The Miranda Camera Company, originally named the Orion Camera Company, manufactured

camera A camera is an optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), with a ...

s in Japan between and . Their first camera was the Miranda T. Many of their products were

single-lens reflex A single-lens reflex camera (SLR) is a camera that typically uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex" from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured. With twin le ...

cameras for 135 film (35 mm). Unlike many Japanese made cameras, Miranda did not make their own lenses and had to rely on other manufacturers to supply them. All their SLR cameras, except the dx-3, had interchangeable pentaprisms (released by moving a button or twisting the base of the film rewind knob), and a unique dual lens mount; an external bayonet mount or a 44mm thread mount within the mirror box. Unable to keep up with the increasing manufacturing automation of the larger manufacturers, and the increasingly sophisticated electronics of competing cameras, Miranda ceased producing cameras. Miranda cameras were a line of quality 35mm single lens reflexes, a range of over 30 models between first prototypes in 1953 through to the last production model in 1978. Many had advanced or sophisticated features for their day. Almost all Miranda SLR's shared the same basic lens mount, but the mount complexity increased over the years to accommodate more aperture and metering controls.

Later use of brand by Dixons

In the early 1980s, the British electrical and photographic retailer Dixons acquired the rights to the ''Miranda'' brand and used it on a range of photographic equipment. This included badge-engineered versions of

Cosina is a manufacturer of high-end optical glass, optical precision equipment, cameras, video and electronic related equipment, based in Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. History Cosina is the successor to Nikō (or "Nikoh"), a company set up as ...

cameras which were distributed in several European countries. ,

Dixons Retail Dixons Retail plc was one of the largest consumer electronics retailers in Europe. In the United Kingdom, the company operated Currys, Currys Digital, PC World (retailer), PC World (with stores increasingly dual branded 'Currys PC World'), Dixo ...

(later merged into

Dixons Carphone Currys plc, formerly Dixons Carphone plc, is a British multinational electrical and telecommunications retailer and services company headquartered in London, England. It was formed on 7 August 2014 by the merger of Dixons Retail and Carphon ...

which in turn became today's

Currys plc Currys plc, formerly Dixons Carphone plc, is a British multinational electrical and telecommunications retailer and services company headquartered in London, England. It was formed on 7 August 2014 by the merger of Dixons Retail and Carphone ...

) still had the rights to the brand in several countries but no longer used it and planned to sell the brand off.

References

External links

Miranda Camera Historical SocietyCamerapedia article
{{Currys plc Currys plc Japanese brands Photography companies of Japan