Escaflex and Rolly Flex
The Escaflex J (エスカフレックスJ型) is a Japanese 6×6 SLR made by Esca Kōgaku in the mid-1950s. It was continued as the Rolly Flex (ローリーフレックス) after the maker changed its name to Rolly Kōgaku.
Contents
The Escaflex J
Description
The Escaflex J is a leaf-shuttered 6×6 SLR. It has a prismatic body with a cubic mirror box protruding at the front. The film runs from left to right and is wound by a knob at the right end of the top plate (as seen by the photographer). There is another knob at the left, whose purpose is unknown. The back is hinged to the left and the film advance is probably controlled by a red window.
The nameplate is in front of the viewing hood and reads ESCAFLEX on a black background. The center part of the hood is retractable, giving place to a sportsfinder, and has an Esca logo. There is also a loupe hinged at the back of the hood. The mirror is moved upwards when the release button is tripped and only comes back when the shutter is wound again.
The fixed lens is a three-element Tri-Lausar 80mm f/3.5 by Tomioka, focused by turning the frontmost element. It is said that an S Congo 75/3.5 by Yamasaki was also offered at some point, but it has never been observed.[1] The lens is mounted in an NKS leaf-shutter giving B, 1–200 speeds.[2] There is a depth-of-field scale around the focusing ring, and the aperture scale is above the shutter housing. The release button is in front of the mirror box, towards the top, and is actuated by the photographer's right hand. There is a synch post on the opposite side, of the ASA bayonet or PC socket type.[3] A large round part is visible below the shutter, sometimes plain silver or with a black centre part; its function is not known for sure but it might be the aperture lever.[4]
Documents and surviving examples
The Escaflex J was announced in Japanese magazines from April 1954; the first advertisements are dated November of the same year and they only run for a short time.[5] The December advertisement in Asahi Camera mentions a PC synch post and gives the price of ¥9,800, case included.[6]
The production volume was certainly very low. One surviving example is pictured in Sugiyama;[7] another is pictured in Lewis and in this page of the JCII collection.[8] These two examples show minor differences in the synch post and aperture lever.
It is said that an Escaflex I was announced with a behind-lens shutter and interchangeable lens, but this probably never came into being.
The Rolly Flex
The Rolly Flex is an evolution of the Escaflex J, released in late 1955 after the company became Rolly Kōgaku.
New features
The main new features are the addition of an automatic diaphragm and of an instant-return mirror, called "winking balancing mirror" in the advertisements.[9]
The lens is the same Tri-Lausar 80mm f/3.5 as on the Escaflex;[10] it is again front-cell focusing with depth-of-field indications. The shutter is a five-leaf NKS giving T, 1–300 speeds, completely hidden behind the front plate.[11] The speed and aperture are controlled by two wheels placed at the bottom, under the lens. The release button is placed the same as on the Escaflex but it is now recessed in a notch of the front plate. The synch post has moved to the left-hand side of the mirror box. There is also a lever on the left of the mirror box; its purpose is not known for sure but it is probably used to wind the shutter and the mirror mechanism.
There is a loupe inside the viewing hood, which was perhaps already there on the Escaflex. The nameplate reads Rolly flex on a silver background, and there is no logo on the hood.
Documents and surviving example
The Rolly Flex was advertised in Japanese magazines for a short time, from December 1955 to February 1956.[12] The company probably disappeared soon afterwards. The December 1955 advertisement in Sankei Camera gives the price of ¥12,500.[13] The lens name is given as Tri-Rolly. Wide-angle and tele converters are announced, at an anticipated price of ¥3,900 each (case included). A picture of the Rolly Flex with one of these converters is inserted but no other detail is given. The distributors of the camera are mentioned as Ōsawa Shōkai and Asanuma Shōkai.
The only surviving example known so far is pictured in Sugiyama.[14]
Notes
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 347.
- ↑ Lewis, p. 86, mentions 1/300 top speed, perhaps by mistake.
- ↑ ASA bayonet: example pictured in Lewis, p. 86 and in this page of the JCII collection. PC socket: example pictured in Sugiyama, item 2105.
- ↑ Black centre: example pictured in Lewis, p. 86 and in this page of the JCII collection. Plain silver: example pictured in Sugiyama, item 2105.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 347.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 120. Lewis, p. 86, gives the price of ¥12,500, perhaps confusing with the Rolly Flex.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 2105 (lens no.2344).
- ↑ Lewis, p. 86 (lens no.2xxx).
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 213.
- ↑ Tri-Lausar lens name: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 374 and Sugiyama, item 2252.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 374, precisely says that the shutter is an NKS-FB.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 374.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 213.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 2252.
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. Items 400 and 1047.
- Camera Collectors' News no. 53. Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.
- 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). P. 86.
- 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). Pp. 283 and 860.
- 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 2105 and 2252.
Links
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