In Japan, there is an abundance of great photography related items just floating around out there, things you may not have realised existed. Most of the time these are in excellent condition and often available at attractive prices. Japanese companies – particularly small businesses – and individuals appreciate your interest, but are by and large not willing or prepared to deal with inquiries and customers from outside Japan. Using our relationships and channels of access, we are available to serve as, in effect, your personal shopper for the following:

• Books and Magazines
• Equipment Sourcing
• Lens Modification for Leica mount
• Camera spare parts

Books and Magazines

While we try to make available in our bookstore select used titles and the occasional rare first editions and prized finds, our main focus is not on the “collector” market per se. First and foremost we are trying to make Japanese photography books available to those who are more interested in the photography than in the collectible object. There is a lot of craziness out there in terms of valuations, some of it justified by demand or the scarcity of the title, but a lot of it is, well, crazy. It is not unusual to see in-print Japanese photography books — books that can be purchased new at any decent bookstore in Japan — being sold on various auction sites based abroad for 5 to 10 times the cover price.

As much as we’d like to, we simply can’t stock or even list every photography-related book and magazine coming out of Japanese publishing. In addition, the used book market is extremely active and volatile, with many online stores, auction sites, to say nothing of traditional “brick and mortar” stores in Tokyo and elsewhere. If there is a title that you are looking for, but finding it difficult or prohibitively expensive to acquire, please contact us. We know the photography book market in Japan, and have access to and connections with many stores as well as individual sellers. We also have extensive experience navigating the sometimes treacherous waters of the online auction space.

Please contact us with your request using the form below.

Equipment Sourcing

As you have realised our online shop contains an ever-expanding variety of photographic articles, particularly consumables. There may be a time however when you are seeking a one-off piece of equipment such as a camera or lens. Many manufacturers offer Japan market only items that are not distributed elsewhere. Additionally, the used camera market in Japan is vibrant, with equipment usually in such good conditions that is unprecedented in the West. So forget about eBay and get it right from the source! We can provide access to used camera stores, Japanese online auctions, individual sellers and more. You will only pay the actual cost of the item itself, plus a small fee for our service depending on the price of the equipment.

Recently sourced items include:

Fujinon CM-W 125/5.6 large format lens: “I have just received the lens. What a gem !!! It is quite new, well pack. Thank you for your help. You are selling first class equipment, the communication is perfect, the packaging and shipping is top and what else, oh yes, your kindness.”, France

Fujinon 180/5.6 inexpensive large format lens: “The lens arrived yesterday. It does really seem to be almost new! I am really content with it. Thanks for your work!”, Sweden

Fujinon A 240/9, 300/8.5 FUJINON-C EBC large format lenses: “Lenses are excellent, I am overjoyed.”, France

Konica Hexar RF Millenium Limited Edition: “I received the parcel from right when I just arrived to the hotel! Thank you very much! Every items are really great! I like the camera very much! Thank you!”, Russia

Konica 35/2 UC-Hexanon L-mount, SMC Pentax-L Special with 43/50 finder, United States

Rollei Sonnar 2.8/40 and Rollei Planar 1:2.8 f=80mm HFT LTM lenses: “A rare find indeed, and you sure have an eye for these lenses!”, Singapore

The list goes on… Please contact us with your request using the form below.

Lens Modification for Leica mount

MS Optical R&D is a small company situated in Funabashi City in Chiba prefecture run by Mr S Miyazaki. MS Optical produce fine optical equipment, such as our MS-MAG viewfinder magnifiers, lenses and other high quality accessories. Within Japan, MS Optical is well-known for converting lenses made for older cameras or completely different camera systems such as Contax G to the Leica mounts. The image on the right shows a Konica Hexar RF camera with a Zeiss Contax G Biogon 16/8.

MS R&D neither ships nor takes orders from outside Japan, but our special relationship with Mr Miyazaki allows us to provide you access to his specialist lens conversion services that are renowned worldwide. We now also offer pre-converted G lenses ready to use on Leica M mount cameras.

To learn more about lens conversions please refer to the dedicated page which includes an order facility and answers to common questions.

Camera Spare Parts

Most camera manufacturers maintain service centres in Japan to obtain spare parts for self-replacement, such as knobs, eye pieces, focussing screens, lids and caps. This includes items for cameras no longer in production, or even no longer existing as a camera brand, such as Kyocera Contax or Konica/Minolta (especially for the Hexar RF).

We are available to assist you sourcing these parts. To do so we need to know exactly what you require, so please take care to describe exactly what is needed and send pictures if possible. We charge a per item processing fee, plus the cost of the item and postage to you. It takes about 2-3 weeks to obtain the item, plus time in the post.

Please contact us with your request using the form below.