Minoltaflex (I)

From Camera-wiki.org
Revision as of 16:42, 18 July 2008 by Rebollo fr (talk | contribs) (more on the commercial life)
Jump to: navigation, search
Japanese 6×6 TLR
Prewar and wartime models (edit)
6×6cm Elmoflex | First Reflex | Kiko Flex | Lyra Flex | Minoltaflex | Minoltaflex Automat | Minoltaflex military prototype | Nōman Flex | Ostenflex | Prince Flex | Ricohflex (original) | Ricohflex B | Rollekonter | Roll-o-Frex | Rorter Ref | Rorterflex | Sakura-flex | Simpuflex | Starflex | Taroflex | Valflex | Yokusanflex
Postwar models and other TLR ->
Pseudo TLR and medium format SLR ->
Other Japanese 6×6, 4.5×6, 3×4 and 4×4 ->
This is a work in progress.

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, reading 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.

Introduction and commercial life

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

The Minoltaflex was developed from 1936 by the Molta company (which became Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō in September 1937); it is said that the first prototypes were completed in July 1936.[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 at the show organized the same month in the Tōkyō Kaikan by Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō and Asanuma Shōkai to celebrate new commercial agreements.[5]

Early advertisements show the camera with a Compur shutter and the Minolta name in a straight typeface.[6] The earliest advertisement, in Asahi Camera December 1937, gives no price and presents the camera as "available soon" (近日発売);[7] the price of ¥245 was announced the next month in the same magazine.[8]

It is said that the version with Crown II shutter was first advertised in September 1938.[9] In the February 1940 advertisement in Asahi Camera, the pictured camera has the Crown shutter and slanted typeface, and still has the MTS logo on the viewing hood; the price is given as ¥275.[10] In the official list of set prices published in January 1941, the Minoltaflex is mentioned for ¥252, a unique price set for all the 6×6 TLR models.[11] The price was gradually raised throughout the period, and it appears as ¥295 in the October 1941 catalogue by Asanuma Shōkai reproduced here. The Minoltaflex is mentioned in the April 1943 government inquiry on Japanese camera production,[12] and the last reported advertisement is dated September 1943;[13] the production was probably stopped around that time.

Variations on actual examples

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. ↑ Fifty-year history Minolta 50-nen no ayumi, p.5.
  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 in Asahi Camera December 1937 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.98; advertisement in Asahi Camera January 1938 reproduced in Tanimura, p.15 of Camera Collectors' News no.118; advertisement in Asahi Graph March 1938 reproduced in the Gochamaze website.
  7. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.98.
  8. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Tanimura, p.15 of Camera Collectors' News no.118.
  9. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.342.
  10. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.98.
  11. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no kōtei kakaku", type 7, section 1.
  12. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), item 120. In this document, "Ref" is used instead of "Flex" to name the TLR models, and the name is therefore given as "Minolta Ref" (ミノルタレフ) instead of "Minoltaflex".
  13. ↑ The advertisement in Shashin Bunka September 1943 is the last one listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.342.

Bibliography

Links

In English:

In Japanese:


Nifca, Molta and Chiyoda prewar and wartime cameras (edit)
folding plate cameras
Nifcaklapp | Nifcasport | Sirius | Arcadia | Lomax | Eaton | Happy
folding rollfilm cameras telescopic bakelite cameras
Nifcarette | Sirius Bebe | Semi Minolta | Auto Semi Minolta Minolta Vest | Baby Minolta | Minolta Six
strut-folding cameras TLR cameras
Nifca-Dox | Minolta | Auto Minolta | Auto Press Minolta Minoltaflex | Minoltaflex Automat | Minoltaflex military prototype
Retrieved from "http://camera-wiki.org/index.php?title=Minoltaflex_(I)&oldid=45306"