1960s Japanese cameras, are they good?

[Alan Edward Klein]

The Korean War brought photojournalists to Japan where they could buy cameras for hard use. Their favorable evaluations did much to make the better Japanese cameras sell well in America. The Japanese also produced some high quality tools and electronics. However, American companies pandering to cheapskate American buyers rarely made such items available in America. In my experience, early Japanese cars and motorcycles were disappointing. Toyota was perhaps the best of the lot. My Mazda Carol certainly wasn't.

As I remember, the low-quality Japanese products sold in America after WWII had loads of problems. They didn't want their products known as coming from Japan. So they created a fake city there called Usa, Japan. That way they could label their products MADE IN USA to fool the American public.

 

[Cholentpot]

As I remember, the low-quality Japanese products sold in America after WWII had loads of problems. They didn't want their products known as coming from Japan. So they created a fake city there called Usa, Japan. That way they could label their products MADE IN USA to fool the American public.

I heard this story from a Korean Vet who was working on my fathers roof in the 90's. Sounds great, not sure how true it is.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Interesting comments on Japanese cars. I owned a 1968 Datsun (Now known as Nissan) 510. It was directly comparable to a BMW 1600 in mechanical specifications, but not in finish! It was far superior to the Toyota Corona in specifications. I drove that 510 to about 130k miles with few repairs needed, other than batteries, tires, and such. The 510 achieved considerable success in the Trans-Am Series under 2500cc class, and in SCCA racing. BTW, Jay Leno's Garage is home to two 510s, both have been modified.

When I got out of the USAF, I bought a 1967 Datsun Roadster like this one. Unfortunately I blew the 4-speed manual transmission but that could have been as much my fault as the car's. I think I paid $2800 for it.

1967 datsun 1600 for sale - Yahoo Image Search Results

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I heard this story from a Korean Vet who was working on my fathers roof in the 90's. Sounds great, not sure how true it is.

Apparently, it's an urban myth although the town did exist before the war. As a kid in the 1950's long before the internet and social media, it was being spread around as true. And everyone thinks the internet invented fake news. Gee, I wonder if there's a town in China called Usa too.

Was a Town in Japan Renamed 'Usa' So Its Products Could Be Labeled 'Made in USA'?

Did Japan rename a town 'Usa' so it could identify its products as 'Made in USA'?

www.snopes.com

Is a Japanese town renaming itself to "Usa" so products can say, "Made in USA?"

What if there was a way to make it seem like you were selling American produced goods without actually doing it? Could you possibly get away with printing "Made in Usa" on your goods if they were made in Japan?

www.komando.com

 

[AnselMortensen]

Well, let's see here...
Post WW2 up until the '70's, the US had notable camera & photo equipment manufacturers such as Kodak, Ansco, Wollensak, Bell & Howell, GAF, DeJur, Graflex, Burke & James, Revere, among others.
In the 1960's, Pentax Spotmatics, Nikon F, and Canon showed up and blew the above US companies out of the water...where are they now?
Kodak remains, as a shell of its former self.

DeJur diversified into the Soup business.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Well, let's see here...
Post WW2 up until the '70's, the US had notable camera & photo equipment manufacturers such as Kodak, Ansco, Wollensak, Bell & Howell, GAF, DeJur, Graflex, Burke & James, Revere, among others.
In the 1960's, Pentax Spotmatics, Nikon F, and Canon showed up and blew the above US companies out of the water...where are they now?
Kodak remains, as a shell of its former self.

DeJur diversified into the Soup business.

I still have my Revere three turret lens 8mm camera. And it still works. (No batteries. It's wind up.) All metal. Great paperweight.

 

[Cholentpot]

Apparently, it's an urban myth although the town did exist before the war. As a kid in the 1950's long before the internet and social media, it was being spread around as true. And everyone thinks the internet invented fake news. Gee, I wonder if there's a town in China called Usa too.

Was a Town in Japan Renamed 'Usa' So Its Products Could Be Labeled 'Made in USA'?

Did Japan rename a town 'Usa' so it could identify its products as 'Made in USA'?

www.snopes.com

Is a Japanese town renaming itself to "Usa" so products can say, "Made in USA?"

What if there was a way to make it seem like you were selling American produced goods without actually doing it? Could you possibly get away with printing "Made in Usa" on your goods if they were made in Japan?

www.komando.com

I specifically remember the guy had a pipe wrench with Made in Usa on it and he was very proud of his not quite made in the USA wrench. I think he might have been pulling my leg. But keep the story going, urban myths and tall tales are part and parcel of the American fabric.

 

[markjwyatt]

When I got out of the USAF, I bought a 1967 Datsun Roadster like this one. Unfortunately I blew the 4-speed manual transmission but that could have been as much my fault as the car's. I think I paid $2800 for it.

1967 datsun 1600 for sale - Yahoo Image Search Results

I had a used Datsun 710 (maybe a 76 or 77 model) when I was starting college. It was a pretty basic car with a 4 speed manual, but was reliable for several years. I ended up making some exterior modifications to it (with a sign post), but kept driving for a few years and sold it.


Datsun 710 by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I had a used Datsun 710 (maybe a 76 or 77 model) when I was starting college. It was a pretty basic car with a 4 speed manual, but was reliable for several years. I ended up making some exterior modifications to it (with a sign post), but kept driving for a few years and sold it.


Datsun 710 by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Yes, I see where the Datsun and the stop sign kissed. Nice car.

 

[alanrockwood]

When I got out of the USAF, I bought a 1967 Datsun Roadster like this one. Unfortunately I blew the 4-speed manual transmission but that could have been as much my fault as the car's. I think I paid $2800 for it.

1967 datsun 1600 for sale - Yahoo Image Search Results

As I recall that Datsun was also called the Fairlady. If not it is at least a fairly similar model. Does that ring a bell?

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

As I recall that Datsun was also called the Fairlady. If not it is at least a fairly similar model. Does that ring a bell?

Never heard of it. What guy would drive a car called the Fairlady?

 

[alanrockwood]

...What guy would drive a car called the Fairlady?

I dunno, maybe a ladies' man?

By the way, I drive a Mazda Miata, and one of my acquaintances calls it a "girlie car". It's even on someone's official list of girlie cars: https://www.hotcars.com/girly-cars-that-are-actually-fun-to-drive-and-cars-men-drive-that-stink/, but I don't care because it's fun to drive, easy to park, and good looking.

 

[snusmumriken]

I did, I bought a Zenit E, however I was still at school and I didn't have a lot of options as I had no help from my parents, it was under £40 with the 58mm f2 Helios lens, I guess that was late 1969, I really wanted a Spotmatic and 50mm f1.8 lens but they were £130 and I could not save that much. By 1969 there were only Zenit, Exacta, and Praktica left, aside from Leicaflex and Alpa. By then JAl+panese cameras dominated.

Ian

Ian, I could have written that post myself, almost exactly. The only difference being that I bought the older Zenit with f/3.5 Industar lens, one year earlier.

 

[Kilgallb]

Maybe not glass (optical glass tends to have specific requirements), but brass, aluminum and steel recycle just fine.

Even now, Sony boasts of recycled content in their products:
https://www.sony.com/en-cd/electronics/sorplas-recycled-plastic

The crappier Japanese cameras seem to have been sold in the USA more as cheap novelties or toys. I recall seeing "Hit" type cameras being sold in a hotel vending machine well into the 1970s. But these were not the norm.

There is so much excess plastic in the world many regulatory regimes such as the EU are moving to a requirement to have all plastic to have recycled plastic content.

My company is trying to get there, it is a laudable goal.