Chinon

Chinon Industries Inc. was was a Japanese camera manufacturer, established in 1948 and incorporated in 1953. The company started as a camera components manufacturer and diversified into optical equipment and computer peripheral equipment. 

In 1997, long-time partner Eastman Kodak Company became Chinon's majority shareholder by increasing its stake to 50.1%. As part of Kodak Group's global network, the new Chinon Industries Inc. focused its optical, image compression, and other imaging technologies on digital camera design and development. 

Chinon produced a series of digital camera models for Kodak, and in October of 2000, Kodak increased its share of Chinon to 59.02%.  Chinon is now renamed Kodak Japan Ltd and, following Kodak's withdrawal from the camera market, is now specialized in optical display film for electronic display devices.

The company sold its 35mm cameras under other brand labels in addition to its own, and also manufactured movie camera equipment and binoculars.

Lenses