Kowa Six

The Kowa Six, yet another 6x6 medium format camera.

Here are two shots, one of and one with it..

Through the viewfinder.

And a yummy coffee with wonderful and creamy bokeh.

(From: tat_hase, with Kowa Six, Prominar 85mm f/2.8, and Portra 160)

The Kowa Six was the first attempt in the medium format film market, with two more models to follow. They had quite a big lens offering for their camera bodies, a 19mm fisheye and 35mm ultra wide angle of note.

(From: shakmati)

(From: kowa@tuberadio.ru)

Here is the 35mm, still 3mm wider than the Zeiss Biogon 38mm.

(From: Sean Rohde)

And a picture with it.

(From: Sean Rohde)

Sean Rode aka moominstuff wrote a review of the Kowa Six, later he wrote some comparing remarks with the Bronicas (where the pictures from the 35mm are also from, BTW wonderful article if you like Bronicas:).

Here they are together.

(From: Sean Rohde)

Kowa also made nice looking 35mm SLRs, the last one in the early mid 70s was with a fixed 19mm lens, the Kowa UW190, intended for construction or real estate professionals.

But they got squeezed out between the Hasselblads and Bronicas and decided to stay focussed to their core business, which is making binoculars and other optical stuff, which you can still buy today.

Just recently they have come out again with manual lenses for the Micro Four Third mount, reanimating their Prominar brand.