Komaflex-S
The Komaflex-S is a Japanese 4×4 SLR made by Kowa from 1960, for export only.
Description
The Komaflex-S has a small body with a roughly cubic shape and a gray finish, covered by light gray leatherette. The film travels vertically and is advanced by a knob on the photographer's right. The advance knob contains a film reminder, and it is shaped as a hook towards the top, so that it can be pushed by the thumb. There is a round exposure counter window on the same side, near the bottom. The position of the first exposure is set via a red window placed under the camera. The exposure counter is engaged by a sliding lever placed below the advance knob, towards the rear. The left side of the camera only has an accessory shoe, engraved with the serial number. The L-shaped back is hinged at the top and locked by a latch controlled by a knob surrounding the tripod thread, with O and C indications.
The viewing hood is copied on that of the Rolleiflex Baby Grey; it has a square magnifying lens hinged to the front and a flap for a sportsfinder with a red Koma logo in the middle. The nameplate is rectangular and reads Komaflex–S on a black background. There are strap lugs on both sides of the body.
The shutter release is at the bottom of the front standard, and is actuated by the photographer's right fingers. The lens is a fixed Prominar 65mm f/2.8, with four elements in three groups,[1] and the shutter is a Seikosha-SLV (B, 1–500). The lens barrel has a fixed gray ring on the rear, inscribed Made in Japan at the bottom, with cut-outs for the M/X/V selector, the PC synch socket, the shutter winding lever, and the interlock for the Light-Value system. To the front is the silver speed ring (B, 1–500) which also has a light-value scale from 3 to 18. Further to the front is the aperture scale, from 3.5 to 22 on a black backgroung. The frontmost ring is the focus ring, it is black with one row of large knurls. The distance scale is engraved both in metres (in white) and feet (in yellow), down to 1 metre or 3 feet. There are depth-of-field indications immediately to the rear, and the shutter name SEIKOSHA–SLV is engraved on the same plate at the bottom.
Commercial life
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 1300.
- Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Kōwa no yushutsu-yō kamera" (コーワの輸出用カメラ, Kowa cameras for export). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.40, December 1996. Kōwa no subete (特集:R型ライカのすべて, All of Kowa) and Roshia kamera korekushon (ロシアカメラコレクション, Russian camera collection). Pp.30–3.
- Iguchi Yoshio (井口芳夫). "4×4-han ichigan-refu no Komafurekkusu-S" (4×4判一眼レフのコマフレックス-S, Komaflex-S 4×4 SLR). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.40, December 1996. Kōwa no subete (特集:R型ライカのすべて, All of Kowa) and Roshia kamera korekushon (ロシアカメラコレクション, Russian camera collection). Pp.38–40.
- 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. 547.
- 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 2135.
Links
In English:
- Komaflex-S among other medium format SLRs at Rick Oleson's website
- Komaflex-S user manual at butkus.org's Orphan Cameras
- Komaflex-S and Komaflex-S user manual at the 44 Club website
- Komaflex-S and sample pictures by Fabrizio Verni at pbase.com
- Instruction manual in English at the 44 Club (Japanese website)
In French:
- Komaflex-S at Mael Bilquey's photo-technique.com
In Japanese:
- Komaflex-S at Shinsaku Hiura's camera site
- Komaflex-S at Nikomat Salon
- Komaflex-S at Nikomat ML's home page
- Komaflex-S and VP Exakta at Asacame
- Komaflex-S at the 44 Club
- Komaflex-S in a page of the AJCC website
- Komaflex-S in a page by Rikisan
In Chinese: