The Silent Summer of Showa 18th (1943)

Kajiro Optical Laboratory

I looked about the Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5 Lens.
"Xebec" is the product brand name of K. O. L.
K. O. L. is an abbreviation for Kajiro Optical Laboratory, which is the Kajiro Kogaku Kenkyujyo.

Showa 14 (1939) July
Sai Kajiro established Kajiro Optical Laboratory (K. O. L.) in Tokyo city.

Showa 16 (1941)
For the purpose of supplying photographic lenses, Gojyo Koki Seisakusho was established.

Showa 16 (Latter half of 1939)
With the establishment of Gojyo Koki, traded trademark right with former factory to Kokusaku Seiko Kabushiki Gaisya that had business relationship.
Therefore, K. O. L. lens after 1942 will be a product of Kokusaku Seiko who changed management.

Showa 18 (1943)
The 50 mm F1.5 lens with 7 elements of 5 groups was developed.
It was diverted for X-ray camera.
It is the birth of the Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5 Lens.

Kajiro Brothers

The Kajiro brothers were the main characters of the K. O. L.
The following photos and information could be published in cooperation with Ryosuke Mori of the Ritsumeikan University.

Sai Kajiro, 1900-1996
Photo: Copyright (c) 2017, The Kajiro Family, Ryosuke Mori, All Rights Reserved.

Sai Kajiro.
Born in Chiba Prefecture's richest man's eldest son.
He founded K. O. L. (Kajiro Optical Laboratory) in 1940.
Graduated from Keio University, Tokyo.

Kaku Kajiro, 1903-1990
Photo: Copyright (c) 2017, The Kajiro Family, Ryosuke Mori, All Rights Reserved.

Kaku Kajiro
Born in Chiba Prefecture's richest man's second son.
Graduated from Technische Universität Berlin.
Acquired optical master's degree (Diplome Optiker) in 1928.
He designed Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5 lens.
This picture was taken at the age of 19 before studying abroad in Germany.

Kaku Kajiro and His German Wife, Near Berlin, 1930
Photo: Copyright (c) 2017, The Kajiro Family, Ryosuke Mori, All Rights Reserved.

Kaku Kajiro married a German woman in Germany. This picture seems to be right after graduation from Technische Universität Berlin. The motorcycle on which he is riding is BMW-R32. His wife is on the sidecar.

Kaku Kajiro and His Harley Davidson
He Designed Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5
Photo: Copyright (c) 2017, The Kajiro Family, Ryosuke Mori, All Rights Reserved.

Literature of Summer Resort

Every day of that summer, I took a walk with the Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5 lens.
I felt that the era came back over 70 years ago.
The old lens is literature.
The old lens has consciousness.

Listen to the Sound of Summer Wind

There are No Facts, Only Interpretations

Japanese Traditional Summer and Xebec 5cm F1.5 Lens

Afterword

I wrote this article in February 2017. It is not a topic of Nikkor lenses. I have collected old Nikon X-ray lenses. At one time I met a very beautiful lens. The lens was an X-ray lens manufactured in Japan over 70 years ago. The name of that lens is called Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5. I lived with the old lens. The Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5 lens allowed me to take lots of beautiful photos. This article is a historical story of that beautiful lens.

RED BOOK NIKKOR
Michio Akiyama/NIPPON

Budded Roses

→ Next    Chapter 4    Nikon Z Album

Shortcuts Here

Chapter 1     Röntgen Xebec 5cm F1.5 Lens
Chapter 2     NIPPON-KOKEN's Indirect X-ray Camera
Chapter 3     Kajiro Brothers and Kajiro Optical Laboratory
Chapter 4     Nikon Z Album