Difference between revisions of "Samocaflex 35"
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== The Samocaflex 35 II == | == The Samocaflex 35 II == | ||
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| + | || ''Samocaflex 35 II in {{SK}} Summer 1957. {{public domain Japan new}}'' | ||
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The '''Samocaflex 35 II''' is similar to the original model but for the [[Seikosha-MX]] shutter, with M/X flash synchronization. The name ''SAMOCAFLEX 35 II'' is engraved above the viewing lens. | The '''Samocaflex 35 II''' is similar to the original model but for the [[Seikosha-MX]] shutter, with M/X flash synchronization. The name ''SAMOCAFLEX 35 II'' is engraved above the viewing lens. | ||
| − | The new model was first advertised in May 1956 and was featured in Japanese magazines dated June 1956.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.388. </REF> In the July 1956 advertisement in ''[[Sankei Camera]]'',<REF> Advertisement reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.252. </REF> the camera is called "Samocaflex-35 Automat" (サモカフレックス-35オートマット), the lenses are D.Ezumar 50/2.8 and the price is {{yen|18,000|1956}}, including the leather case. Two dedicated close-up attachments are listed: the Proxar no.2 for pictures from 15 to 28 inches and the Proxar no.3 for pictures from 10 to 15 inches, at | + | The new model was first advertised in May 1956 and was featured in Japanese magazines dated June 1956.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.388. </REF> In the July 1956 advertisement in ''[[Sankei Camera]]'',<REF> Advertisement reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.252. </REF> the camera is called "Samocaflex-35 Automat" (サモカフレックス-35オートマット), the lenses are D.Ezumar 50/2.8 and the price is {{yen|18,000|1956}}, including the leather case. Two dedicated close-up attachments are listed: the Proxar no.2 for pictures from 15 to 28 inches and the Proxar no.3 for pictures from 10 to 15 inches, at ¥1,600 each. It is said that these attachments include a parallax-correcting element for the viewing lens.<REF> Parallax-correcting element: Awano, p.148 of {{KKS}} no.35. </REF> |
| − | The last reported advertisement is dated May 1957.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.388. </REF> The lens numbers observed so far on the Samocaflex 35 II have five digits in the 70xxx range. | + | The last reported advertisement is dated May 1957.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.388. </REF> The Samocaflex 35 II is listed again in the Summer 1957 special issue of {{SK}} on Japanese cameras, at an unchanged price.<REF> Column in {{SK}} no.63, p.111, reproduced in this page. It is not listed in {{Kokusan}}, p.356. </REF> This is the last known mention of the camera. |
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| + | The lens numbers observed so far on the Samocaflex 35 II have five digits in the 70xxx range. | ||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
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* Kuno Mikio (久野幹雄). "35mm-han nigan-refu no sekai" (35mm判二眼レフの世界, The world of 35mm TLRs.) {{KKS010}} Pp.128–30. | * Kuno Mikio (久野幹雄). "35mm-han nigan-refu no sekai" (35mm判二眼レフの世界, The world of 35mm TLRs.) {{KKS010}} Pp.128–30. | ||
* {{McKeown12}} P.869. | * {{McKeown12}} P.869. | ||
| + | * {{SK}} no.63 (Summer 1957). "Nihon no kamera zenbō: 35-miri kamera renzu shatā tsuki" (日本のカメラ全貌・35ミリカメラ・レンズシャター付, Panorama of Japanese cameras: 35mm cameras with lens shutter.) P.111. | ||
* {{Zukan}} Items 3758–9. | * {{Zukan}} Items 3758–9. | ||
* ''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.31. | * ''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.31. | ||
Revision as of 12:10, 15 November 2008
The Samocaflex 35 (サモカフレックス35) is a Japanese 35mm TLR made by Sanei Sangyō, later Samoca Camera from 1954 to 1957, and distributed by Hattori Tokei-ten.
Contents
Description
The Samocaflex 35 is shaped as a conventional 35mm camera with a mirror box and viewing lens grafted above the taking lens. The film runs horizontally in a body made of black plastic. The advance knob is at the right end of the top plate, as seen by the photographer. It has an arrow indicating the turning direction and its base is surrounded by an exposure counter. Next to it are the rewind unlock lever and the shutter release, surrounded by a milled cup. The other end of the top plate has the rewind knob, again with an arrow, and an additional direct vision finder.
The viewing screen has a condenser for a brighter image.[1] The viewing hood has a magnifying lens hinged to the back and the AAA logo of Sanei Sangyō at the front. The model name is engraved to the front of the mirror box, above the viewing lens. The body serial number is engraved above the direct vision finder.
The back is removable together with the bottom plate for film loading, and it is locked in place by two knobs at the bottom. The bottom plate also has a tripod thread and a pivoting arm allowing the camera to stand upright on a table.
The taking and viewing lenses are mounted together on a focusing helical, driven by a tab at the bottom left. The shutter cocking lever is coupled to the film advance via an external linkage at the bottom, and the body release linkage is externally visible too. All the models have B, 1–500 speeds and a PC synch post.
The lens cap is made of black plastic, with the name FLEX SAMOCA 35 moulded on it.
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| Camera with lens cap. Picture copyright Tsuguhide Nakagi. (Image rights) |
The original Samocaflex 35
The original Samocaflex 35 has a Seikosha-Rapid shutter. It was already featured in the August-September 1954 issue of Ars Camera, and was first advertised in January 1955.[2]
In the February 1955 advertisement in Asahi Camera,[3] the lenses are called C Samoca 50/2.8 and 50/3.5; it is not completely understood if this is a choice of two versions or if the 50/2.8 is the viewing lens and the 50/3.5 the taking lens. The company name is Sanei Sangyō and the distributor is Hattori Tokei-ten. The pictured camera has a plain SAMOCAFLEX engraving above the viewing lens and has silver lens rims. This version has not been observed yet and perhaps corresponds to a prototype.
In the May 1955 advertisement in Asahi Camera,[4] the taking lens is announced as a four-element D.Ezumar 50/2.8, and the viewing lens as a View Ezumar 50/2.8. (The "D" in D.Ezumar is probably inspired by the D.Zuiko by Olympus, where the fourth letter of the alphabet is used to indicate the presence of four elements.) The picture shows the SAMOCAFLEX 35 engraving above the viewing lens, and black lens rims. The company name has become Samoca Camera and the distributor is again Hattori Tokei-ten.
 
