Miranda T (camera)
Encyclopedia
The original Miranda T 35mm SLR camera was launched by the newly established Japanese Orion Camera Co. in 1955. It is the first Japanese 35mm SLR camera to have an eyelevel Pentaprism
finder. The camera was a success and after only two years, the manufacturer changed its name to the Miranda Camera Co.
The camera stayed in production for two more years while a series of new models, designated model A, B, C, D and S were introduced, based on the original camera. These comprised improvements like a faster shutter with 1/1000-second top speed, a frame counter, wind-on lever, and an instant return mirror
on model B in 1958. In addition, a rare Miranda TII with 1/1000-second top shutter speed does exist.
The Miranda cameras were equipped with a double lensmount
consisting of a wide 44mm internal thread and an external bayonet. The Pentax/Praktica screw mount
is 42mm. The flange to film plane distance was deliberately made as short as possible to accommodate as many different makes of camera lenses as possible using separately sold lens adaptors. The detachable finder prism was set in a sliding mount. The lenses for the Miranda were at first supplied by either Zunow
or Ofunar. However, by the end of the 1950s, Soligor
became the main supplier, and soon the lenses were labelled Auto Miranda.
Pentaprism
A pentaprism is a five-sided reflecting prism used to deviate a beam of light by 90°. The beam reflects inside the prism twice, allowing the transmission of an image through a right angle without inverting it as an ordinary right-angle prism or mirror would.The reflections inside the prism are not...
finder. The camera was a success and after only two years, the manufacturer changed its name to the Miranda Camera Co.
Miranda Camera Company
The Miranda Camera Company, originally named the Orion Camera Company, manufactured cameras in Japan between 1955 and 1978. Their first camera was the Miranda T. Many of their products were single-lens reflex cameras for 135 film...
The camera stayed in production for two more years while a series of new models, designated model A, B, C, D and S were introduced, based on the original camera. These comprised improvements like a faster shutter with 1/1000-second top speed, a frame counter, wind-on lever, and an instant return mirror
History of the single-lens reflex camera
The history of the single-lens reflex camera predates the invention of photography in 1826/27 by one and a half centuries with the use of a reflex mirror in a camera obscura first described in 1676...
on model B in 1958. In addition, a rare Miranda TII with 1/1000-second top shutter speed does exist.
The Miranda cameras were equipped with a double lensmount
Lens mount
A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is confined to cameras where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the single lens reflex type or any movie camera of 16 mm or higher gauge...
consisting of a wide 44mm internal thread and an external bayonet. The Pentax/Praktica screw mount
M42 lens mount
The M42 lens mount is a screw thread mounting standard for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily single-lens reflex models. It is more accurately known as the M42 × 1 mm standard, which means that it is a metric screw thread of 42 mm diameter and 1 mm thread pitch...
is 42mm. The flange to film plane distance was deliberately made as short as possible to accommodate as many different makes of camera lenses as possible using separately sold lens adaptors. The detachable finder prism was set in a sliding mount. The lenses for the Miranda were at first supplied by either Zunow
History of the single-lens reflex camera
The history of the single-lens reflex camera predates the invention of photography in 1826/27 by one and a half centuries with the use of a reflex mirror in a camera obscura first described in 1676...
or Ofunar. However, by the end of the 1950s, Soligor
Soligor
Soligor was originally the trade mark for the American Allied Impex Corporation, used from 1956 for lenses and later cameras imported from Japan. It imported cameras from Japan and also took control of companies in Japan...
became the main supplier, and soon the lenses were labelled Auto Miranda.