PLEASE CLOSE THIS WINDOW WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED VIEWING
"Army Times" - 23rd March 1957
Tokyo Firm Readies New 35 for Export
Literally cantering into the expanding 35mm camera field is the Taiyodo Koki Co. Ltd. which is now developing for export its Beauty CANTER.
Widely known - especially with GIs in Japan - for its Beauty reflex series, Taiyodo Koki Co. has now discontinued these models and is concentrating exclusively on the 35mm market.
The latest version of the CANTER 35 is being produced at the rate of 7000 monthly - 3000 for export. It is on view in Japan's New York Camera Center at 329 Fifth Ave., N.Y. and will be displayed in the Washington fair.
Placed on the domestic market Feb. 15, the new CANTER 35 will be distributed overseas in April. It features a new shutter, 5 element 45mm 2.8 lens and built-in complete flash and strobe Synchronization for all speeds up to 1/500th.
Taiyodo Koki Co. plans for new models include a projected series of three CANTERs. One will feature a 1.9 lens and the built-in exposure meter system will be incorporated in future models.
AMONG the special features of the new CANTER in production is an excellent fingertip wind and shutter cocking lever for rapid sequence shots.
The lever, on the top right-hand side of the body, ensures the film is correctly moved because it will not return to the rest position unless it has been pushed fully over first.
When the back of the camera is opened, the automatic film counter built into the winder clicks back to zero. The rewind handle has been improved and a touch of the tiny button on the rewind knob flicks out a small handle for rapid rewind.
Another small button on the base of the camera clears the re-wind system for operation. The button needs only a touch and does not have to be held in while rewinding.
Company officials expect the CANTER 35 to sell for approximately $80 in the U.S. In Europe, the camera is being marketed in Sweden, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, South America, and India as well as in Asian countries.
The CANTER supplied with an attractive leather case, will handle all standard accessories.
Margin notes
The selling of TLRs to GIs seems to have been Taiyodo Koki's key strategy for entering the US market place, and it aligns more with the practises of a "shop" rather than an experienced distributor.
The plan to add a third lens option, and built-in light meter, is illuminating. Regardless of what the company called itself, it shows that a plan was delivered, and there was no change of direction, as might be expected under new management.
The explanation of the button on the rewind knob confirms observation that this was the first iteration of the model. I wish I'd found this article before going to the effort of collecting all those serial numbers.