View Full Version : The Uncommon RF Camera: Taron 35
I have finally completed one roll of film with my Taron 35 rangefinder camera. It is not a commonly found camera.
It is made by Nihon Kosokki Co.Ltd (Japan), and it sports a 45mm/2.8 Lausar, made by the Tamioka Optical Co.
When I first saw the name Taron, I thought of Tamron. Then I saw Nihon, and of course, I thought of Nikon.
The shutter speeds go from B to 300, and the aperture settings go from 2.8 to 16.
The shape of the camera is classical, and its built quality is not bad at all. The rangefinder is dim, but maybe it can be cleaned up.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/raidamin/RFTaron5.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/raidamin/RFTaron24.jpg
Here are more photos:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=745541
Raid
Here is a photo of the camera:
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4904587
amateriat
07-10-2007, 16:51
Wonderful photos, Raid (and, again, such cute kids).
That camera's "form factor" has me thinking of several cameras at once, mostly Nikon, of course, which makes matters here all the more mysterious. Might need to call up the Bartender for some info (as well as order another round...been a hot day around here). :)
- Barrett
Wonderful photos, Raid (and, again, such cute kids).
That camera's "form factor" has me thinking of several cameras at once, mostly Nikon, of course, which makes matters here all the more mysterious. Might need to call up the Bartender for some info (as well as order another round...been a hot day around here). :)
- Barrett
Thank you Barrett.
Someone suspects a similarity in shape to a Nikon S. I don't know, but maybe if we go back to the origins of the Nihon company we may find some clues.
Raid
By the way, I used ASA 400 Walgreens film that was advertised for 99 cents a roll.
Raid
spystyle
05-04-2009, 18:25
Nice :)
I like the photos
Nice :)
I like the photos
Thanks.
I had forgotten about this short lived thread!
Pompiere
05-05-2009, 03:30
From what I have found searching the internet, if all the owners of Taron and their house branded cameras posted here, there still would only be a page or two. I have a Burstein-Applebee "AUTO" EE-1 that was made by Taron. I'm still working on the first roll, but I like the way it handles.
I've seen picture of 70ies era Taron RF with 2.8/45mm-something lens. Interesting to see that Taron has deeper roots.
They can't have been that scarce - I own a Taron 35 as well. While Taron labelled ones are a bit of a curiosity, they seem to have been not altogether small as a OEM, I've run across quite a few that were Fodor or Porst labelled.
Googling Taron 35 will not give you many active hits.
It is a basic camera that has an OK lens.
Ming The Merciless
05-05-2009, 12:17
It is Norat spelled backwards.
It is Norat spelled backwards.
.. and what does Norat mean other than being TARON spelled backwards? :D
If anyone wants a broken taron 35 fos $61.95 shipped, here is a current auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/TARON-35-RANGERFINDER-Camera-made-by-Nihon-Kosokki-Co._W0QQitemZ270377722774QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ2009 0421?IMSfp=TL090421153004r11699
spystyle
05-05-2009, 12:41
Why buy a broken one for 50 when you can buy a good one for 10?
Here (http://cgi.ebay.com/TARON-35-RANGEFINDER-CAMERA-CASE-FLASH-FAN-VINTAGE_W0QQitemZ380121324362QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH _DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5880ff1b4a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50)
I've got one as well, with the faster lens too.
The problem with a lens called "Lausar", is that it sounds too much like "lousy" or "loser".
Why buy a broken one for 50 when you can buy a good one for 10?
Here (http://cgi.ebay.com/TARON-35-RANGEFINDER-CAMERA-CASE-FLASH-FAN-VINTAGE_W0QQitemZ380121324362QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH _DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5880ff1b4a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50)
I was not serious about my "tip". :D
Raid your kids are so great, they always look like they are going on 40 years old.
Do they run the house?
Thanks!
Well, they are quite vocal about what they want!
I like them to have self confidence and to be full of life and energy.
spystyle
05-06-2009, 05:14
I was not serious about my "tip". :D
Oops, my "sarcasm detector" was turned off
I agree, $60 for a broken one - some eBay sellers are so ridiculous.
Have fun!
Craig
Brian Legge
05-22-2010, 21:42
I stumbled across a Taron Robin 19 (export version of the Taron 35 III aka Taron MX from what I can tell). There doesn't seem to be much info around on this camera at all.
It feels like a nicely built camera, f1.9 lens (8 blade aperture version), 1-1/500. It also has a rather contrasty patch for a fixed lens rangefinder. It looks like it uses a prism instead of a mirror for the rangefinder. I'm not terribly familiar with rangefinder construction but I haven't seen that in other fixed lens rangefinders. I'm guessing the prism is part of the reason why it is so bright?
I'm working on loosening the prism assembly right now as the prism isn't rotating. After starting out in rangefinders with compact ones, these larger cameras aren't as appealing but this one definitely has a certain charm.
Anyone familiar with the model?
Tarons are orphaned obscure '50's Japanese rangefinders that are, among others like Aires/Beauty's/Royal, kind of interesting. I have a Taron III, a Robin 1.9 (III clone) and Robin Super LM (Taron VL clone). I kept the III because of its neato rewind lever. And the Robin 1.9 does has a very nice aperture iris.
And yeah, under the top cover of these is interesting too: robustly built with a mix of qualities with that prism and then the craft paper light block. Brian, a very small drop of oil under the circular holder for the prism (needled right at the body casting) and a little working the holder back and forth should free up the rangefinder.
