Taron Co. Ltd, Japan (Nihon Kosokki Kogyo Co.)
Taron VIC was introduced in 1962, but it stayed quite unknown in Europe. What I know about the manufacturer is that it changed its name to Taron Co in 1957 and the company had a head office in, 45, 4.chome, Omori, Ohta-ku, Tokyo.
Features are similar to more common contemporary cameras like, Minolta AL or Olympus Auto Eye.
Before than Taron totally went out of the camera bussiness, they produced rangefinder cameras eg. with a Porst label (a German sales company) but the lens still had the Taronar marking.
PICTURES OF TARON AND PETRI RANGEFINDERS (Japanese)
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- Camera type: 35mm, rangefinder
- Film: 135 , 24x36mm
- Lens: Taronar FC , 1:2,8
45mm
- Shutter: Citizen L-X, B, 1 - 1/250 sec.
- Size: (WxHxD)133 x 82 x 68mm
- Weight: ~680g
- Serial: V 10257
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| "Japan produced a slew of inexpensive rangefinders in the 60’s and 70’s. Too simple for the pros and too complicated for the average snapshooter who often bought them, many can be found in like-new condition after years of storage in the back of Aunt Helen’s closet. Unfortunately, camera stores don’t seem that interested in carrying compact rangefinders, and charge an arm and a leg for the odd one they stock." Read the whole story: Cheap and Compact Rangefinders, by Art Simon |
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If you hand Taron to someone of "the new generation" the first comment will almost certainly be about the weight of the camera. Plastic is used only in the leatherette covering. Even the black frame around the seleniun cell is metal. Taron is heavy and this feature has it's cons and pros. It definitely decreases camera shake but makes the camera less convenient to carry. Today with digital cameras and an image stabilisators the weight doesn't bring out any advantage. |
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©2006 Reijo Lauro