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| Left: viewing screen with split-image device. Right: magnifying lens in the unfolded position. Pictures copyright Tsuguhide Nakagi. (Image rights) |
It is sometimes said that the original Samocaflex 35 has no split-image device in the focusing screen but a mere cross; however at least one example has been observed with the split-image device.[5]
 
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| D.Ezumar lenses. Pictures copyright Tsuguhide Nakagi. (Image rights) |
This version has only been observed with a pair of seemingly identical D.Ezumar lenses, engraved SAMOCA CO. D.EZUMAR 1:2.8 50mm No.xxxxx with a red D. Most body numbers have five or six digits beginning with 55, and come with five-digit lens numbers in the 55xxx to 58xxx range. The prefix "55" in the body number probably indicates the release year, the three or four other digits being the production number itself. The lens numbers were probably affected in plain ascending order, perhaps starting with 55001. One example is known with a six-digit body number starting in 57, and lens numbers in the 70xxx and 71xxx range, perhaps corresponding to a second batch.
  
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| Samocaflex 35 no.55562, D.Ezumar 50mm f/2.8 taking lens no.56071 and viewing lens no.55157, Seikosha-Rapid shutter. Pictures copyright Tsuguhide Nakagi. (Image rights) |
The Samocaflex 35 II
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| Samocaflex 35 II in Shashin Kōgyō Summer 1957. (Image rights) |
The Samocaflex 35 II is similar to the original model but for the Seikosha-MX shutter, with M/X flash synchronization. The name SAMOCAFLEX 35 II is engraved above the viewing lens.
The new model was first advertised in May 1956 and was featured in Japanese magazines dated June 1956.[6] In the July 1956 advertisement in Sankei Camera,[7] the camera is called "Samocaflex-35 Automat" (サモカフレックス-35オートマット), the lenses are D.Ezumar 50/2.8 and the price is ¥18,000, including the leather case. Two dedicated close-up attachments are listed: the Proxar no.2 for pictures from 15 to 28 inches and the Proxar no.3 for pictures from 10 to 15 inches, at ¥1,600 each. It is said that these attachments include a parallax-correcting element for the viewing lens.[8]
The last reported advertisement is dated May 1957.[9] The Samocaflex 35 II is listed again in the Summer 1957 special issue of Shashin Kōgyō on Japanese cameras, at an unchanged price.[10] This is the last known mention of the camera.
The lens numbers observed so far on the Samocaflex 35 II have five digits in the 70xxx range.
Notes
- ↑ Condenser: advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.139.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.352.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.139.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.139.
- ↑ Absence of split-image device on the original model: Awano, p.148 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35. Example with split-image device pictured in this page.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.388.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.252.
- ↑ Parallax-correcting element: Awano, p.148 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.388.
- ↑ Column in Shashin Kōgyō no.63, p.111, reproduced in this page. It is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
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. Items 531 and 1306.
- Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Nigan-refu sutairu no 35mm-han LS-kamera: Samokafurekkusu 35" (二眼レフスタイルの35mm判LSカメラ・サモカフレックス35, The Samocaflex 35, a 35mm leaf-shuttered camera of TLR style.) 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.35, November 1995. Nihon no kamera 50nen (日本のカメラ50年, special issue on 50 years of Japanese cameras). P.148.
- Kuno Mikio (久野幹雄). "35mm-han nigan-refu no sekai" (35mm判二眼レフの世界, The world of 35mm TLRs.) 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.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.128–30.
- 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.869.
- Shashin Kōgyō no.63 (Summer 1957). "Nihon no kamera zenbō: 35-miri kamera renzu shatā tsuki" (日本のカメラ全貌・35ミリカメラ・レンズシャター付, Panorama of Japanese cameras: 35mm cameras with lens shutter.) P.111.
- 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. Items 3758–9.
- 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.31.
Links
In English:
- History of the 35mm TLR in John Marriage's Photo-history pages
- 35mm TLR at Massimo Bertacchi's Innovative cameras, also reproduced here at Fotografia e Reflex (these pages are based on the above article by John Marriage)
- Past auctions by Auction Team Breker:
- Samocaflex 35: lot no.65 of the April 30, 2005 Photographica and Film auction, also in the highlights of the sale
- Samocaflex 35: lot no.68 of the March 25, 2006 Photographica and Film auction
In Swedish:
- Samocaflex 35, lot no.147 of LP Foto auction no.26 (22 April 2007).
In Japanese:
In Korean:
