Difference between revisions of "Prince Flex"

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The '''Prince Flex''' is a Japanese 6×6 TLR, distributed from 1937 to 1939 by [[Fukada|Fukada Shōkai]] and perhaps made by [[Neumann & Heilemann]].<REF> Dates: advertisements and articles listed in {{Kokusan}}, p.340. </REF>
 
The '''Prince Flex''' is a Japanese 6×6 TLR, distributed from 1937 to 1939 by [[Fukada|Fukada Shōkai]] and perhaps made by [[Neumann & Heilemann]].<REF> Dates: advertisements and articles listed in {{Kokusan}}, p.340. </REF>
  
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This camera has no design feature in common with the later [[Princeflex]] camera made by either [[Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku]] or [[Prince|Prince Camera Works]].
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This camera has no design feature in common with the [[Princeflex]] camera made by [[Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku]], then [[Cosmo|Cosmo Camera]] in the 1950s. ''(See the [[Prince]] page for a discussion of the various cameras with that name.)''
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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There is a X-shaped rib on the viewing hood, with a small plate at the centre, inscribed ''Prince Flex.'' There is another nameplate engraved ''Neumann & Heilemann'' at the top of the front plate. The serial number is written above the viewing lens, again on a small plate attached by two screws.
 
There is a X-shaped rib on the viewing hood, with a small plate at the centre, inscribed ''Prince Flex.'' There is another nameplate engraved ''Neumann & Heilemann'' at the top of the front plate. The serial number is written above the viewing lens, again on a small plate attached by two screws.
  
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The Prince Flex has a Neotar 7.5cm f/4.5 four-element taking lens and a Radionar 7.5cm f/3.5 viewing lens, both made by [[Neumann & Heilemann]] and mounted on this camera only.<REF> Neotar with four elements: Advertisements for the [[Prince Flex]] in ''[[Asahi Camera]]'' September 1937, August 1938 and January 1939, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.91, and in Tanimura, p.98 of {{KKS}} no.12. </REF> The shutter is a [[Perfect|Perfekt]] (1–300, B, T) by the same company. The shutter plate is inscribed ''NEUMANN HEILEMANN'' at the top and ''PERFEKT'' at the bottom, and has an ''NH'' logo on the right. This shutter was specially made for the Prince Flex, and was advertised as patterned after the [[Compur]].<REF> Advertisements in ''[[Asahi Camera]]'' September 1937, August 1938 and January 1939, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.91, and in Tanimura, p.98 of {{KKS}} no.12. </REF>
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The Prince Flex has a Neotar 7.5cm f/4.5 four-element taking lens and a Radionar 7.5cm f/3.5 viewing lens, both made by [[Neumann & Heilemann]] and mounted on this camera only.<REF> Neotar with four elements: Advertisements in ''[[Asahi Camera]]'' September 1937, August 1938 and January 1939, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.91, and in Tanimura, p.98 of {{KKS}} no.12. </REF> The shutter is a [[Perfect|Perfekt]] (1–300, B, T) by the same company. The shutter plate is inscribed ''NEUMANN HEILEMANN'' at the top and ''PERFEKT'' at the bottom, and has an ''NH'' logo on the right. This shutter was specially made for the Prince Flex, and was advertised as patterned after the [[Compur]].<REF> Advertisements in ''[[Asahi Camera]]'' September 1937, August 1938 and January 1939, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.91, and in Tanimura, p.98 of {{KKS}} no.12. </REF>
  
 
== First Japanese 6×6 TLR ==
 
== First Japanese 6×6 TLR ==

Revision as of 17:13, 22 April 2008

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 ->

The Prince Flex is a Japanese 6×6 TLR, distributed from 1937 to 1939 by Fukada Shōkai and perhaps made by Neumann & Heilemann.[1]

This camera has no design feature in common with the Princeflex camera made by Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku, then Cosmo Camera in the 1950s. (See the Prince page for a discussion of the various cameras with that name.)


Description

The Prince Flex looks somewhat like the first Ikoflex "coffee can" model, with a hexagonal front standard. The focusing is done by moving this front standard back and forth. Some sources say that it is controlled by a lever driving a helicoid;[2] however the pictures show no focusing lever but a knob placed on the photographer's left. (The mention of a lever and helicoid is perhaps a confusion with the Ikoflex which has such a lever underneath the front standard.) The film advance is driven by a knob on the right and controlled by red window.

There is a X-shaped rib on the viewing hood, with a small plate at the centre, inscribed Prince Flex. There is another nameplate engraved Neumann & Heilemann at the top of the front plate. The serial number is written above the viewing lens, again on a small plate attached by two screws.

The Prince Flex has a Neotar 7.5cm f/4.5 four-element taking lens and a Radionar 7.5cm f/3.5 viewing lens, both made by Neumann & Heilemann and mounted on this camera only.[3] The shutter is a Perfekt (1–300, B, T) by the same company. The shutter plate is inscribed NEUMANN HEILEMANN at the top and PERFEKT at the bottom, and has an NH logo on the right. This shutter was specially made for the Prince Flex, and was advertised as patterned after the Compur.[4]

First Japanese 6×6 TLR

The Prince Flex was the first Japanese 6×6 TLR. It was launched in mid-1937, before the Minoltaflex (December). One source says that the camera was released in July.[5] It was first advertised in August and it was featured in the new products column of Asahi Camera in September.[6]

A year previously, the 4.5×6 Hansa Rollette Ref had been the first TLR-shaped Japanese camera, but the viewing lens was not used for focusing.[7] The 4.5×6 Roll Light Ref was released in January 1937 but it is not entirely clear if it is a real TLR or a pseudo TLR.[8]

Advertisements and other documents

An advertisement dated September 1937 by the distributor Fukada Shōkai offers both the Prince Flex and the Semi Prince II.[9] The Prince Flex is announced as a new product but no price is given yet. This advertisement does not mention either Neumann & Heilemann (although this name is clearly visible within the illustration of the Prince Flex) or Prince Camera Works, however it does show the stylized P.C.W. logo associated with the latter.

