Dorimaflex

This is a work in progress.

The Dorimaflex (ドリマフレックス) is a Japanese 6×6 TLR made in 1952–3 by Tōkyō Kōki. This company also announced the Dorima Six 6×6 folder in 1954. "Dorima" is certainly a phonetic adaptation of the English word "dreamer".

General description

The Dorimaflex is a copy of the Ricohflex VI. It has externally geared lenses for focusing, and the distance scale and depth-of-field indications are engraved on the upper lens. The viewing hood contains a large magnifying lens. The film is advanced by a knob on the photographer's right. The advance is controlled by a red window in the back, protected by a vertically sliding cover.

The lenses are Dorima Special 8.0cm f/3.5, and the marking has a red C indicating lens coating. The shutter is of the setting type and the release lever is attached to the shutter casing itself.

Body variations

The Dorimaflex presents a number of variations. On some cameras, the back door consists of a single panel hinged at the top and locked by a latch at the bottom, as on the Ricohflex, and contains a rectangular red window. Other examples have an L-shaped back styled after more expensive TLR models. Among these, some have a rectangular red window and others have a round one.

Most examples have simple round strap lugs, but some examples with L-shaped back have more elaborate lugs with an arrow-shaped catch instead. The shape of the strap lugs is not correlated with that of the red window.

Tōkyō Kōki was certainly a very small manufacturer, assembling parts of various origin, and this probably explains these variations.

Commercial life

The Dorimaflex was advertised in Japanese magazines dated August 1952 to May 1953, and was featured in the February 1953 issue of Photo Art. The January 1953 advertisement in Asahi Camera, placed by the distributor Sanwa Shōkai, lists a number of versions (the prices include the case):

• Dorimaflex AII AL: B, 1–200 speeds, self-timer, Albada finder, ¥13,000;
• Dorimaflex AII: B, 1–200, self-timer, no Albada, ¥12,500;
• Dorimaflex A: B, 1–200, no self-timer, no Albada, ¥11,500;
• Dorimaflex B AL: B, 25–200, no self-timer, Albada finder, ¥10,500;
• Dorimaflex B: B, 25–200, no self-timer, no Albada, ¥10,000.

Bibliography

• Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Item 640.
• Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). Pp.80 and 88 (brief mentions only).
• McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). P.927.
• Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Items 2086–8.

Links

In English:

• Dorimaflex among other Japanese TLRs in Barry Toogood's tlr-cameras.com

In Japanese:

• Dorimaflex AII, Dorimaflex B and Dorimaflex specs at Japan Family Camera