PDX700
Well-known member
I wish to find out the mount of a Fotomat lens. Is it possible to determine it from the included pictures? Your help is greatly appreciated.
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What Mount Is It?
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mdmarqphoto
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and the REAR lens cap no less.
PDX700
Well-known member
Oops! I didn't notice it and the seller stated the mount was unknown. Thank you!
The lens was made by Ozone Optical a maker for several badget brands but made some lenses for Vivitar too.
They also sold directly as Ozunon.
The K in the serial number is the initial of the company founder Kazuo Ozone.
So when you see a lens with a serial number starting with K it most likely is an Ozone made lens.
They also sold directly as Ozunon.
The K in the serial number is the initial of the company founder Kazuo Ozone.
So when you see a lens with a serial number starting with K it most likely is an Ozone made lens.
PDX700
Well-known member
It's really an interesting piece of information. Fotomat must have had multiple manufacturers for their lenses, because not all of their serial numbers begin with K.The lens was made by Ozone Optical a maker for several badget brands but made some lenses for Vivitar too.
They also sold directly as Ozunon.
The K in the serial number is the initial of the company founder Kazuo Ozone.
So when you see a lens with a serial number starting with K it most likely is an Ozone made lens.
My guess is that Konica manufactured their Minolta mount lenses during the period that they owned Fotomat.
I highly doubt that. Konica acquired their imaging business, not an optical manufacturing business. Fotomat never made any lenses. They just rebranded third party manufacturer lenses. In fact you can see that the same exact lens is branded as Porst, Starblitz, Promaster, and Albinar. I have a Fotomat Series-35 lens and unfortunately its not very good in that its not built very well, and there are too much CA in the edges of the images.
I doubt very much that Konica made any Fotomat lens. For a start there was no connection between Konica and Minolta at that time, Konica did not make lenses with the SR or any other mounts apart from their own F/KR/KM mounts.It's really an interesting piece of information. Fotomat must have had multiple manufacturers for their lenses, because not all of their serial numbers begin with K.The lens was made by Ozone Optical a maker for several badget brands but made some lenses for Vivitar too.
They also sold directly as Ozunon.
The K in the serial number is the initial of the company founder Kazuo Ozone.
So when you see a lens with a serial number starting with K it most likely is an Ozone made lens.
My guess is that Konica manufactured their Minolta mount lenses during the period that they owned Fotomat.
Konica itself had Tokina making some of their lenses and according to some , Tamron also did in the last few years of production.
PDX700
Well-known member
FrancoD & evogt500 - I appreciate your insight. I hadn't considered the lack of connection between Konica and Minolta at the time and I thought Konica acquired all of Fotomat. It seems Fotomat lenses weren't at least decent, which is a shame. I worked in one of their booths in my late teens and it was a blast.
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BTW, you were correct in saying that not all of the Fotomat lenses were made by Ozone. Most of those house brands shopped around so sourced their lenses from various manufacturers.
The well known Vivitar bought from at least 17 different manufacturers. There were many more about then.
The well known Vivitar bought from at least 17 different manufacturers. There were many more about then.
PDX700
Well-known member
While we're on the subject of brands and manufacturers, what can you share about Five Star lenses?
Also Ozone made lenses.
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