The price is given as ¥165 in an advertisement dated August 1938 and as ¥198 in another dated January 1939.[10] The last reported advertisement for the Prince Flex is dated April 1939,[11] The camera is not mentioned in the official list of set prices compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941, presumably because its production had stopped by the time.[12]

Maker

There is some confusion on the maker of the Prince Flex. The markings on the camera clearly indicate that the Prince Flex is related to Neumann & Heilemann. The presence of the P.C.W. logo or the name "Prince Camera Works" in original documents makes believe that this was an actual company; however this was probably not the case (see Prince and Camera Works). The fact that Fujimoto made the Semi Prince folder led to the assumption that it also made all the other Prince cameras,[13] but this is probably false.

A rumour says that Neumann & Heilemann merged with the Prince factory and that the Prince Flex was the first resulting product,[14] another occurrence of the same rumour says that Neumann & Heilemann merged with Fujimoto.[15] However shutters marked as made by Neumann & Heilemann were sold as late as 1941 or 1942.[16]

A well informed source says that Fujimoto bought to Neumann & Heilemann a plant in Mukogawa in 1937, and that the Semi Lucky was produced there.[17] This might explain the above rumour: the Prince Flex would have been developed by Neumann & Heilemann in this Mukogawa plant, and its production would have been taken over by Fujimoto.

Actual examples

The actual examples slightly differ by the presence or absence of a lever placed to the side of the hexagonal front standard, on the photographer's left.

The only serial numbers observed so far are 614 and 768.[18]

Notes

  1. ↑ Dates: advertisements and articles listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.340.
  2. ↑ See Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.12 and this page at yume_camera.
  3. ↑ Neotar with four elements: Advertisements in Asahi Camera September 1937, August 1938 and January 1939, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.91, and in Tanimura, p.98 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.12.
  4. ↑ Advertisements in Asahi Camera September 1937, August 1938 and January 1939, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.91, and in Tanimura, p.98 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.12.
  5. ↑ July: The Japanese Historical Camera, p.29 (in Japanese and English); Japanese-only version in this page of the JCII.
  6. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.340.
  7. ↑ The Japanese Historical Camera, p.23 (in Japanese and English); Japanese-only version in this page of the JCII.
  8. ↑ Date: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.342, and this page of the JCII.
  9. ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.91.
  10. ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera August 1938 reproduced in Tanimura, p.98 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.12. Advertisement in Asahi Camera January 1939 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.91.
  11. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.340.
  12. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no kōtei kakaku".
  13. ↑ For example Sugiyama, items 1227, 1233 and 2019, and McKeown, p.331, attribute the Prince plate folders, Prince Peerless and Prince Flex to Fujimoto.
  14. ↑ This is mentioned as a rumor in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.340.
  15. ↑ Watakushi no ni-gan-refu kamera-ten, p.25, and Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.439.
  16. ↑ See for example the advertisement for the New Semi Condor dated January 1941 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.72.
  17. ↑ Tanimura, p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11.
  18. ↑ No.614: example pictured in Watakushi no ni-gan-refu kamera-ten, p.25 and in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.12. No.768: example observed in an online auction. The example pictured in Sugiyama, item 2019, has a different, illegible, three-digit serial number.

Sources / further reading

  • 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 229. (See also the picture p.12 and the discussion p.439.)
  • "Kokusan shashinki no kōtei kakaku" (国産写真機の公定価格, Set prices of the Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of October 25, 1940 and setting the retail prices from December 10, 1940. Published in Asahi Camera January 1941 and reproduced in 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. Pp.108—9. The Prince Flex does not appear in this list.
  • 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). Pp.39 and 54 (brief mentions only).
  • 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.331.
  • The Japanese Historical Camera. 2nd ed. Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 2004.
  • 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 2019.
  • Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Neumann & Heilemann: kieta ashiato, Minoruta setsuritsu to sono ato no karera wo otte" (Neumann & Heilemann 消えた足跡・ミノルタ設立とその後の彼等を追って, On the traces of Neumann & Heilemann at the founding of Minolta and afterwards.) 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.96–9.
  • Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Purinsu kara Rakku made — Takahashi Kenzō shi ni kiku." (セミプリンスからラックまで・高橋健三氏にきく, "From the Semi Prince to the Luck — Asking Takahashi Kenzō") 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.11, March 1988. No ISBN number. Shirarezaru kamera (知られざるカメラ, special issue on unknown cameras). Pp.50–1. Based on an interview of Takahashi Kenzō, former CEO of Fujimoto, who entered the company in 1934.
  • Watakushi no ni-gan-refu kamera-ten (私の二眼レフカメラ展, Exhibition of twin lens reflex cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P.25.

Links

In Japanese:

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