science

Konica

Konica is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Konica rather than just read about it. In short: Konica (コニカ, Konika) was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers, founded in 1873. The company merged with Japanese peer Minolta in 2003, forming Konica Minolta.

Key takeaways

Konica belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Konica to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Konica from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Konica (コニカ, Konika) was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers, founded in 1873. The company merged with Japanese peer Minolta in 2003, forming Konica Minolta.

History The company traces its history back to 1873 when pharmacist Rokusaburō Sugiura began selling photographic materials at his shop in Konishiya Rokubē, the biggest pharmacy trader in Tokyo at that time. In 1878, Rokusaburō succeeded to his family and renamed Rokuemon VI (Rokudaime Rokuemon). He gave the original shop to his younger brother and launched a new shop, Konishi Honten (Konishi Main Shop) in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. In 1882, Konishi launched a project to produce photography related materials in Japan which were imported at that time. In 1902, Konishi began to sell the "Cherry Portable Camera" (チェリー手提用暗函), the first Japanese produced end-user oriented camera. New products were released respectively, and Konishi Main Shop became the leading camera company in Japan. In 1921, Konishi had his elder son succeed to the family and thus company head with the name, and in this occasion Konishi Honten was turned into a company Konishiroku Honten. The name Konishiroku was taken from the abbreviation of their names, Konishi Rokuemon.

Konishiroku released their "Konica I" type camera in 1948, after which they would name their own company in 1987. Since 1949 Konica produced a Medium format-camera Pearl. From 1964 until 1975 Konica manufactured Medium format Omega-cameras, which used Konica's Hexanon-lenses; they were named Koni-Omega for the global market. Two models were named Konica Press for the Japanese market. Konica's single lens reflex cameras pioneered auto-exposure in cameras with focal-plane shutters and fully interchangeable lenses. The Konica Autoreflex of 1965 used an external light meter cell to set the lens diaphragm automatically after the user selected a shutter speed. With the Autoreflex T of 1968, Konica improved this design into a through-the-lens meter, using the same automation system (the user could also set the exposure manually on these cameras). Other camera makers eventually adopted auto-exposure as well, but Konica was the first. When Konishiroku got the new name Konica in 1987, the company employed about 4,935 people. In the 1990s Konica signed its first major contract with Los Angeles County providing leasing of copiers to the Los Angeles Superior Court. This resulted in a major shift in the industry that had sold only copiers before. The initial order of 250 copiers required Konica to redirect all of its inventory throughout North America to the county. On 5 August 2003, Konica merged with Minolta to form Konica Minolta. In 2006, Konica Minolta exited the photography business. In March 2006, the merged company closed down its photo imaging division, which produced color film, color paper, photo chemicals and digital minilab machines. Its digital SLR camera section was transferred to Sony, currently known as the Sony Alpha line. Dai Nippon (DNP) purchased Konica's Odawara factory site and continues to produce paper under its own brand, while Seapac acquired the Konica chemical factory.

Film

Konica was a major producer of 35mm film and related products, including film development processors and printing technology. Originally Konica film and paper was sold under the brand name "Sakura" (cherry blossom). In the mid-1980s, Konica launched its SR range of film, then SR-V (1987), SR-G (1989), Super SR (1991), Super XG (1993), VX and finally "Centuria" in 1999.

Cameras

35 mm

Rangefinder and viewfinder cameras Rubikon (1936?) Prototype of Konica I, development stopped by WWII, a few made after war Rubicon (1936?) An X-ray camera that uses 35mm X-ray film, same chassis as Rubikon/Konica I Konica "I" (1946) Konishiroku's first 35mm camera to see full production. Several variants (lenses, shutters, viewfinder, flash mount). Konica II (1950) Konica IIB (1960) (Variants with f3.5 and f2.8 lenses) Konica IIB-m (1956) Konica IIA (1956) First model to use the superb 48mm f2 Hexanon lens. Konica III (1956) Variants with Konirapid-S & Seikosha MXL shutters, most with 48/2 lens, rarer version w/48mm f2.4 Hexanon Konica IIIA (1958) Variants with 48/2 & 50/1.8 Hexanons Konica IIIM (1959) Variants with Copal MXV & Seikosha SLV shutters, all with 50/1.8 Hexanon. Built-in meter, 1st Konica w/hot shoe (non-standard) Konilette 35 (1959) Inexpensive 35mm with scale focus, Konitor 45/3.5 lens.

Konica S (1959) with exposure meter. Lens variants: 45/2.8 Hexar, Hexanon 48/2, 48/1.8 Konica L (1960) Hexar 45/2.8 lens, Seikosha L shutter, interesting fold down film door. Konica S II (1961) only offered with Hexanon 48/2 Konica S III (1963) new chassis, similar to Auto S, also uses 47/1.9 Hexanon same as Auto S Konica EE-Matic (1963) AE only, selenium metering cell (no battery). Also sold as Wards xp500/500a. Konica Auto S (1963) First CdS-metered, auto exposure camera. Also sold as Wards am450/am550, Revue Auto S. Konica EYE (1964) Half frame camera. Also sold as Wards EYE. Konica Auto S2 (1965) Also sold as Wards am551. Konica EE-Matic S (1965) Downgrade of orig. EE-Matic, no rangefinder. Also sold as Wards xp400. Konica EE-Matic 260 (196?) A version of EE-Matic using 126 film. Also sold as Wards cp301 & Wards 260. Konica EE-Matic Deluxe (1965) Primary upgrade, wider ASA range for meter, improved lens. Wards xp501. Konica EE-Matic Deluxe "New" (1965) Improved film take-up spindle, easier loading. Wards xp501a. Konica Auto SE (1966) Wind-up "motorized" film advance. Great lens! Wards ep504, Revue Auto SE. First Konica with a standard hot shoe. Konica Auto S1.6 (1967) Faster f1.6 lens. Hot shoe. Konica EE-Matic Deluxe 2 (1967) Sold also as Wards rf450.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Konica

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Konica claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Konica before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Konica ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Konica

In research: Konica appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Konica in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Konica is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2003 mergers and acquisitions, Companies formerly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Defunct companies of Japan, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Konica outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Konica” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Konica in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Konica means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Konica out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Konica in simple terms?

Why does Konica matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Konica?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Konica.