RE: [KOML] Konica Press - M vs Rapid M

[Peter.Kotsinadelis@exchange.Octel.com]

 OK.  Straight from the horse's mouth.  I spoke to Henry for about 1/2
hour.  He 
 founded Konica (the US distribution company) in 1951.  Sold it to
Berkey 
 Marketing in the 60s.  Hence the reason you see Berkey on all the
literature 
 for Konica and rapid cameras from that time.  Berkey contracted with
Konica to 
 built the Koni-Omega.  The factory was under controlled of Konica in
Japan and 
 an adjacent building (to Konica).
 The Omega trademark and name were the property of Omega watches in
Switzerland. 
  Henry had to go to Switzerland to speak with them and negotiate use of
this 
 trademark (the greek letter Omega), which according to Henry was the
2nd most 
 guarded trademark worldwide, Mercedes Benz star in a circle being the
#1.
  
 However, in Japan, the government would not allow the use of the Omega 
 name/trademark.  They feared people saying they were copying a
trademark.  
 Therefore, the word Press was used and as you will find there is no use
of the 
 greek letter Omega.
  
 In the 60s Konica could no longer continue to make Koni-Omega cameras
in small 
 quantities (cost).
  
 Berkey owned the tooling to make these cameras and physically moved the
factory 
 to one owned and operated by Mamiya.  Berkey did not intend to change
to using 
 the Mamiya name, but instead replaced the Konica with Omega and the
addition of 
 Rapid.  They produced the 100 and 200.  In Japan there was the Press 1
and 2.
  
 The reason for their demise, they became too expensive to make.  The
shutters 
 which were made by COPAL, could not be made in the smaller quantities
they 
 required.  Realize that manufacturing things in Japan are a business,
and 
 generally manufactured in quantities like 1,000, 5,000, etc.
  
 Since we are all trying to figure which models came first, Henry
pointed out 
 that the first model did not have removable backs and was 120 only.  He
did not 
 say which it was.  Sorry, I didn't get into the real excruciating
details with 
 Henry because his time is limited.
  
 Hope this helps.
 
 Peter K
 
 PS  I think we can figure that where the Omega sign is used it is a US
model, 
 where not a Japanese model.  as to why an M versus a Rapid M, don't
know.  
 Perhaps it was the model directly predating the use of the work
Rapid-Omega.