Canon LTM Canon Seiki-Kogaku J-II w/Nikkor 5cm f/3.5

[analoged]

First post, long time lurker!

Anyway, I had bought a Leica case for my III, and the guy asked if I wanted the old Canon camera the fit inside. I said sure why not, thinking it might be an II-s or something. I was surprised to see the really early Nikkor and that there was no rangefinder. So I thought, wow this must be kinda old!

Here's some links:

http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/...1946_j2.html?lang=us&categ=crn&page=1933-1955

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/RF-Nikkor/Canon_RF/1940/index.htm#JII

If any one could help determine the value or know a collector, it will be helpful. Also, I will be in Tokyo for my yearly visit in the end of August. So, if anyone knows someone in Japan that would like to see this.

 

[analoged]

I had to run at least one roll through this rarity! Shutter works, but sticks sometimes. I had some old 400 C-41 film and the drug store will process for only $.99.

 

[dexdog]

based upon US eBay sales, I would guess about $400, or so. In any case, a pretty good deal for free!

I will look it up in P. Dechert's book when I arrive home.

 

[xayraa33]

A little over 500 Canon J IIs were made in 11 months after the war.
The J flange and later modified J flange lens mount of this camera is different than the later LTM Canon lens mount we know and love.
With that Nikkor 5cm f3.5 lens I'd say that camera is worth a bit more than 400 dollars.

 

[analoged]

A little over 500 Canon J IIs were made in 11 months after the war.
The J flange and later modified J flange lens mount of this camera is different than the later LTM Canon lens mount we know and love.
With that Nikkor 5cm f3.5 lens I'd say that camera is worth a bit more than 400 dollars.

That's what I was thinking! I have never seen one on Ebay either! I use to have a great collection of Canon Rfer's, but have since sold them of in favor of Leica and Nikon.

 

[brobbins]

Canon JII

Canon JII

The Canon JII is worth substantially more than $400. They are quite rare. Only around 500 were made. The lens mount is a J mount, and is different than a Leica screw mount. The Nikkor lens in J mount is actually more common than the Canon Seiki Kogaku J mount lenses.

 

[dexdog]

Wow, maybe the ebay sales are for misidentified cameras. Even several of the high-priced sellers are only asking $900 for J-IIs.

 

[analoged]

Hey Dex, maybe post some links?!

My wife is Japanese, so she found this, its the only one I have seen for sale currently.

http://www.os-camera.com/photo/canon/ah-2025.htm

 

[dexdog]

my mistake- just looked on eBay; it was an S-II, not a J-II. Great deal getting a rare camera for free!

 

[analoged]

Thanks Dex! I was lookin all over the 'Bay for this camera!

The camera I linked above appears to have a later Nikkor. I do not think that is the original lens.

 

[brobbins]

I think the 570*** Nikkor on the camera shown on the link you listed may well be original. A number of JII's had Nikkor 5cm f/3.5 lenses from this run.

 

[analoged]

I think the 570*** Nikkor on the camera shown on the link you listed may well be original. A number of JII's had Nikkor 5cm f/3.5 lenses from this run.

I don't know, the serial number on that camera is lower than mine, and the Nikkor on my camera is 460*** . Thats over 100,000! Plus i thought that the Q.C. Nikkor's were much later anyway.

 

[brobbins]

The Ueyama book shows a number of 570*** Nikkor lenses on JII's. None, however, appear on JII's with serial numbers as low as the one shown on the link. I do not know if the JII's were finished in order of their serial numbers. In any event, I do not believe that J mount lenses were made after 1946, so if the Nikkor lens is not original to the camera, it may have been combined with the JII body fairly early in its life.

By the way, I believe that the first three digits of the relevant Nikkor 5cm f/3.5 lenses relate to particular production runs of the Nikkor lenses. There was a 460 run, a 501 run and a 570 run. I also believe that there were not more than a few thousand of these lenses produced in the aggregate in ltm mount, J mount, Nikon S mount, and the Canon Hansa/S mount. There probably is a Nikon expert who knows more about this than I do, and hopefully some such person will chime in and give us the facts.

 

[analoged]

By the way, I believe that the first three digits of the relevant Nikkor 5cm f/3.5 lenses relate to particular production runs of the Nikkor lenses.

Production runs, that would make more sense.

There probably is a Nikon expert who knows more about this than I do, and hopefully some such person will chime in and give us the facts.

Yes, it would help shed some light on the subject!

 

[analoged]

Thanks for the info from Peters book! I knew there had to be some good info in there.

 

[CanonRFinder]

Hi,
The J-II had a production run of 525 units according to Peter Dechert but during my research the "164" that Peter mentioned and Canon also recorded in an official list is the actual number of bodies that were issued with 5cm f/3.5 Canon Serenar lenses. There is a line chart on page 203 of my book which mentions this. The rest of the J-II bodies had Nikkor lenses mounted and this is shown up in the greater number of units recorded and which appear on the market such as this example. The serial numbering system of the Nikkor lenses is fairly easy to work out. Initially NKS designated all or most lenses (I stand to be corrected on this) that the first digits of the serial number indicated the focal length of that lens i.e., 50xxxx for 50mm. This lasted until 1943 when NKS changed the serial number to reflect the year of production hence the first digit on your lens "4" indicates 1944, the second digit indicates the month “6” and the last four the number in the production run “0142”. I have dedicated a chapter in my book on a short history of the Nikkor lenses that appear on Canon J-II and S-II camera bodies along with a pic of all five Nikkors in sequence of year that may appear on ones Canon camera. To date I have recorded nine (9) J-II with Serenar lenses while I have recorded 33 with Nikkors and these have either 1944 or 1945, 5cm f/3.5 lenses. Can you tell me the body serial # so I can add that to my database. Nice win or gift and is a keeper. Peter

 

[analoged]

Thanks Peter! I was hoping you would chime in!

 

[Bill58]

Thanks Peter! I was hoping you would chime in!

Me too as I looked at this thread. Peter K is THE man. What a rare camera--congrats!

Get it CLA'd and use it.