Pentax celebrates 100 years... and 65 with Australian distributor

(Image credit: CR Kennedy)

November 2019 marked the 100th birthday of Pentax, which was established in a suburb of Tokyo to begin making lenses for spectacles (an area of optics that the company is still involved in). This led to the manufacture of lenses for cameras and then, in 1952, to the Asahiflex camera – the first Japanese-made 35mm SLR.

The name ‘Pentax’ was adopted in 1957 for a camera which set the basic formula for the 35mm SLR (and, of course, its digital derivative). Consequently, Pentax is generally acknowledged as the pioneer of the 35mm SLR, being the first to produce such a camera in significant numbers. 

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Australian Camera

Australian Camera is the bi-monthly magazine for creative photographers, whatever their format or medium. Published since the 1970s, it's informative and entertaining content is compiled by experts in the field of digital and film photography ensuring its readers are kept up to speed with all the latest on the rapidly changing film/digital products, news and technologies. Whether its digital or film or digital and film Australian Camera magazine's primary focus is to help its readers choose and use the tools they need to create memorable images, and to enhance the skills that will make them better photographers. The magazine is edited by Paul Burrows, who has worked on the magazine since 1982.