Elbowflex
The Elbowflex (エルボーフレックス) is a Japanese 6×6 TLR series, distributed by Elbow Shōkai and made by Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku, later Cosmo Camera Seisakusho.
Contents
General description
The Cosmoflex is a regular copy of the Rolleicord. It focuses by moving the entire lens assembly. The focusing and film advance knobs are on the photographer's right, and the focusing knob is surrounded by a depth-of-field scale. There is a magnifying lens and a sportsfinder in the viewing hood. The name Elbow flex is inscribed on a stepped nameplate above the front plate, and the company name ELBOW CAMERA FIRM is written in small characters underneath. Some examples have the serial number engraved at the top of the nameplate and others don't. The name Elbow flex is also embossed at the top of the leather case.
All the models have 80/3.5 viewing and taking lenses. On most examples, the lenses can take both 28.5mm and 32mm diameter filters.[1] The release button is placed at the bottom of the front standard, on the photographer's right. There are some minor variations in the shape of the shutter release and of the bottom latch and of.[2] It seems that all the models have a synchro post at the bottom right of the left hand plate (none has been observed with a synchro post directly mounted on the shutter). It also seems that all have an accessory shoe.
Logo
The logo of an interlinked G and K (could be C and K, but G more probable) appears on the finder hood, ever-ready case, box and instruction manual of all the cameras observed, as well as on some of the advertisements for them.
The meaning of this logo remains obscure. No name starting with "G" has yet been linked with these cameras. "C" could stand for Cosmo (see below) and "K" for Kamera, thus pointing at Cosmo Camera Seisakusho (Kosumo Kamera Seisakusho).[3]
Versions
Semi-automatic models: Elbowflex II and IIB
The first advertised model is the Elbowflex II: no record of a Model I has been found yet. It has semi-automatic film advance, and there is a round window for an exposure counter at the top of the right-hand side plate.
The lenses are Correct Anastigmat 80/3.5 made by the same company as the camera.[4] The shutter is a TSK with B, 1–200 speeds, a self-timer, and flash synchronization.[5]
Japanese advertisements for the Elbowflex II were placed in magazines dated March to August 1955.[6] In an advertisement dated April, Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku was specified as the manufacturer and Elbow Shōkai as the distributor.[7]
The Elbowflex IIB is the same as the II other than for its Ceres shutter (B, 1–300). An advertisement for this, dated February 1956,[8], names no manufacturer, merely naming Elbow Shōkai and, as authorized dealer, Zentsū (a mail order company).
The example pictured in Sugiyama corresponds to the Elbowflex II.
Manual models: Elbowflex III and IIIA
In the advertisements, the Elbowflex III is similar to the II other than using a red window for film advance. Advertisements for it appear in Japanese magazines dated April–August 1955.[9] In the advertisement dated April cited above,[10] the camera was priced at ¥9,000.
The Elbowflex IIIA is the same as the III other than for its Ceres shutter (B, 1–300). An advertisement in a magazine dated September 1955 prices it at ¥9,500, specifies Kosumo Kamera (Cosmo Camera) Seisakusho as the manufacturer, names Elbow Shōkai without specifying its role (presumably distributor), and gives Zentsū and Nittō Shashin Yōhin as authorized dealers.[11]
Examples in the real world
Some examples have also been observed that do not correspond to the descriptions above:
- One example corresponds to the description of the model IIIA except that it is equipped with Eleger Anastigmat 8.0cm/3.5 viewing & taking lenses.[12] The lenses are marked H.C. in red, surely for Hard Coated (a marking also observed on the Correct Anastigmat lenses of some other examples). Eleger Anastigmat lenses are mounted on at least some Elegaflex cameras.[13]
- Other examples correspond to the description of the model II or IIB with a Rectus shutter (B, 1–300). This particular example, unlike others, has the serial number above the name plate.[14]
At a Yahoo Japan auction, an example with exposure counter has been observed with a box and user manual. The box was labeled Elbow flex Model III — of course, a model identified above as lacking an exposure counter — and it was marked ELBOW CAMERA FIRM CO. LTD. in English. The user manual was marked Elbow Shōkai (エルボー商会).
Other similar cameras
The Elbowflex with exposure counter is very similar to the Prince Junior camera, and they share the same TSK, Ceres and Rectus shutters.
The model with red window looks very similar to the Elegaflex, at least to the example presented in this page of Aya's Camera site.
Notes
- ↑ Feature mentioned in the advertisement dated February 1956 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 224.
- ↑ Compare for example this example at Minosan's blog with this example at Japan Family Camera.
- ↑ However, the logo does not appear on the two advertisements within Kokusan kamera no rekishi (pp. 121, 136) that name Kosumo Kamera (Cosmo Camera) Seisakusho; only on the pair that do not (pp. 121, 224).
- ↑ The advertisement dated February 1956 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 224, says that the Correct was made by the company itself: 当社が誇る優秀レンズコレクト.
- ↑ These and the following specifications are from Kokusan kamera no rekishi (which does not mention any version or variant with an Eleger lens or Rectus shutter).
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 347.
- ↑ Advertisement published in Camera Mainichi, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 121.
- ↑ Advertisement published in Camera Mainichi, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi p. 224.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 347.
- ↑ Advertisement published in Camera Mainichi, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 121.
- ↑ Placed in Camera Mainichi and reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 121.
- ↑ This example, at Japan Family Camera. The logo has fallen from the finder hood.
- ↑ See this page and this page of Aya's Camera website, also McKeown p. 738.
- ↑ This example, within the "other Japanese" page of tlr-cameras.com. Another such example is pictured in McKeown, p. 262.
Sources / further reading
- 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. Items 406–408, 1133. (See also the advertisement for item 511.)
- 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. 262.
- 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. Item 2093.
Links
In English:
- Other Japanese 120 (6×6) TLRs (with the [ at tlr-cameras.com
In Japanese:
- Elbowflex (presumably an Elbowflex II) at Minosan's blog
- Elbowflex and Elbowflex specifications at Japan Family Camera
