Another unusual one - the Taron Promaster

[rwintle]

Hi all,

Intrigued by RFF'er "raid" and his thread about his Taron 35, I thought I would post something about this beast - the Taron Promaster. I've mentioned it in passing before and posted a few photos here and there in W/NW threads, but not really introduced it. I'd love to hear from anyone else who has one - but I expect I won't. 🙂


Taron Promaster by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

I had a similar experience as raid did with his 35, in that there is precious little (i.e. practically no) information on the web. There are certainly none on Flickr that I could find. It looks almost identical to the apparently more common Taron Auto EE, which had a Taronar lens (this one has a Pronar) and some kind of Auto-Exposure mode I believe. This Promaster is all manual. I'm guessing a date of circa 1963.

The lens is a Pronar 45mm f/1.8 mated to a Citizen-MVE shutter, with bulb plus speeds to 1/500th. Slow speeds are activated with a secondary release lever on the bottom of lens (1/15th or slower, all of which stick on this example).

There is a CdS (I guess) meter that shows a recommended aperture for the selected shutter speed in a display at the top of the viewfinder, which is quite nice. The RF patch in mine is dim but serviceable, and a sort of golden-yellow colour (age or design?). The meter, as you might expect, is activated by a PX675 or equivalent battery - I used a 1.4-volt zinc-air hearing aid battery, which fit in the compartment without need for shimming.

I rather like this camera. It is heavy, as metal rangefinders of this age tend to be, and solidly built. It works as advertised, sticky shutter notwithstanding. It's maybe not as sharp as it could be, but that could also be my technique.

Here are some examples, for fun. The B&W is Arista Premium 400 from Freestyle via Aden Camera in Toronto, and the colour is Fujicolor 200 from Wal-Mart.


Carty - Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto by Richard Wintle, on Flickr


Angel, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto by Richard Wintle, on Flickr


The diaphragm has four straight blades, so flare and bokeh are square, which is interesting, although I find the square bokeh bits in the colour photo below a little hard on the eyes:


Against the light - Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto by Richard Wintle, on Flickr


Cross and square bokeh, St. James Cemetery, Toronto by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

A few more, if you can stand them:


In Memory of James Taylor / Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto by Richard Wintle, on Flickr


Behind Glass by Richard Wintle, on Flickr


Contre-jour: St. James Cemetery, Toronto by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, and do let me know if you've come across one of these beasties before!

These and more photos in this set, if you can stand more:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricardipus/sets/72157633225139188/

 

[Rodchenko]

I had a Taron Unique which never worked, which was a terrible shame. I said farewell to it on Sunday as I packed it to send to the new owner (who I hope can bring it back to life).

 

[farlymac]

I've got a Taron VR that the previous owner wrecked trying to "repair" it. It came with the aux lens set and finder, and even one of those lenses was ruined. It looks cool as a shelf queen though.

Other than the odd bokeh, you photos came out very good. But get a hood on that lens. That will cut down on the flare.

PF

 

[rwintle]

There seem to be a fair number of Taron cameras, none of them terribly common - the Chic (which is a half-frame IIRC), Eyemax... others?

farlymac - thanks. I do need a hood - for this and all my others to be honest. Any tips on sourcing? Is there something generic (rubber? screw-in?) that might work?

 

[farlymac]

You can get some cool vented hoods on a certain online auction site. Just search for your filter size in the Hoods section, and something will pop up. They're not very expensive, and are usually metal. And you can even get them with a cap, which is very convenient. If you prefer a straight hood, those are available with caps too.

PF

 

[rwintle]

Thanks!

Thanks!

Much appreciated, will have a look. 🙂

 

[btgc]

Promaster is damn cool name for a camera. Beats Yashica Professional 🙂
Interesting info on separate control to use slow speeds - thanks, never did know.

Bo-a-keh is similar to what I get from Yashica 35C which has diamond shaped (fancy way to say rhombus) aperture.


Sugar glaze by mm35exp36, on Flickr

 

[rwintle]

Nice rhombuses! 😀

I always thought that "Taron Promaster" sounds like the name of a Manga superhero.

Interestingly, the "Promaster" brand has been used since, by a company that makes all kinds of photographic accessories, including lenses. Unrelated to Taron though. www.promaster.com

 

[shadowfox]

Cool RF, thanks for introducing it to us.

 

[tunalegs]

I have only come across two Taron cameras "in the wild" and both were broken, so I'm a bit wary of these cameras. But the results look fine.

