Konan - Mica Automat (no flash synch)

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Sample Wanted

Konan Camera Laboratory was founded by Gakan Nishimura and his associate in July 1947. They initiated the design and test manufacture between 1947 and 1948, of a camera called the Mica Automat. A joint project with Chiyoda Kogaku Seiko Company Limited, which later became Minolta, resulted in the improved Konan 16 Automat launched in December 1950. Chiyoda Kogaku manufactured several cameras for Konan.

Masaharu Saito at http://members.ytv.home.ne.jp/minoxfan/Camera/C-Konan.html includes a diagram of the Mica Automat. In Japanese.

The original Konan cassette is made of metal and has a trap door so that mid-roll change of film is possible without the further loss of a frame. Although this cassette is not compatible with the later Minolta 16 cassette the take up spool works in a similar way.

It has a  fixed focus, 25mm (f3.5-16) Tessar lens with shutter speeds B, 1/25-1/100.  Slip-on filter and a close-up lens were available.  It was available in several colours and coverings, such as chrome, black, green, blue, red and a waffled covering.  

Similar to the Minox, this camera adopted "Push & Pull" operation to wind the film and release the shutter, means that pulling out the camera body caused the film advanced to the next exposure and also the shutter charged. Once the body is pulled out a photograph has to be taken before closing the camera body otherwise a blind exposure is taken. 

Last Updated on 23rd June 2007