Kowa H: manual and user guide

The Kowa SLR with automatic exposure and a 48 mm lens. Its original manual, then the essentials for using it.

View the manual on butkus.orgOriginal scanned manual · 32 pages · in English

Manual scanned and put online free of charge by Mike Butkus, whose library runs on donations. The link opens his model page, where you can download the PDF.

Getting started

Sensitivity Turn the dial at the back of the top plate until your film’s ASA value shows in the meter scale, on top of the camera. The dial is marked in ASA and DIN.
Loading Pull the rewind knob up as far as it goes, without forcing it, put the cartridge in, then let go of the knob: it holds the cartridge in place. Turn the crank to take up the slack and check that the film is caught on the take-up spool. Then advance with the lever until the counter shows 0.
Automatic mode Turn the aperture ring to line up its letter A with the A mark on the shutter speed ring. The camera picks the shutter speed and aperture combination by itself, from f/2.8 at 1/30 s to f/22 at 1/250 s. You can shoot as long as the meter needle, visible in the viewfinder, stays within the EE range.
Focusing Turn the focusing ring until the two halves of the split image line up in the viewfinder. Hold the camera firmly and press the shutter button gently, without jerking.
Rewinding The counter stops by itself after 20 or 36 exposures, depending on the length of the film. Press the rewind release button under the body, rewind with the crank until the film comes free of the take-up spool, then remove the cartridge.

What it can do

It sets the exposure by itself: a program chooses the shutter speed and aperture combination according to the light.
The program runs from EV 8 (f/2.8 at 1/30 s) to EV 17 (f/22 at 1/250 s).
In manual, you move the letter A off the mark and choose the aperture and shutter speed freely. The meter, now disengaged, then serves as a guide.
Focusing is done with the split image, in the reflex viewfinder.

Good to know

In automatic, the shutter speed doesn’t go below 1/30 s, to limit camera shake. Still, keep a good grip on the camera.
The manual recommends manual mode against the light, in strong contrast, for close-ups (aperture stopped down further) and with a strong filter.
The manual gives depth-of-field tables for two auxiliary lenses: 36 mm f/4 wide angle and 82 mm f/4 telephoto. With them, take even more care to avoid vibration.
For flash, the body has a sync socket and a thread for an accessory shoe.
The camera and its meter don’t like knocks and drops. If it breaks down, the manual advises against repairing it yourself.

H specifications

Type: 35 mm single-lens reflex with automatic exposure
Format: 135 film, 20 or 36 exposures
Lens: Kowa 48 mm f/2.8, aperture from f/2.8 to f/22
Shutter: Seikosha-GLA, in automatic, from 1/30 to 1/250 s
Focusing: manual, split-image, depth-of-field table from 1 m to infinity
Metering: meter cell, automatic program from EV 8 to EV 17, needle visible in the viewfinder and on top
Sensitivity: dial marked in ASA and DIN
Flash: sync socket, thread for accessory shoe
Rewinding: crank, release button under the body