera is a completely new SLR system designed around the Advanced Photo System film format,1998, The Minolta Maxxum 9 autofocus SLR is introduced. This system is targeted toward the photographer and has many features not duplicated by the competition. 2003, DiMAGE A1 introduced worlds first sensor-based anti-shake, and was the final Minolta product branded prior to the Konica Minolta merger,2004, Minolta and Konica officially merge to become Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. 2005, The company announces joint venture with Sony on CCD,2006, Konica Minolta announces it is discontinuing all film and digital camera production, ending a 78-year history as a camera manufacturer
12.
Minox
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Minox is a manufacturer of cameras, known especially for its subminiature camera. The first product to carry the Minox name was a camera, conceived in 1922. The Latvian factory VEF manufactured the camera from 1937 to 1943, after World War II, the camera was redesigned and production resumed in Germany in 1948. Walter Zapp originally envisioned the Minox to be a camera for everyone requiring only little photographic knowledge, yet in part due to its high manufacturing costs the Minox became more well known as a must-have luxury item. From the start the Minox also gained notoriety as a spy camera. Minox branched out into 35 mm film format and 110 film format cameras in 1974 and 1976, Minox continues to operate today, producing or branding optical and photographic equipment. From 1936 to 1975 the history of the Minox brand is essentially that of the Minox subminiature camera, from 1975 the Minox name also became associated with other products, most notably the Minox 35 mm compact cameras produced from 1975 until 2004. Minox was acquired by Leica in 1996, but a management buyout on 25 August 2001 left Minox an independent company again, the original Minox subminiature camera was invented by Walter Zapp in 1936. Zapp, a Baltic German, was born in 1905 in Riga, the family moved to Reval where he first took a job as an engraver before finding a position with a photographer. He became friends with Nikolai Nixi Nylander and Richard Jürgens, Nixi Nylander also coined the name Minox and drew up the Minox mouse logo. Jürgens funded the project but was not able to get support in Estonia for production. Production began in Riga at VEF, running from 1937 until 1943, in the same time, VEF had received patent protection on Zapps inventions in at least 18 countries worldwide. Shortly after its introduction, the Minox was widely advertised in The European and American markets and it did not surmount the popularity of 35 mm cameras, but did achieve a niche market. It also attracted the attention of intelligence agencies in America, Britain and Germany, due to its small size and macro focusing ability. Ironically during World War II production of the Minox was put in several times as Latvia fell victim to invasion by the Soviet Union, then Germany. Cameras were produced under both Russian and German occupation nevertheless, and the camera became both a gift item for Nazi leaders as well as a tool for their spies. In the meantime, Zapp and his associates protected their interest in the product by searching for alternative production facilities in Germany, after World War II, production of the Minox II began in 1948 at a new company, Minox GmbH, in Giessen/Heuchelheim near Wetzlar, West Germany. The new camera very much resembled the original, but was made with a plastic chassis covered by an aluminum shell and this greatly reduced its weight and, to an extent, cost
