Yamato Pax Ruby / Konair Ruby

Three years after the successful 1952 launch of the Pax triplets, Yamato took a step back from coping Leica and introduced a set of down-to-earth-looking rangefinder models.

Two of the newly born are identical twins, the Conair Rubi and the Pax Rubi. The other four are dissimilar with a different style top cover: the Rippa, Ricsor, Sunscope, and the Rex. There is a mention of Rex Kaysons as another sibling, but I have seen no image of it. All models of this lot have the same specs. I assume the cameras were made for various markets or distributors, but no information is available.

The Pax Rubi and the Konair Rubi on my desk are identical, save for the model narking and the lens name. This model is bigger than the earlier Pax, but not by much. As with the Pax I have and similar cameras reviewed online, the focusing dial is jammed and will need attention later. Other than that, all mechanical parts and glass are in order.

Besides the style, the camera(s) are a step up over the earlier generation. A lever winder replaced the knob winder of earlier models, where the winder also cocks the shutter. The auto reset frame counter shows through a lens by the accessory show, and there is a memo film-type disk on the winder. Where the Pax I had a tiny rewind button, here it is minuscule. The rewind release pinhead is by the counter lens. The viewer window is tiny, with no parallax marks.

In this order, the lens barrel has the focusing, aperture opening and shutter speed rings. On the speed ring, between 25 and 50, there is a pin-size hole showing red upon shutter cocking. The focusing ring has a good size finger rest.

On the back, by the viewer window, is a slight bump that covers the rangefinder adjustment screw.

The back is fully removable via an easy-to-grasp ring at the bottom, marked ‘O’ and ‘L’. Two machined dials on both sides of the bottom plate, one threaded, are supposed to hold the camera on a level surface; however, both cameras fall forward.

Inside is plastic-free, an integral take-off spool with a double cog pivot to keep the film correctly fed.

This line is the first to show the Yamato-styled ‘Y’ logo, which continued appearing on later cameras. There are no serial numbers.

For the collector, it is another typical post-war Japanese camera. Nice to have on the shelf; not many are offered for sale, but are inexpensive.

More on Yamato. and model list.

Images of the Konair Ruby also represent the Pax Ruby, an identical camera.