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Yamato Koki Kogyo Co. Emitax Automatic |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Japan from (Circa) 1961 to (After) 1961.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 6105
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Yamato Koki Kogyo Co.
The exact history of the Yamato brand is not well-known. If we focus on the cameras bearing the name Yamato, the first one (as defined) appears in the late 1940s. It is the Minon 35, a small, well-crafted camera that uses Bolta cartridge film. Shortly after, a horizontal folding 6x6 camera accompanies it, but neither of them is what the brand is known for. During the 1950s and 1960s, the manufacturer released a series of small 35mm cameras with different levels of technology (basic, rangefinder, automatic exposure), all remarkably well-made. The surviving examples found today are often in excellent condition. Chronologically, the early models were inspired by Leica, and later models have a more modern shape, but they all have a family resemblance. These cameras rarely fail to capture the interest of collectors.
Variations on this delightful little camera were sold as the Palmat, Mini-Electro 35, Mansfield Skylark and Kalimat 35 (USA), and the Sama Emitax (S. America). There is also an Emitax without the black mask. Unfortunately it seems to be the last camera Yamato made.
The shutter speed is set according to the film sensitivity, numbers 2-6 on the lens barrel corresponding to ASA 10-200. We know that '2' is about 1/25-1/30 because it is also the speed to synchronise with flash bulbs.
We also know that the guide number for a PB1 flash bulb was about 33 (m,100 ASA), so we can calculate that the maximum aperture of the lens is F4 and the minimum F16 from the flash distance table in the manual. There is an aperture setting scale which is disguised as compensation for bulbs of different output, so it would be possible with some ingenuity to operate it in full manual mode.
In several ways it was ahead of its time with small size, auto exposure, 'wide' 40 mm lens, big viewfinder, and even a 'hot shoe' on the later ones. Unfortunately this one has lost some of the thin black plastic mask which once surrounded the cell window and viewfinder, and the button on the wind lever.
NOTE: This camera was made by Yamato Koki Kogyo, not to be confused with Yamato Kogaku Seisakusho which merged with Canon in 1944.
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