| Founded: | c. 1940 — Tokyo, Empire of Japan |
| (modern day Japan) | |
| Currently: | defunct |
Taron was a Japanese camera brand founded as Nippon Kosokki Seisakusho in the Omori district of Tokyo circa 1940. In the early years, the company manufactured shutter assemblies under the NKS brand name. These shutters were used by a long list of cameras including those manufactured by Mamiya, Fujica (now Fujifilm), Topcon, as well as Toyoca and, once the company began producing its own cameras in the early 1940s, Taron itself.
In 1960, the company officially changed its name to Taron Co., Ltd. The vast majority of cameras produced by Taron have been conventional 35mm fixed-lens rangefinders with only a few exceptions like the early Taroflex twin lens reflex camera and the eccentric vertically-oriented Chic.
Taron ceased camera production sometime in the late 1960s for reasons unknown and the entire company appears to have faded out of existence shortly after.
McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown’s Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 2001-2002. (Grantsburg, WI, USA: Centennial Photo Service, 2001), p 629-630.
“Taron,” Camera Wiki, http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Taron
“NKS,” Camera Wiki, http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/NKS
The Taron Eye is a premium 35mm rangefinder camera debuted in 1960 by Taron. The Eye is the predecessor to the very similar Taron Eyemax that was introduced shortly afterwards. However, unlike the Eyemax which came with a choice of two lenses with different maximum apertures, the Eye appears to have only been offered with the relatively high-end 45mm f/1.8 Taronar lens.
The Taron Chic is a vertically oriented 35mm half-frame camera introduced by Taron in 1961. The only other camera that I’m aware of that bears any resemblance to the Chic is the Yashica Rapide. However, since they were both introduced in 1961, it’s unclear as to who copied whose vertical design or if there was indeed any copying done at all.
