Fujica Fujicarex II (1963–)
The Fujicarex II is a strange camera. It was Fuji's first 35mm SLR, and one of the few cameras ever made with interchangeable front lens elements. It was introduced in 1963, following the original Fujicarex of 1962, which sold only in Japan for ¥25,000. The updated model reached the United States in July 1964, marketed as the Fujicarex SLR 35, while the Fujicarex II name was used for other overseas markets. It listed for around $150 without a case.
The design is a hybrid of SLR and rangefinder concepts. The rear lens elements are fixed in place, mounted mostly behind a Citizen central leaf shutter. That's consistent with other consumer leaf-shutter SLRs of the era, like the Retina Reflex and Contaflex. The 35mm f/4, 50mm f/1.9, and 80mm f/2.8 lenses contain only the front elements, which rotate and lock into place. The camera offers shutter-priority automatic exposure, with the metering displayed in the viewfinder. You set the film speed on the lens and select the shutter speed. A right-angle viewfinder was also available as an accessory.
Reviews of the camera are mixed at best. Mike Eckman's retrospective noted that it sold poorly. In ranking every Japanese manufacturer's first 35mm SLR, he placed the Fujicarex II at the bottom, calling it "the camera that shows" Fuji's earliest attempt was rough around the edges, with some very strange ergonomic choices. One collector described it as "probably the most unusual camera I have."
It is an odd hybrid from 1963, and it was the company's first step into SLR territory.
Known Specs
- Type: 35mm SLR with leaf shutter
- Shutter: Citizen central leaf shutter
- Standard lens: Fujinon-B 50mm f/1.9
- Optional lenses: 35mm f/4 and 80mm f/2.8 (interchangeable front elements)
- Exposure: Shutter-priority automatic, metering in viewfinder
- Introduced: 1963
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