History[]
Camera Taiyōdō was a camera shop at Kanda-Jimbocho crossing in Chiyodo Tokyo, established on 24 August 1946[1]. It initially sold second-hand photographic equipment. From 1948, Taiyōdō opened a manufacturing branch Taiyōdō Kōki K.K. (太陽 <(堂光機㈱) at the same premises, and initially made the Meteor sub-miniature camera taking 17.5mm film, followed by the Vestkam, Epochs and Beauty 14. Taiyōdō Kōki were however best known for their 6x6 TLRs (the Beautyflex and Beautycord) made from 1951.
In addition to selling their own cameras (including the rebrand Gen in Canada), Taiyōdō Kōki made models for Santa Monica based photographic equipment manufacturer and retailer "Miller-Outcalt", the Chicago based mail order giant "Montgomery Ward" and the "United States Camera Corporation", plus the Dutch distributer "Fodor",
On 21st August 1957 Taiyōdō Koki was reorganized as a joint-stock company[2], changed its trading name to better match that of its products and became the Beauty Camera Company (ビューティカメラ)[3]. Early in the same year, the company decided to abandon TLRs, and focus on 35mm cameras, starting with the Beauty Canter[4].
The last Beauty camera was the 1963 Lightmatic SP - a 35mm rangefinder. For unknown reasons, the company withdrew from camera manufacturing but remained active as a camera shop at the Kanda-Jimbocho crossing until 30 June 2013 when they closed permanently. The company President throughout was "Kunio Doi", after whom the 1950s Beauty Flex "Doimer" lens was named. The "Teiko" lens of the Beautyflex U was named after Doi's wife.
Camera list[]
6×6 TLR[]
- Beautyflex (I), II, IIA, IV, V, U, K, S, IIIS, T, 28, D
- Beautycord, Beautycord S
6×6 SLR[]
6×6 folders[]
- Beauty Six (1950 model, early name of the Frank Six)
- Beauty Six (1953 model)
35mm viewfinder and rangefinder[]
- Beauty 35 (1955)
- Beauty 35 Super (1956)
- Beauty Canter (F2.8 and F1.9) (1957)
- Beauty Super II (1958)
- Beauty Super L (1958)
- Beauty Lightomatic or Beauty LM (1959)
- Beauty Lightomatic II (1960)
- Beaumat (1960)
- Beauty Lightomatic III or Beauty Lite III (1962)
- Beauty Lightmatic SP (1963)
17.5mm film[]
16mm film[]
Other[]
- Planet accessories, filters & lens caps
Notes[]
- ↑ Page 1306 of the 2003 "Distribution Company Yearbook($)" (流通会社年鑑) published by "Japan Keizai Shimbun" (日本経済新聞社)
- ↑ A joint-stock company is a business in which shares of the company's stock can be bought and sold by shareholders
- ↑ Page 1306 of the 2003 "Distribution Company Yearbook($)" (流通会社年鑑) published by "Japan Keizai Shimbun" (日本経済新聞社)
- ↑ Plans were published in an advertisement in the 23rd March 1957 edition of "Army Times" - Tokyo Firm Readies New 35 For Export
Bibliography[]
- Ars Camera. Advertisements by Taiyōdō in January 1946 (p.11), July 1946 (p.1)
Links[]
- Cameras at www.collection-appareils.fr
- Taiyodo Koki & the Beauty Camera Company