Mejiro Kogaku Honor S1
The Mejiro Kogaku Honor S1 is a LTM-mount film rangefinder camera, introduced in 1956. Leica camera price index →
Reference maintained by Thomas Boots
General
- Mount
- LTM
- Release Year
- 1956
- Type
- Film
- Model Number
- S1
- Serial Range
- Observed non-contiguous ranges 6000 to 64xx and 700001 to approximately 709xx, with Type III bodies interspersed
Dimensions
Viewfinder & Shutter
- Framelines
- None, separate optical viewfinder and coupled rangefinder
- Shutter Speeds
- T, B and 1 s to 1/500 s, with a few Type III bodies marked to 1/1000 s
- Shutter Type
- Cloth
Features
- Hot Shoe
- No
- Tripod Socket
- Yes
- Self Timer
- No
- Flash Sync
- Unknown, twin PC-style synchronization sockets
Honor S1
The Honor S1 is a Japanese LTM rangefinder introduced in 1956. Period literature identifies Mejiro Kogaku as the maker during the model's early production, while the camera and later material use Honor and Zuiho names [1][2].
Its layout follows the Leica III pattern with separate viewfinder and rangefinder eyepieces, knob wind and a cloth focal-plane shutter. A removable back, twin front synchronization sockets and forward-mounted strap lugs are distinguishing Honor features [1][3].
History
Development and Launch
The Honor line developed from the Ichicon-35 design acquired by Mejiro Optical from Dai-ichi Optical in 1954. The S1 reached the market in 1956, when leading Japanese makers were already moving toward combined finders and lever advance [1][2].
Production Evolution
Type I bodies occupy the observed 6000 to 64xx range. Type II appeared in 1957 with the tripod socket moved beneath the wind knob and serials from 700001 to approximately 709xx. A few Type III bodies marked to 1/1000 second are mixed into the Type II sequence [1].
Special Variants
Types I, II and III are production variants under one Standard model profile. Honor Opt. and Zuiho Opt. engravings, shutter-dial progressions and Hexar, Hexanon or Honor lens packages do not constitute special editions [1].
Collector Notes
Check the top-plate maker engraving, tripod-socket position, shutter scale and body serial together. The uncommon 1/1000 marking should not be treated as proof of a separate model, and its original operating reliability is questioned in collector literature [1].
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