I added to the Camerapedia entries for Taron, the III and VL; you can try there for some info. Unfortunately there is little information available on most of these orphaned obscure '50's rangefinders (which gives an excuse to buy 'em, try 'em and post info/photos on 'em on that site).
xwhatsit
05-27-2010, 19:37
I have a Taron VL, the rangefinder is stuck too. I freed it up just with some naphtha, but then it gummed up again after a couple of days. When I've finished rebuilding my Minister D, I'll get onto the Taron.
Feels like a solid enough camera, fairly nasty and ratchety advance lever though. Quiet shutter and feather-light shutter release. The light meter is an interesting affair. I didn't look too closely but the lens looks like a coated Tessar type, so given the max aperture of f2.8 you'd expect the results to be pretty good. Weird mix of speeds though, 1 second through 1/300, but there's 1/50 in there. The aperture spacing is not linear either, large gaps between different stops.
From Camerapedia:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3548/3285074023_d71c0b17c6_m.jpg
I don't have any idea on fixing cameras. Good luck with your VL.
everythingy
06-17-2010, 01:21
I have two Taron Eyemax and they work like a charm. Just picked up a Taron Jr and can't wait to put it to use.
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6181541
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6181522
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6181525
These photos were taken with a Taron 35 (shown next).
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4904587
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4904584
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4904571
Graybeard
08-18-2010, 14:38
"I stumbled across a Taron Robin 19 (export version of the Taron 35 III aka Taron MX from what I can tell). There doesn't seem to be much info around on this camera at all.
It feels like a nicely built camera, f1.9 lens (8 blade aperture version), 1-1/500. It also has a rather contrasty patch for a fixed lens rangefinder. It looks like it uses a prism instead of a mirror for the rangefinder. I'm not terribly familiar with rangefinder construction but I haven't seen that in other fixed lens rangefinders. I'm guessing the prism is part of the reason why it is so bright?
I'm working on loosening the prism assembly right now as the prism isn't rotating. After starting out in rangefinders with compact ones, these larger cameras aren't as appealing but this one definitely has a certain charm."
Anyone familiar with the model?
--------------------------------------------------------------
I am indeed familiar with the Robin 1.9.
There were evidently a number of Taron cameras around in the US in the early 1960's.
A Robin 1.9 was my first 35mm camera. I purchased it at Willoughby's (the real, original one, even before they merged with Peerless Camera) in the NYC camera district on 32nd Street in Manhattan. I recall paying about $30 for it then, brand new in the box. This was just before autoexposure RF cameras, then based on bulky selenium photocells, were offered by everyone, including Taron.
The rewind knob crank on my camera soon broke off (securing screw lost its head) and Willoughby's repaired it immediately.
I have found mention on the web that Taron outsourced the manufacture of the Robins to Petri. Like many Petri cameras, my Robin had a pretty good lens but the mechanicals were weak. I, and my brother, shot a total of about 75 to 100 36-exposure rolls before the shutter and film advance began to give out. The leaf shutter was nice because we could use it with our primitive PCA-200 electronic flash to cover high school basketball games. The PCA-200 emitted a particularly loud whine when it was cycling and was best used at sporting events. The PCA-200 cost me a cool $20 at Camera Barn (about half a block from Willoughby's) with a set of rechargable NiCad batteries.
I note that the virtually the same camera was also sold with a slower f2.8 lens.
Brian, I wouldn't spend much time attempting to service/repair any Taron camera. These were built to a selling price, for the occasional user who didn't want the spend the price of a Yashica or Petri. Many people in tghe 1960's might buy what was then a modrn camera and shoot perhaps 20 rolls of film (vacations and Christmas) in their lifetimes. The Taron cameras were for such users.
Brian Legge
12-30-2010, 23:42
I sincerely appreciate the information and personal experience. Its getting harder to track this type of info down for those of us who came to rangefinders rather late. Its a shame there isn't a better archive of information out there on some of these less known models.
farlymac
12-31-2010, 15:35
Raid,
Some time ago I purchased a Taron VR, with the auxillary lenses and finder included. Since to me, it is a fairly odd one to find, and had the aux's, I didn't kick too much when I found out that it was not as advertised condition wise. I did however let the seller know what I thought of their description. It presently languishes in the repair box, awaiting the day when I get really bored, or caught up on all the other patients. Sad to hear it is not a very mechanically robust camera.
Anyway, I can see where some would make the tennuous connection with Nikon when looking at the earlier models from Taron, but the later ones like the V series have a more Mamiya style influence to them. Good looking cameras, but I guess more of an oddity factor going for them than anything else.
PF
farlymac
01-04-2011, 09:23
I couldn't remember why I was so upset about the Taron VR, so I dug it out of the to-be-repaired box, and reaquainted myself with it.
It had a cosmetic restoration done to it, and was really messed up. The rangefinder and frame counter do not work, the front lens element has 'cleaning marks', the 'B' speed is instantaneous, and the lens mount is a bit loose. On the auxillaries, the tele had been worked on, and it's front ring is now reversed to what the wide angle is, and the interior elements rattle. I suspect the front element was replaced, since unlike the wide angle it is not coated, and thus neccessitated the front ring being reversed to allow for a larger element. Also some evidence of cross-threading is visible, which may explain the rattle.
It is such a lovely looking camera, I still may put it on display with the wide angle aux and finder attached. This was one of the cameras that I really wanted to use, but I can't see putting the effort into it as it doesn't look very easy to get into the top. And besides, I don't even use the auxillaries on my Yashicas.
Hope you get many exposures with your 35, Raid.
PF
Thank you, PF.
My Taron looks like new.
I should use it again.
I have a Taron Marquis with a Taronar citizen MVL shutter 45 mm F1.8 lens 8 blades The lens is very good too
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