Legend of SLR cameras-A 50-year brilliant way to a canon SLR (serialization 1)

It is not hard to tell from the extensive publicity of canon that the story of Canon began in 1933, precisely because it was founded in November 1933 by the "Institute of precision optics ......

In that year, as the "camera country" of the world, Germany had two major brands-Leica/Leica and Conway's/contax. Both companies are producing 35mm focal plane shutter cameras that represent the highest technical level at that time. In the early 1930 s, Leica II and contax I were the most precise and upscale 35mm cameras at that time. At that time, the price of the Leica II camera with 50mm f/3.5 lenses was equivalent to the half-year salary of "excellent talents" who entered the top-paying Banking Industry after graduation from Japan's best university, about 420 yen, and is considered to be Japan's first bulk-made camera Pearlette (folding camera, produced by Konica's former xi6). In 1929, the price of a lens was about 25 yen.

Represents the highest level of camera Leica II and contax I in the early 35mm s

Japanese small West six Pearlette folding cameras sold from the end of the 1920 s to the beginning of the 1930 s

At that time, the price was too high for ordinary people. However, as we can find many young people who are full of ideals and energy, their minds always show "Why can't I ......" A group of young people in Japan were trying to achieve their camera dream. Goro Yoshida (1900 ~ 1993) is one of them.

Yoshida (Goro Yoshida, 1900 ~ 1993), one of the founders of Precision Machine Optics

Yoshida wulang was born in Hiroshima. Before he graduated from middle school, he ran to Tokyo and became an apprentice in a company engaged in film camera and projector repair and modification, naturally, I like to deal with mechanical instruments. I am so happy to repair and rebuild cameras and projectors that soon become the backbone of my business. By the end of the 1920 s, less than 30 of him were often sent to the "oriental Little Paris" Shanghai by his boss, trying to get the parts required by the Company.

It can be seen that Shanghai was not less prosperous than Tokyo at that time. Since he invented the plane by the litte brothers less than six years ago, Feng RuO completed the first plane designed and manufactured by the Chinese, some Chinese wanted to copy Leica or contec cameras, ...... If you say it is incorrect, return to the topic. When I was in Shanghai, Yoshida wulang met Roy E. delay's American businessman mentioned in his chat that "since you can make planes and warships in Japan, why are you still going to Shanghai to buy camera parts?"

There is a background for us to introduce. In 16.1 inch, Japan built the "long gate number" of the first-class war ship with the largest caliber in the world, that is, the 410mm main gun, with a standard displacement of 33,800 tons, the maximum displacement is 43,580 tons. At the Washington disarmament conference in 1922, the five major naval states of the United States, Britain, Japan, and France restricted the tonnage, fire power, and total tonnage of warships and formulated the Washington disarmament treaty. According to the established standards, the long-men-class war ship is a ship prohibited by the treaty. The foreign powers demanded that Japan terminate the construction of the war ship and destroy the same level of land Olympic number that has been launched but not yet completed. However, Japan has donated money for the construction of the ship by primary school students in China and the ship has been built. If the ship is abandoned, it will cause dissatisfaction of the people and the difference caused by the different standards used in artillery manufacturing, the construction cost of the long gate number is 43.9 million yen or more at that time! Long Men had been the most powerful warship of the Japanese Empire naval forces for 20 years before they were built and served in 1940. As the flagship of the Joint Fleet, Long Men was seen as a symbol of the Japanese Empire naval forces. Ending? The US nuclear test, which was carried out in the waters of Bihon Island in 1946, sank.

The flagship and pride of the Japanese Empire naval forces before the "Dahe" served-the long-men-class battleship "Long-men"

Apparently, this old beauty was surprised that Japan, which was able to create a large battleship, was not capable of creating camera parts. This stimulated Yoshida's self-esteem. The understanding of American businessmen also laid the groundwork for Canon camera's development in the U.S. market, which will be detailed later in this article.

After many years, Mr. Yoshida recalled why the Leica was first disassembled and made a 35mm advanced camera out of Japan. "I just took the camera to look at every part. (I believe many people have this experience., more than 20 years ago, I once unloaded eight parts from an Oriental 6 family out of curiosity. I found that all parts were made of brass, aluminum, iron, and rubber, and there was no diamond! These worthless parts are combined, but they can be sold to the sky! This makes me very angry ". These words are undoubtedly very simple, and we may even feel familiar with each other. When the newspapers and magazines around us report the original intention of some entrepreneurs, do we not see similar words? Today, when "shanzhai" is popular, do you dare to say that "shanzhai" do not have similar ideas?

Objectively analyze the situation of the current year. Because the capitalist countries adopted high tariffs in the 1920 s, especially in the later 1920 s, to encourage the so-called "economic nationalism ", as a result, the German camera price in Japan is too high, and this policy directly stimulates the development of a series of industries, including cameras. From 1929 to 1933, the world economic crisis of capitalism also affected Japan, so Japan began to expand. Japan began preparing for the large-scale war of aggression against China from the "huanggutun Incident" in 1928 to the "1931" Event "and the" one-two-eight Incident "in 1932, the film shooting and projection industries, which are mainly focusing on entertainment, are naturally greatly affected. However, the demand for military optical products, such as distance meters, telescopes, and cameras, has increased dramatically, this also directly stimulates the development of a series of industry categories with low civilian demand, including photography equipment.

Inada sanlang (left), brother-in-law of Yoshida wulang, and former man (right)

Exterior view of bamboo building

Yoshida wulang thought it was time to fly. As the saying goes, "brothers in war", in November 1933, Yoshida wulang received his brother-in-law, sabura Uchida, 1899 ~ 1982) after the financial support, the former Maeda (Takeo Maeda, 1909 ~ 1977) seiki kogaku was set up in a room on the third floor of the Bamboo House Building (actually a wooden building) on the third floor of the mobunu building in the east Kyoto port ), the development of the 35mm advanced small camera was officially started. At that time, the Tokyo liubenmu region was far from an important central commercial area like today, but concentrated a lot of military facilities until the Second World War, which was also reminiscent.

End of the first section of serialization