Topic: Interesting camera #190

[moominsean]

Saw one of these on ebay and did a little research, but not much info on it, and I couldn't find any photos shot with the thing. The Kowa UW 190, a fixed lens ultra-wide 19mm camera made in 1972! Cheapest I found was about $1300. looks like fun except for the price!

Though not as wide as the 19mm Kowa Six lens!

[Francois]

19mm is still not too shabby...
I don't know if it has massive barrel distortion like many ultra wide angles...

At that price, this camera must be as rare as hen's teeth!

[moominsean]

yeah it's odd to not be able to find a single example of a shot taken with the thing. though kowa is a japanese company, they did most of their business in the US, so not sure where this was sold or how many were made. probably a first of it's kind!

[Francois]

Or maybe a prototype that never went to market?

[Skorj]

19mm, f4 - not too shabby!

[jojonas~]

aw, daamn. I found a column about this coming out in an old swedish photo mag and thought I'd do some research and write an interesting camera topic about it
well, well.. atleast I can contribute

translated to english the column was roughly called: this month's strange camera

here's a translation on the specs:
the camera has ten lenses and a diagonal of 96 degrees. the close focus limit is at 0,2 meters. it uses a central shutter with speeds ranging from 1 to 1/500th of a second, and bulb. it has ttl light reading, working with the widest aparture. iso range is from 10 to 800 asa. weight 820 grams and a size of 136x96x96.


if you just have to have it, I saw one for sale at: https://www.leicashop.com/vintage/kowa-190-black-p-4279.html
if you have the extra EUR 450,00 that is. oh, and you get fungus with that price tag too I wonder what they would take for a mint one??

[Phil Bebbington]

oh, and you get fungus with that price tag too

Surely fungus makes it more  desirable? What do you say, Leon 

[Aki]

That's one cool camera.   UW190 is the last SLR that Kowa sold before withdrawing from 35mm SLR business in 1972.   Not many were made, and apparently it was often used in the construction business, so ones in good shape is supposed to be quite rare.

It uses a leaf shutter in lens. The page below has one sample shot that I could find, and he used a fill flash.

http://goo.gl/L7evO

[moominsean]

I have a tough time believing they want $60,000 for that Kowa! I've seen them for around $1400. Wonder if they meant 450 Euros.

There are some shots from the camera on this site:

http://tomshome.sakura.ne.jp/gallery/top_photo801to825/index.html

[Ezzie]

Same camera still for sale. Now $930: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kowa-UW-190-4-19mm-Lens-/231089220129?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item35cdfdaa21

Interesting camera, Kowa have a few. Amongst others the Kalloflex (I have one), the Kowa (Kallo) 140 Rangefinder, and not to mention the SW, my favourite for the best looking camera ever prize.

Kowa SW in Yushima by tokyo camera style, on Flickr

[jojonas~]

ohyeah, that's a fancy one! I think I saw a mention of it somewhere but there the hot topic wasn't the lens but the viewfinder. lookit that pointy thing!! what were they called now again?

[mcduff]

I am a sucker for the black camera bodies that have a little brassing! That lead me recently to buy an(other) om-2. I guess my paypal account is lucky that ultrawide is not my thing  (Heck I hardly even use my 28!)

It is real pretty tho.

And Ezzie, that is SW is gorgeous (and it does not have to 'brassed up' to make it any prettier, haha)

[Ezzie]

ohyeah, that's a fancy one! I think I saw a mention of it somewhere but there the hot topic wasn't the lens but the viewfinder. lookit that pointy thing!! what were they called now again?

Kepler finder Jonas.

[moominsean]

Reading through some Japanese sites about the UW190. The reason it is so rare is because it was designed for and exclusively sold to construction companies. It was built to shoot ultra wide in enclosed spaces and to be able to be used with work gloves on (hence the huge lens). So most most were used, abused and discarded.

[Fluminian]

Here is one at €450.-

[Skorj]

Love the love these old machines are getting...