Meguro Kogaku
Est. 1951
Meguro Kogaku
Meguro Kogaku Kogyo was a small Japanese camera manufacturer best known for the Melcon and Melcon II 35 mm rangefinders. The cameras combined Nikon-inspired body concepts with a Leica 39 mm screw mount, placing them directly within LeicaLensList's LTM and M39 scope. Contemporary accounts describe technical cooperation or quality involvement from Nippon Kogaku, which also supplied Nikkor lenses for documented camera sets.
History
Formation and Development
Meguro Kogaku was founded in Japan in 1951 around a camera project whose development had begun about 1950. The original Melcon reached the market in October 1955 and was distributed in Japan by Hinomaruya.
Melcon Production
The first Melcon used a body form influenced by the Nikon S while retaining the Leica screw mount. This combination allowed rangefinder-coupled LTM lenses and distinguished it from Nikon's Contax-derived bayonet system.
Melcon II
The Melcon II followed in 1957 with styling close to the Nikon S2, a hinged back and a 1/500 second top speed. Production lasted roughly one year and specialist estimates indicate a small output, but exact factory totals remain uncertain.
Product Lines
Melcon
The original 35 mm coupled rangefinder established the company's Nikon-influenced, Leica-mount design approach.
Melcon II
The later model modernized handling and body construction while retaining the LTM/M39 mount and compatibility central to LeicaLensList.
Technical Characteristics
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Company type | Japanese camera manufacturer |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Principal models | Melcon, Melcon II |
| Lens mount | Leica Thread Mount, LTM, L39, M39 |
| Design context | Nikon S and S2 influence with Leica screw-mount compatibility |
| Lens association | Nippon Kogaku Nikkor standard lenses on documented sets |
| Collector caution | Similarity to Nikon does not imply Nikon bayonet mount |
Market Reception
Melcon cameras are valued for high construction quality, low production and their unusual combination of Nikon design influence with Leica-compatible screw mount. Collectors should verify the original mount, serial number, rangefinder operation, body version and whether a Nikkor lens is period-correct for the set. Similar-looking Nikon or altered bodies should not be merged with the Meguro production record.
Sources
Lenses (0)
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