Minoltaflex (I)

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See also the Minoltaflex Automat, the Minoltaflex wartime prototype and the postwar Minoltaflex II and III.

The Minoltaflex[1] (ミノルタフレックス, later termed the "Minoltaflex I")[2] is a 6×6cm TLR (twin lens reflex) camera for 120 film, introduced by Chiyoda Kōgaku (predecessor of Minolta) in late 1937.

Description

The Minoltaflex is essentially a copy of the Rolleicord. The front plate is moved back and forth for focusing, driven by a knob on the photographer's right. This knob has a chrome finish with a black top, and is graduated from ∞ down to 0.8m; it runs along a black depth-of-field scale showing indications for 3.5, 8 and 16 apertures.

The film advance is semi-automatic, driven by a knob placed on the photographer's right too, with the same black and chrome finish. This knob automatically stops for each exposure, and there is a small round window for a frame counter at the top of the right-hand side plate. Two buttons are placed next to the advance knob, certainly to unlock the film advance. The position of the first exposure is set via a red window placed under the camera and protected by a sliding cover.

The L-shaped back is hinged at the top and retained by a latch at the bottom. There are two film flanges on the photographer's left, which are pulled out for film loading.

The four-fold viewing hood is much inspired by that of the Ikoflex II. It contains a large magnifying hood hinged to the front. The middle part of the hood has the shape of a truncated pyramid and can be pushed back, revealing a built-in sportsfinder.

The silver nameplate is simply marked Minolta; two different variations are known to exist, with a straight or slanted typeface. The center of the viewing hood has a logo, which reads MTS on the early cameras and TIYOKO on the late ones.

The camera has a Promar 75mm f/3.5 four-element taking lens, made by Asahi Kōgaku (predecessor of Pentax), the same lens as on the Auto Semi Minolta; the marking on the rim is Promar Anastigmat Nippon or Promar Nippon. The viewing lens is a 75mm f/3.2, marked Minolta Anastigmat Nippon or Minolta Nippon. The shutter is either an imported Compur (T, B, 1–300) or a Crown II (B, 1–300) made by Chiyoda itself. The main release lever is on the photographer's right, and is interlocked with the advance mechanism to provide double exposure prevention. The Crown II shutter has a cocking lever at the bottom, which also acts as a secondary release lever. The name CROWNⅡ–TIYOKO is inscribed on a small crescent-shaped nameplate screwed to the shutter plate, on the left of the lens (as seen from the front); the aperture scale is on the other side.

Commercial life

1602563112_ec0ae9a20c_m_d.jpg
Minoltaflex in the October 1941 catalogue by Asanuma Shōkai. (Image rights)

The Minoltaflex was developed from mid-1936 by the Molta company, which became Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō in September 1937.[3] The camera was released in late 1937: it was featured and advertised in the December 1937 issue of Asahi Camera,[4] and it was displayed in the show organized the same month in the Tōkyō Kaikan by Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō and Asanuma Shōkai to celebrate their new commercial agreement.[5]

The first advertisement in Asahi Camera December 1937 mentions a Compur shutter (T, B, 1–300) and shows the camera with the Minolta name in a straight typeface; no price is indicated.[6] The advertisement published the next month in the same magazine gives the price of ¥245.[7] It is said that the Crown II shutter appeared in the advertisements in September 1938.[8] The February 1940 advertisement in Asahi Camera gives the price of ¥275; the pictured camera still has the MTS logo on the viewing hood.[9]

Notes

  1. ↑ The camera is referred to in advertising as ミノルタフレックス (Minorutafurekkusu), obviously a compound of "Minolta" and "flex". The decision whether to refer to this as "Minoltaflex" or "Minolta Flex" — one word or two — is rather arbitrary.
  2. ↑ The name "Minoltaflex I" was introduced after 1945, to distinguish the camera from the postwar Minoltaflex (II), IIB and III.
  3. ↑ The fifty-year history Minolta 50-nen no ayumi, p.5, says July 1936 for the first prototypes.
  4. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.342.
  5. ↑ Tashima Gizō, interviewed by Saeki Kakugorō on p.77 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.12, says November 1937, but Awano, p.7 of the same magazine, specifies that the show was inaugurated on December 12, 1937.
  6. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.98.
  7. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Tanimura, p.15 of Camera Collectors' News no.118.
  8. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.342.
  9. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.98.

Bibliography

Links

In English:

In Japanese:


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