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Store Brand Compendium
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2022 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

xaprb wrote:
Updated the list. I love “Sam the Cameraman”! As we say in the Southeast US, “that’s a hoot!” (meaning you hoot with laughter).


Sam Saidman was a firm believer in the lightly humorous approach.
His son Lee who I actually dealt with on numerous occasions carried on the tradition.

Not to be confused With Sam Sniderman's "Sam The Record Man".

Both went for comic representations of themselves.

I can't exactly recall if the "Cameraman" used the "Yes, This Is Sam" in their ad-lines that the "Recordman" did...
The camera store closed in the mid-90's.



Sample print ad from '77,

-D.S.


Last edited by Doc Sharptail on Sat Feb 19, 2022 2:49 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2022 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kalimar was a Import company like Vivitar and Soligor.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/stltoday/name/robert-lipsitz-obituary?id=3032854 Obituary of the founder.


PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2022 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a list of search terms on ebay I saved and have gone through to see what store brands are included,

Aragon - Photo Clearing Inc. a New York firm, perhaps a camera store, or maybe importer. https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/anyone-know-about-aragon-lens.503419/

Deitz - Brooks Camera, San Francisco. https://www.flickr.com/photos/welfl/8278685964

Kamero - Woolworths, Woolco. http://forum.mflenses.com/kamero-lens-thread-and-serial-number-chart-t80327.html

Rexagon lenses - sub-brand of Prinz (Dixons) https://avhuysteen.wixsite.com/m42-lenses/rexagon


These ones appear to be distributors, not stores:

Caspeco - Camera Specialty Company, New York. http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Caspeco
Juplen - Kine Camera Company 11 West 20th Street New York 11, NY https://www.ebay.com/itm/194244298035?nma=true&si=KKs%252Bf0avJ%252BYTAdUBJzBOstiXAOc%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Lentar - distributor Lenco, Detroit. http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Lenco
Universar - Universa Technik, Germany http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Universa


PostPosted: Sun Feb 27, 2022 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know about Sirius and Starblitz? How about Promaster?


PostPosted: Mon Feb 28, 2022 3:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Starblitz:

https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Starblitz

Optex= Southern Precision Instruments.

SPI was a mail order clearing house late 50's, early 60's, so would likely fall under the distributor classification.

I am fairly certain the "Optex" brand changed hands, likely more than once there-after...

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.promaster.com/About/


PostPosted: Mon Feb 28, 2022 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just happen to have a ProMaster filter right here on the desk.
Rather tiny inscription on it:

[Pro]master 52mm DHD UV China

Paid enough for it too. First time I spent more than twenty on a 3rd party filter....

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2022 1:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DEREK GARDNER

Click here to see on Ebay


ebay seller sweetdeal213


PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2022 5:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is a long list of 3rd party lenses floating around on the internet. I just couldn't find it as I am searching it now.
I used to reference that a lot.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2022 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had this list bookmarked:

https://www.blackestknight.com/index.php/2017/03/30/third-party-lenses-from-the-1960s-1970s-and-1980s/

Also the Exakta lens list, somewhat older:

http://www.ihagee.org/Lenzen/Exaktalenslist202108b.pdf


PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2022 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

xaprb wrote:
Does anyone know about Sirius and Starblitz? How about Promaster?


Sirius lenses were a budget option you could find at independent dealers (at least here in the UK). I always thought they were rebranded Samyang lenses only, but apparently some were also made by Cosina. In the UK sometimes the same lens might also be available under the Jessops brand Centon. Sometimes available also under different rebrands in other countries, Exacta, Practicar, or even simply as Samyang, Cosina etc.

Sirius ones were usually full metal construction, but with none of the precise engineering of the better brands. Optical performance varying from passible to abysmal (or OK, if you were lucky enough to get a rare outlier sample where they had accidentally managed to center it properly). Colour rendering all over the place. Vignetting, flare, distortion, you name it. I've seen them with a smear of helicoid grease on an inner lens surface straight out of the factory.

TBH, I still have a suspicion that Sirius lenses were assembled from the reject parts of the Samyang & Cosina production lines, without much care or attention to detail either.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2022 3:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TARON CO., LTD. JAPAN (TARONAR 1:2.8 45mm)

Click here to see on Ebay


ebay seller mgs_75

WOW! Newly listed and snatched before my very eyes!


PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know about Rexagon? I’ve seen mentions online that they were associated with Prinz, which is a Dixons brand according to the internet, but I haven’t found more about Rexagon otherwise.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This site has some information on Rexagon. Some of the lens comments do not inspire confidence.

https://avhuysteen.wixsite.com/m42-lenses/rexagon

For what it’s worth, the site mentions, “ The last registered owner of the trademark was "Prinz International Kabushiki Kaisha". ”

I grew up in New York in the day and have no memory of these lenses for sale. But I recognize the brand from print ads of camera dealer(s) in Chicago?


PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here’s a screen capture of an eBay listing with an interesting set of Rexagon/Prinz boxes and caps. Seems the Internet isn’t wrong. I thought Prinz was a Dixons (UK) store brand so does that mean Rexagon is too?



PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

visualopsins wrote:
TARON CO., LTD. JAPAN (TARONAR 1:2.8 45mm)

Click here to see on Ebay


ebay seller mgs_75

WOW! Newly listed and snatched before my very eyes!


Taron was a manufacturer (not a simple brand)


PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doc Sharptail wrote:
Found a "Sam The Camera Man" 1/A filter in my stuff.
A local, independent camera shop that went as far as branding their own filters, so likely very obscure anywhere else.
There were noises about a lens line- but I am none too clear as to that actually happening.
The quality of the filter is surprisingly good- at least better than "Optex".

-D.S.

We've had filters, camera bags and other accessories before that were branded "Fox Talbot".

Needless to say these were sold by a chain of UK photo stores, and not made by the man himself... Wink


PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[edit: derelict data deleted]

Last edited by 55 on Fri Apr 08, 2022 6:02 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was able to find a Flickr post with the back-story on Deitz, a store brand of Brooks Camera in San Francisco. It seems they were mostly or all relabeled Makinon lenses. https://www.flickr.com/photos/welfl/8278685964


PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't been able to find anything on N.P.S.

They have had filters, close up filters, extension tubes, reversing rings and IIRC, a bellows unit.
All are marked N.P.S. Japan, and in the case of filters, the proper letter and number designations.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There was a Vivitar connection with the Image branded lenses:



I don't know a lot about this, or the time-lines involved.
Some of the Image branded zooms were pretty low in I/Q- perhaps there were others yet involved in the Image lens marketing...

-D.S.


PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2022 11:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know anything about HQ Optics?


PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2022 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doc Sharptail wrote:
There was a Vivitar connection with the Image branded lenses:



I don't know a lot about this, or the time-lines involved.
Some of the Image branded zooms were pretty low in I/Q- perhaps there were others yet involved in the Image lens marketing...

-D.S.


Likely Cosina


PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone know about Ranger brand? There is a brand of shooting glasses called RE Ranger that occupies most of the search results, and aside from that I found very little. Most of the Ranger lenses I have seen on eBay are for sale in the UK, so I suspect it’s a UK store brand. But I don’t know anything for sure.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 9:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe this a clue. A Revue Ranger branded pair of Binoculars.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185461409195