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Zunow

premiere Japanese independent fast lens maker

the most famous Zunow lens was the 50/1.1 in Leica Screw Mount or Nikon Rangefinder Mount  

Zunow was  a small independent Japanese lens company known for its brilliant designs, and their lack of financial backing.       Zunow was a prominent maker of  quality high speed optics in the middle to late 1950's.   Initially their lenses were all chrome,    but some late lenses were also made in black.  ANY Zunow lens is rare today, but that is especially true for the black lenses. 

Lenses made for Leica, Contax, and Nikon Rangefinders include the 35/1.5, 35/1.7, 50/1.1, and 100/2.  A 58/1.1 was also made in Exakta and Pentax/Praktica mount.     I also found reference to a 75/1, but the mount was not stated.   The first Miranda lens was a 50/1.8 Zunow.    Zunow also occasionally supplied lenses to other Japanese camera makers, as well as making their own line of C mount movie lenses.

Though a tiny company, the fit and finish of Zunow lenses compared favorably with the best from Nikon or Canon.

The 50/1.1 Shade is even rarer than the lens. 

zunow1.jpg (115939 bytes)   zunow2.jpg (169152 bytes)

the 100/2 Black Zunow in Leica mount

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the 100/2 fitted to an M6, and the 50/1.8 Zunow for the legendary Miranda Orion

 

zunow4.jpg (105335 bytes)  Zunow SLR

In  August 1958 Zunow began production of its first (and last) camera.    The advanced  small bodied Zunow SLR boasted an impressive list of features for its time including:

 

 

The Zunow SLR was an outstanding design for it's time.    Compare the list above and it becomes obvious the Zunow had much influence with the designers of the Nikon F.  Alas, apparently due to limited resources, the Zunow SLR was not very successfully marketed.    It is extremely rare and prized today.   According to an early press release,  the Zunow hand built assembly line achieved the blazingly fast production rate of eight cameras per day.     I would guess only a few hundred were made, but I have never seen any Zunow production figures.   Perhaps Zunows are more common in Japan, but in the US at least where they were never officially imported, they are next to impossible to find.

The Zunow SLR was an outstanding design for it's time.    Compare the list above and it becomes obvious the Zunow had much influence with the designers of the Nikon F.  Alas, apparently due to limited resources, the Zunow SLR was not very successfully marketed.    It is extremely rare and prized today.   According to an early press release,  the Zunow hand built assembly line achieved the blazingly fast production rate of eight cameras per day.     I would guess only a few hundred were made, but I have never seen any Zunow production figures.   Perhaps Zunows are more common in Japan, but in the US  where they were never officially imported, they are next to impossible to find.


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Revised: November 26, 2003 Copyright © 1998-2002  Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved.    This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind.  Information in this document is subject to change without notice.  Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.