Those disappeared camera brands

This article will serve as a supplement to 19 TOP CAMERA BRANDS IN 2024: Which one do you like?. It mainly introduces some camera brands that have faded out of people's sight. Because most of these brands were only active in the past (film era), they did not appear in the previous article, but this does not mean that these once famous camera brands have been forgotten. They just lost their place to live in the wave of digitalization.

Minolta

Minolta was founded in 1928 in Osaka, Japan, as Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shoten, which translates to "Japanese-German Camera Shop." The company initially focused on producing cameras and photographic equipment, eventually gaining fame for its innovative products like the Minolta SR-T series and the Minolta Maxxum, the first camera with integrated autofocus. In 2003, Minolta merged with Konica to form Konica Minolta, and by 2006, it exited the camera business, selling its camera operations to Sony.

Bronica

Bronica was established in 1956 by Zenzaburo Yoshino in Japan, initially focusing on medium format cameras. The brand became renowned for its high-quality, modular camera systems, particularly favored by professional photographers. Bronica cameras were known for their durability and excellent optics. In 1998, Tamron acquired Bronica, but due to the digital shift in photography, production ceased in 2005.

Mamiya

Founded in 1940 by Seiichi Mamiya and Tsunejiro Sugawara in Tokyo, Japan, Mamiya quickly became known for its medium format cameras, which were popular among professional photographers for their precision and quality. Over the years, Mamiya expanded into digital photography and was later acquired by Phase One in 2015, continuing to produce high-end digital cameras under the Mamiya Leaf brand.

Yashica

Yashica was established in 1949 in Nagano, Japan, initially producing clock components before venturing into cameras. The brand gained prominence with its TLR cameras and later, the Yashica Electro 35, one of the first electronically controlled 35mm cameras. In 1983, Yashica was acquired by Kyocera, which eventually discontinued the brand's camera production in 2005. Yashica has since been revived as a brand for digital cameras and accessories.

Rollei

Rollei was founded in 1920 in Germany by Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke. The company became famous for its Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex cameras, which were highly regarded for their build quality and optics. Rollei faced several ownership changes and financial struggles over the years, but it continues to exist today, focusing on digital imaging products and accessories.

Konica

Konica's origins date back to 1873, making it one of the oldest camera companies. It started as a photographic materials company in Japan and later expanded into camera manufacturing. Konica was known for its Hexar and Autoreflex series. In 2003, Konica merged with Minolta to form Konica Minolta, which eventually exited the camera business in 2006, focusing on imaging and optical products.

Praktica

Praktica cameras were produced by the East German company VEB Pentacon, established in 1949. Praktica became well-known for its affordable and reliable SLR cameras, which were widely used in Eastern Europe. After German reunification, the brand struggled to compete with Western manufacturers and eventually ceased camera production in the early 2000s, although the Praktica name is still used for various optical products.

Contax

Contax was originally a German camera brand founded in 1932 by Zeiss Ikon. It became renowned for its high-quality rangefinder and later SLR cameras. In the 1970s, the brand was revived through a partnership with Yashica, producing high-end cameras with Carl Zeiss lenses. Kyocera, which owned Yashica, discontinued the Contax brand in 2005, ending its legacy in the camera industry.

These camera brands have gradually lost their original status after digital cameras became mainstream, but film photographers are no strangers to these brands. However, film is more susceptible to UV rays than modern sensors, so if you are a film photography enthusiast, buying high-quality Protection & UV Control Filters is a very necessary choice.