Komamura Corporation

Komamura Corporation

Native name	駒村商会
Romanized name	Komamura Shokai
Company type	LLC
Founded	1933; 91 years ago (1933) in Kyoto, Japan
Headquarters	Tokyo , Japan
Key people	Toshiyuki Komamura, President
Website	komamura.co.jp

Komamura Corporation^[1] is a Japanese company that most notably manufactured medium- and large-format cameras. The company's first camera, the PC-101, was offered in 1948 as a police inspection camera; this was soon developed into a press camera, the Horseman 102, which was the first Horseman Professional branded camera.

History

In 1933, Komamura Brothers was founded in Kyoto; the first camera produced was the PC-101, an inspection camera for the National Police Agency produced in 1948. This was developed into the Horseman 102, which was also designed for police inspection and offered in 1950.^[2]

Komamura relocated in Tokyo in 1982. In 1992, Komamura signed the first of several licensing agreements to be the exclusive distributor for foreign photographic and video products in Japan, including Rodenstock and Schneider Kreuznach lenses, Gossen light meters, and Anton Bauer batteries.^[3]

Komamura transferred the Horseman Professional photographic business assets to Kenko Professional Imaging in 2012;^[2] Kenko continues to market the cameras and photographic accessories developed by Komamura under the Horseman brand.^[4] Komamura's primary business is currently centered on sales of night vision scopes and cameras.^[2]

Products

Current

Komamura developed and launched the Falcon Eye KC-2000 high-sensitivity camera in 2014, providing full-color imaging.^[5]

Past

Past cameras developed by Komamura and marketed under the Horseman Professional brand include:

35mm

• DigiFlex / DigiFlex II^[6]
• Horseman 3D^[7]

Medium format

• Press/Field
  • Horseman 970
  • Horseman 975
  • Horseman 980
  • Horseman 985
  • Horseman VH (VH-R)^[8]
• Limited movements (vertical/lateral shift only)
  • Horseman SW-D Pro^[9]
  • Horseman SW612 Professional^[10]
  • Horseman SW617 Professional^[11]
  • Horseman SW6x9^[12]
• Rigid camera (no movements)
  • Horseman SW612^[10][13]

Large format

• Press/Field
  • Horseman 45FA^[8]
  • Horseman 45HD^[8]
  • Woodman 45^[8]
• View
  • Horseman L-series (L, LS, LE, LX)^[14]
  • Horseman X-Act-D^[15]

Accessories marketed by Horseman include:

35mm

• VCC (View Camera Converter)^[16][17]
• LD / LD Pro (L-series View Camera for Digital SLRs)^[18][19]

Medium format

• VCC (View Camera Converter)^[17]

Large format

• ISS (Intelligent Shutter System)^[20]

References

1. 株式会社 駒村商会
2. "Company profile: Komamura Shokai Co., Ltd". Komamura Corporation. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
3. "Komamura Corporation, the company behind Falcon Eye". Falcon Eye CNV. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
4. "Horseman". Kenko Professional Imaging Co., Ltd. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
5. Barribeau, Tim (February 23, 2014). "Falcon Eye Camera Wants To Give You Full Color Night Vision Recording". Popular Photography. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
6. "Horseman DigiFlex II". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on December 25, 2005.
7. "Horseman 3D". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.
8. "Horseman Products / Field Cameras". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on February 8, 1998.
9. "Horseman SW-D Pro". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on October 29, 2005.
10. "Horseman SW612 Professional & SW612". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on November 30, 2005.
11. "Horseman SW617 Professional" (PDF). Horseman USA. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2005.
12. "Horseman SW6x9 Professional". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on November 25, 2005.
13. "Horseman Products / SW612". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on February 8, 1998.
14. "Horseman New L series cameras". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on February 8, 1998.
15. "Horseman X-Act-D". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on October 29, 2005.
16. "Horseman Products / View Camera Converter". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on February 8, 1998.
17. "Horseman View Camera Converter". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on December 8, 2005.
18. "Horseman LD for DSLRs". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on October 29, 2005.
19. "Horseman LD Pro". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.
20. "Horseman Intelligent Shutter System". Horseman USA. Archived from the original on October 29, 2005.

External links

• "Horseman 970" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera. Komamura Photographic Co. Ltd.
• "Modern tests: 2-1/4 X 3-1/4 Horseman 980 Technical Camera" (PDF). Modern Photography. October 1971.
• "Calumet / Horseman Technical Camera [980] Guidebook" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera. Calumet Photographic Inc.

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