Flexo

image by Dries van den Elzen (Image rights)

The Flexo is a German TLR made by Lipca. Production started in 1948 with the first model and ended in 1951 with the fourth model when a trademark dispute with Franke & Heidecke forced the name change to Flexora. It was the first model in a series of TLR's that include the Flexora's and Rollop's. Of course many technical aspects of the Flexo agree with the Reflecta TLR that Kamera-Werk C. Richter build before and just after the second wold war.

The Flexo has either Ennar or Ennagon 75/3.5 lenses made by Enna in Munich. The shutter is a Prontor-S made by Gauthier.

images by Dries van den Elzen. (Image rights)

In the model depicted here, both are Ennagon 75 lenses. They have identical specifications but for the white "s" and red "c" on the viewing and taking lens respectively. The lenses accept screw-in and push-on filters.

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image by Dries van den Elzen (Image rights)

The shutter is a Prontor-S with speeds of B, 1-1/300s. It is set and fired by levers around the taking lens. Thus, the Flexo lacks a true shutter button, but it does have a cable release socket. Self-timer and bulb flash socket. An odd series of apertures 3.5, 4.5 6.3, 9, 12, 18 and 25 is marked on a scale under the taking lens. When set at maximum aperture, the shutter release lever actually touches the aperture lever. Focusing is done by an anchor under the taking lens, like on the Minolta Autocord I and the Meopta Flexaret VII. When focusing, only the lens tubes move; the front plate stays in place. At least two variations of the Flexo exist; one with a scale in feet and one with a meter scale.

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images by Dries van den Elzen. (Image rights)

image by Dries van den Elzen (Image rights)

The Flexo takes 6×6cm pictures on 620 or 120 film. The film is transported with a knob on the right of the camera. This knob is slightly conical and that makes advancing the film a little more comfortable. The Flexo has no frame counter; film advance is checked through a ruby window on the back. It has two different finders; a waist level finder with folding loupe, as do most TLRs, and a wire framefinder with an eyelet. This framefinder slides into the front plate.

image by Dries van den Elzen (Image rights)

Loading the film is done in an unusual way, or at least unusual for a TLR. In box cameras, this is a rather more common way of loading. Only the back plate opens; it is hinged and folds open. To load the film, the chamber has to be taken out. To do this, the winding knob should be pulled out.

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The Flexo Richard is a name variant of the Flexo produced for a Swiss distributor c1952.
It has an Ennar 75/3.5 lens in a Prontor-S shutter.

Images

images by Dries van den Elzen. (Image rights)

Bibliography

• Personal Lipca research documentation, courtesy of long time Lipca collector and history investigator Herr Ulf Schopfer, Bad Pyrmont, Germany
• Peter Barz, article "Lipca Teil 1, eine Neugründung der Nachkriegszeit" in the German magazine "Photographica Cabinett 25/02"
• Peter Barz, article "Lipca Teil 2, Die Kameras de Lippischen Camerafabrik Richter & Fischer GmbH, Barntrup" in the German magazine "Photographica Cabinett 26/02"

Links

• Lipca cameras, including the Flexo, on TLR-cameras.com
• A Flexo on UKcamera.com.