Legend of SLR cameras-A 50-year brilliant way for a canon SLR camera (16 in a row)

Serialization 16: persistence-by-axis persistence
Introduction: xuguangxue's eye-catching performance on slrs cannot make other camera manufacturers indifferent. However, Canon, a high-end bypass camera, was able to face the close-up attacks of Leica and Japanese optics, I still spared no effort in development of the Side-axis camera and achieved unexpected results ......

As described in the previous article, we can clearly see the number of donations made at the time of the establishment of the company registration fund and jcii, compared with the "giants" such as Canon, Japanese optics, qiandada, and xiaoxi, Xuguang still has a lot of difference in strength. So since Xuguang has achieved surprising results in the field of 35mm cameras from the manufacture of Dual-tube telescopes, will other "big-name" camera manufacturers make Xuguang a perfect choice?

However, it is unrealistic for these camera manufacturers that have accumulated considerable popularity in terms of the 35mm side axis or the double reverse. After all, 35mm SLR cameras are used to experience the situation, especially the richness of lenses, there is still a gap with the side axis. Therefore, Canon still hopes to achieve the "world's first" goal by producing a better bypass camera beyond Leica m3.

Designed to challenge Leica m3's Canon VT, the design has changed the Leica model that has been around for nearly 20 years.

In August 1956, Canon finally launched a new model VT designed to challenge m3 (discontinued in 1957, with a total output of more than 15,500 ). As a successor to the IV series models, the design of Canon VT has completely changed the Leica-like model that Hansa canon has been following for nearly two decades, the viewfinder has built-in scene frames corresponding to the 35mm, 50mm and 85mm lenses. The self-timer is added, and the film installation is also changed to a stylish back filling style, the most distinctive feature is that there is a folding quick wrench at the bottom of the fuselage, which is much faster than the rolling speed with a wheel. The T in the model is the first letter of the trigger. The price for a 50mm f/1.8 lens is 82,000 yen.

V in Canon VT represents 5, indicating that it is the successor of IV (4). T represents trigger. Although there are some new ideas in the design of the quick plug wrench at the bottom of the body, however, it is obviously not as good as the method of rolling lever on the top of the machine.

There are three quick ads for the luxury edition VT deluxe-quick rolling, quick shots, and quick flip, you can select 50mm f/1.2 and 35mm f/1.8 for the matching lens.

Canon VT deluxe, the model icon at the bottom of the front of the fuselage is red

In June May 1957, Canon launched a small improved luxury edition of VT deluxe, with a 50mm f/1.2 lens priced at 97,000 yen. At the same time, at the end of 1957, Canon also successively released models L1 and Its Simplified Version L2 and L3 (L is lever, dial) with the scroll lever. L1 is very similar to VT, the exterior design is more flow and modern, and flash synchronization is added, removing the selfie function. The fuselage was priced at 48,000 yen. At that time, the main competitor was Japanese optics's Nikon S2.

Canon's first camera L1. with its excellent industrial design, it was rated as the first best design product in Japan. The photo was installed with the most bright 50mm f/1.2 lens of canon at that time.

The prices for direct competitor canon L1 and Nikon S2 with 50mm f/1.2 and 50mm f/1.4 lenses were 87,000 and 83,000 yen respectively. In terms of design, the advent of Canon L1 three years later became smoother, more modern, and more sophisticated.

It is worth mentioning that with the increase in Canon's high-level lens manufacturing process, the price of the 50mm f/September 1956 lens launched in 1.2 dropped from the first 60,000 yen to 39,000 yen. Why is the price cut Suddenly large? If you understand the current competitors, you will not be surprised.

Similarly, in May 1957, Japanese optics launched the new S Series flagship model SP, where p is the meaning of professional, standard with nikkor 5 cm F/1.4 lens price 98,000 yen. For the first time, Nikon SP has set the price to Canon's "traditional territory", which is indeed because the performance of Nikon SP is very strong.

Nikon's side-axis camera is the perfect place for Nikon sp, which is the target of many camera collectors.

SP has six preset framing frames for 28, 35, 50, 85, 105, and 135mm lenses, of which 50 ~ The Parallax can be automatically adjusted for 135mm. Although the brightness is not as good as Leica m3, the number of cameras corresponding to the lens exceeds m3, which is the highest level at that time. It is a masterpiece of the Peak. SP is not only the flagship of the Nikon side axis camera, even more, it has become the treasure of a generation of classics and favorites, with a total output of about 22,000 machines.

Select the turntable (left) and the Nikon Sp (right) with the nikkor-N 5 cm F/1.1 lens mounted on the left side of the Nikon SP host)

In July February 1956, Japanese optics announced the launch of the nikkor-N 5 cm F/1.1 lens, which is brighter and cheaper, as long as 55,000 yen. The VT deluxe with a 50mm f/1.2 lens was available only after the camera fell into Japan. Although the Specification f/1.2 is slightly inferior to the Japanese optical F/1.1, the first batch production is canon, and the price is relatively more competitive, indicating that Canon's production process is very mature.

