introduction | Cooky 35 Runer / Zephyr | Robin 35 | Robin 35 MII

Kashiwa Seiko Co., in 1949, manufactured a small 35mm camera with the strange 24x26mm format.

At least two models where made. The more expensive used a Cooky Runer anstigmat f/2.8 40mm lens, while the cheaper Cooky 35 sported a Cooky Zephyr f/3.5 40mm lens otherwise the two camera are identical. Shutter speeds of 1/25, 1/50 and 1/100 with an eye level optical viewfinder in the middle of the top plate. Engraved COOKY 35 and PATENT KASHIWASEIKO on the top.

The Robin 35 with engraving Hokuto Co and lens marked Robiner Anastigmat 40mm f/3.5, is an otherwise identical camera but the later Robin 35MII uses 24x28mm format.

Aperture is adjustable to f/22.

Photographs courtesy of Ali (eBayer mbenz-s600)

Of the actual examples of the Cooky 35 observed so far, three have the Runer f/2.8 lens (#10090 eBay, 1#0153 in Sugiyama,. The Collectors Guide to Japanese Cameras and 10520 ), and only one has the Zephyr f/3.5 (#10127 Pritchard Spy Camera), showing slight differences in the lens barrel.[7] The two surviving examples of the Robin 35 known so far have lens no.10036 (in McKeown Camera Price Guide) and 10037.(Sugiyama) They are exactly similar to the Cooky with Zephyr, except for the markings.

It is likely that the lens numbers started at 10001 and ran in a same sequence for all the lenses. This would indicate that the Robin 35 and Cooky 35 were made simultaneously, perhaps for different distributors. It seems that only a few examples were made, surely little more than 500.