Buddhist Principles
June 7th, 2008Excerpts from a Black and White Photography Magazine article by Colin Harding
The Japanese Camera industry in its formative years was characterized by imitation rather than innovation. The first Japanese cameras were copies of varying quality, of European and American designs. In 1933, Goro Yoshida and his brother-in-law Saburo Uchida founded the Seiki Kogaku Kenkyusho (Precision Instruments Labratory) in Tokyo. Their aim was to produce the first original Japanese 35mm camera – a camera that would be the equal of the Leica and the Contax.
The prototype of their first camera, based looely on the Leica II, appeared in 1934. Yoshida, a Devout Buddhist, decided to name the cameras ‘Kwanon’, after the Buddhist goddess of Mercy. Ushida, however took exception to the overtly religious overtones of the name which he felt, with its traditional association, was unsuitable for a high technology product.
Uchida won the day and Yoshida resigned from the company less that a year after he founded it. Uchida, now sole in charge, applied for a new trademark which was granted in 1935. The new name was to become famous worldwide – Canon.