Ars Optical Acon 35 Model II

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ARS Optical Acon 35 Model II / Sky 35 Model II

Over the years, I grabbed any odd Japanese camera that had passed by me. I did not realize how many are on the shelves until now, sorting them out. ARS Optical has a good place in the middle, within the odd/esoteric/obscure camera makers category. It is a typical post-war manufacturer that came from nowhere and vanished into the sunset shortly after.

Hardly any information is available online or in print; all references share the same lack of information. No ars poetica. In print, McKeown lists the Acon 35 and the Sky 35 models under ARS Optical; Kadlubek specifies the Tomy and Acon under ARS Optical, while Sugiyama and Auer list the Tomy under ARS Seiki and the Acon under ARS Optical. In Japanese, Seiki means precision, as in tool or instrument, so it may or may not be the same company. There was a publishing house in Japan in the early 1900s named Ars, which among other publications, issued a monthly magazine named Ars Optical. It is also hinted online that the company was associated with Hattory, a chain of stores, so the ARS name could have been derived from this association. The Ars name surfaced again with the Arsen model, where the publisher is mentioned as a camera distributor as well.

Ars Optical has four 35mm cameras under its name, Acon 35 I, II and II L, and the Sky 35 II, which is a rebranded Acon 35 II, with no changes other than the name tag. The Tomy is a #120 camera that preceded the Acon models in about a decade.

The Acon cameras were offered from 1956 to 1959, where the Sky was still mentioned in the US in the early 1960s, which could be a reminder of an unsold inventory.

I am not sure what the Acon models’ target market was. The Acon 35 model II on my desk is marked in feet, so it could be targeted to the GI contingent in Japan or intended for the US market. The Sky 35 Model II was sold in the US by Burke and James, a company with no other model remotely resembling this compact rangefinder. Burke and James was a time-honoured US manufacturer, going back to the late 1800s, making large format luggables, which makes me wonder why they selected this obscure manufacturer for their offering. The Sky model carries an embossed logo, DBK / AOO. Not sure what it means.

The Tomy camera is said to have mirrors in place of bellows. I am unsure how it works, and as this model hardly comes up for sale, it may take time to hunt one down.

The Acon 35 Model II / Sky 35 Model II is a compact rangefinder that looks like any other parallel model of the era. It is a no-nonsense, well-built, nicely-finished camera that is well-balanced and simple to use.

The top has two equally-sized knobs, wind and rewind. The winder has a nail-friendly frame counter, and the rewind has a film memo dial. The button by the winder is the rewind release, not to be mistaken as the trigger. The winder does not cock the shutter but will stop at each frame till the shutter s activated.

The viewer is tiny by today’s class but in line with the era’s offerings. The rangefinder patch is easy to see, not always given in the 1950s.

The action is on the lens assembly. A lever at 10 o’clock is the trigger, not to be confused with the focusing dial. The focusing dial finger rest is under the lens barrel, with no serrated dial as with most models. The shutter cocking lever is on top. The shutter speed selector dial is at the front, easy to purchase, and again, better than most other cameras of the time. The aperture setting lever is at the bottom of the barrel. Speed and F stop markings are tiny and could be difficult for older eyes.

The back/bottom is removable, exposing an easy-to-use film path with two guide sprockets and an integral take-off pivot. Of my two identical cameras, one cover easily slides back into place, and the second is trouble.

For the collector, the Acon / Sky are relatively rare models that come about inexpensively. For the collector of the post-war models, it is a welcomed addition.

 

Camdex list number 11050 11052
Brand Ars Optical Burke and James
Model Acon 35 Model II Sky 35 Model II
Manual
Value Acon 35 Model I
Acon 35 Model II
Acon 35 Model IIL
Sky 35 Model II
Format 35mm
Introduced 1956
AKA
Country Japan
Qty made
Initial price 45
Currency USD
Type Rangefinder
Body material Metal
Mode Manual
Weight 590 gr,  Body with lens
Class average weight 635 gr,  Body with lens
ASA range N/A
Kit lens 3.5/45
Lens make Vita
Filter size Slide on 34mm
Lens mount Fixed lens
Mount size N/A
Aperture
Shutter Leaf
Shutter make Sigma
Trigger At front of body
Winder Knob
Shutter_cocking Lever on lens barrel
Light meter None
Lock No
Speeds B, 1-200
Mirror N/A
Viewer Coupled rangefinder
DOF preview No
Exposure lock No
Exposure compensation No
Shoe Cold
External sync M
Timer No
Battery, original N/A
Sync speed
Battery, replacement N/A
Battery voltage N/A
Integral flash None
Other
More
Service / repair links See camerlog.com

  

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