The yellow color of the rangefinder window is supposed to make focusing easier, as the "superimposed" rangefinder image is tinted. Same idea behind the green RF window in the Petris.

PS: I have a Taron branded lens hood with a 46mm filter thread if you're interested.

 

[rwintle]

Thanks, folks.

tunalegs - I don't know the thread size so I'll have to measure it... I'll PM you if it's a fit.

 

[Greyscale]

Thanks, folks.

tunalegs - I don't know the thread size so I'll have to measure it... I'll PM you if it's a fit.

The thread size is the same as on the Yashica Electro 35 G cameras (55mm), so any hood that fits them will fit. I think that the Taron lenses were made by Tomioka, if the research that I have done is correct.

 

[KoNickon]

Promaster is damn cool name for a camera. Beats Yashica Professional 🙂
Interesting info on separate control to use slow speeds - thanks, never did know.

Bo-a-keh is similar to what I get from Yashica 35C which has diamond shaped (fancy way to say rhombus) aperture.


Sugar glaze by mm35exp36, on Flickr

Note the diamond-shaped highlights -- no doubt the shutter serves as the aperture, which is typical on a lot of the rangefinders of this vintage. However, very impressive results from the camera! Wonder if the lens is some sort of Sonnar variant -- I bet it's more than 3 or 4 elements.

 

[btgc]

Note the diamond-shaped highlights -- no doubt the shutter serves as the aperture, which is typical on a lot of the rangefinders of this vintage. However, very impressive results from the camera! Wonder if the lens is some sort of Sonnar variant -- I bet it's more than 3 or 4 elements.

You are absolutely right - 35FC, the "new era" Electro has diamond shaped aperture, though, I just checked, aperture is separate from shutter. Aperture changes (can be seen from front) as you adjust it which isn't case when shutter opening replaces aperture.

Optically lens is same as on 35MC - 4 elements in 3 groups. Yashica didn't use Sonnars in "slow" f/2.8 lenses in their compacts.

Thanks, I should try it again. It has rather interesting defect, underexposing two-three stops so I have hi-speed film capable Electro. With its 1/1000 top speed it's not bad combination.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

I worked for a camera shop in the mid 'seventies and the Taron brand had, to put it delicately, something of a reputation. The company itself had disappeared in the middle of the 'sixties, though "new" stock was still floating around some wholesalers as late as 1974. We had one Rep who was forever trying to shift the same dozen or so boxes. My boss once jokingly suggested that the Rep pay us to take the Tarons. I swear that the Rep seriously considered it.

We didn't do much second hand stuff but another dealer in our area found himself stuck with five late model Tarons, all of which had been returned broken, after light use, which his repair company refused to work on. Not only were parts pretty well impossible to source but it seemed to have aquired a reputation as a "three handed" camera, when it came to re-assembly.

 

[rwintle]

Broke the Promaster out again after it had been lonely for too long... with variable results. Pretty sure the focus is not only very stiff (ok, I'm positive about that) but miscalibrated. At narrowish apertures and long subject distances all seems fine. Of course, it could just be me... 😉

From a recent trip to Waterloo, Ontario. Kodak Gold 200 under crappy overcast.



One-room schoolhouse, Waterloo, Ontario by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

 

[rwintle]

And a couple from a recent visit to an old cemetery in Loyalist Township in southeastern Ontario, Canada. Kodak Gold 200 again.


Monuments - Lutheran/Union, Loyalist Township by Richard Wintle, on Flickr


Fading light - Lutheran/Union, Loyalist Township by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

 

[farlymac]

I'm always surprised to see someone get good results from a Taron, Richard. The only review I ever found about Taron's classed them pretty low on the rungs for their poor quality of craftsmanship. My VR doesn't feel like an honestly built camera, so I never bothered trying to fix it.

PF

 

[raid]

I used to own a Taron 35. It was a RF camera. I gave it away,but the camera broke soon afterwards.

 

[rwintle]

I'm always surprised to see someone get good results from a Taron, Richard. The only review I ever found about Taron's classed them pretty low on the rungs for their poor quality of craftsmanship. My VR doesn't feel like an honestly built camera, so I never bothered trying to fix it.

PF

Thanks. This one seems to be very solidly built indeed, although the front ring (with the filter threads) likes to unscrew itself. It's heavy and chunky and reminds me of my Yashica M (i.e., first-generation Minister) more than anything else.

That said, that Yashica M doesn't work any more. 😉

raid - it was your post about your Taron 35 that inspired me to post this thread in the first place, so credit where credit is due. 🙂