Canon 50mm f/1.2 (left) with Japanese optics nikkor-N 5 cm F/1.1 lens (right)

In October 1957, Canon won the Japanese Hanoi production award. This award is a special award for enterprises with outstanding performance in research on production engineering, invention or planning of production technology, and implementation of mass production, it has a great influence in Japan. Canon was honored by its outstanding performance in mass production of precision cameras as a model for Japanese companies. In the same year, L1 and 8mm cine cameras canon 8 T were named as the first best design product in Japan by the Japanese Ministry of Shipping.

The 1956 Film Camera Canon 8 T, launched in 8mm, was named Japan's first best design product together with canon L1

In just a few months, in March 1958, the "V series top-class models" VL, which replaced the wrench, was released, with a 50mm f/1.2 lens for 89,000 yen, later production of Vl is still the first canon model with Metal Curtain Shutter, also released a simplified version of vl2.

The V series top-level models of the Canon optical meter are installed. Due to the split of the shutter turntable, the metering table is inconvenient to use.

In September, We optimized and improved the shutter selection turntable to facilitate the use of the external metering table, with 0.65 times (corresponding to 35mm lenses) and 1 time (corresponding to 50mm lenses) the difference between vi t and vi l, which are 1.55 times the precision focus of distant objects, and the advent of vi t and vi l, is that vi t still uses the coil wrench at the bottom of the fuselage, vi l uses a reel dial. Among them, the price of vi l with 50mm f/1.2 lens, metering table and leather cover is as high as 99,500 yen.

 

 

Canon vi t and vi l are the successor models of VT and VL. They integrate and complete the shutter turntable, and work and functions represent the highest level of canon at that time, for the first time, the Canon trademark was placed on the front of the fuselage.

The integration of the shutter turntable greatly facilitates the use of the metering table, as shown in the Introduction manual of Canon VI t/vi l.

In just two or three years, canon has launched many models, many of which are high-end and top-level models. However, they have not achieved the goal of catching up with Leica m3, from VT launched in 1956 to vi l discontinued in 1961, the total output is no more than 87,000. In 1955, Canon's sales amounted to about 1.9 billion yen, about 1959 yen by 2.9 billion, but only 50% growth in four years. In the three years from 1952 to 1955, Canon's sales increased by more than 100%, the growth rate slows down significantly.

The Nikon S3 (left) and Nikon S4 (right) released in 1958 and 1959 are simplified SP models.

At the same time, with the advent of SP and Its Simplified Version S3 and S4, Japanese optics are gaining momentum. Canon realized that, since the top-level models are still unable to compete with Leica m3, the camera market in China has also been snatched by Nikon sp, it simply lowered its eyes a little, focus on models with lower prices and higher sales volumes. With Canon's advantages in large-scale production, it has regained its leading position in the market.

The appearance of Canon P is much more fashionable than that of Nikon s3/S4, and with its advantages in production technology and efficiency, Canon P is very cost-effective. after its launch, it is both well-known and well-known.

Therefore, on the basis of vi l, Canon made targeted simplification. Remove the viewfinder that can automatically adjust the parallax, and use a bright line to represent the range of 50mm and 100mm lenses in the landscape image. At the same time, optimize the production process and reduce costs. In March 1959, Canon P (Populaire, the concept of popularization. The price of the Canon P with 50mm f/1.4 lens is 52,700 yen, while that with 50mm f/2.8 lens is only 37,700 yen. It should be said that at that time, Canon P was a very cost-effective mid-range server type. Both Performance and technology were the best at that price, so it was naturally welcomed by the market. From January 1, 1959 to 1961, Canon P has produced nearly 88,000 machines, which is more than the total number of models from VT to vi l.

The installation of the metering table by Canon P should be very attractive in the past.

Canon P with full black body is also very attractive, and the black version of Canon P is now very rare

The success of Canon P is essentially a success in improving production efficiency. Since the middle and late 1950 s, the Japanese industry has entered a period of technological innovation. Canon introduced a belt transport aircraft in 1957, later, he invested in the large-scale pipeline production of Canon P (the mass production of S2/H2 by xuguangxue mentioned above is also similar ). From VT to P, canon has spent a lot of energy on the high-end side-axis cameras. With its advantages in production technology and efficiency, Canon still firmly holds a large share of the medium-and high-end side-axis cameras market, to some extent, other Japanese manufacturers have been squeezed out of the side-axis camera market and pushed to the booming SLR market.

Japanese optics in the same period is a good example. On the one hand, we can see that mid-and high-end side cameras cannot compete with canon. On the other hand, we are aware of the development momentum of the SLR camera, and then launched S3 and S4 to decisively stop the development of the SP's successor models, focus on the development of new SLR systems. The popularity of Canon P has also given canon full confidence in the side-axis camera. Subsequent models of VI t/vi l have also entered the development stage, it even created a new factory for the new round-robin machine.

Therefore, during the period from the end of the 1950 s to the beginning of the 1960 s, Canon and Pentax, qiandaitian, and Japanese optics appeared to be playing poorly in the R & D competition, but on the other hand, canon has made even more amazing achievements in the side-axis camera. Please pay attention to the next section "flex-Slr departure" for serialization.

End of serialization section 16th