Samocaflex 35

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Japanese 35mm TLR (edit)
24×36mm Haco 35 | Hulda 35 | Samocaflex 35 | Toyoca 35 | Yallu Flex
Japanese 4×4 TLR, 6×6 TLR and pseudo TLR ->

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.

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.[1] 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 (which is sometimes missing on the examples found today). 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.[2] 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 original Samocaflex 35

Features

The original Samocaflex 35 has a Seikosha-Rapid shutter and normally has a pair of seemingly identical D.Ezumar lenses, engraved SAMOCA CO. D.EZUMAR 1:2.8 50mm No.xxxxx with a red D.

It is sometimes said that the original version has no split-image device in the focusing screen but a mere cross.[3] This might be true of some cameras, but at least two examples of the original model have been observed with the split-image device.[4]

Documents

The Samocaflex 35 was already announced in the August-September 1954 issue of Ars Camera, and was first advertised in January 1955.[5] In the February 1955 advertisement in Asahi Camera,[6] the company name is Sanei Sangyō and the distributor is Hattori Tokei-ten. 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 pictured camera has a plain SAMOCAFLEX engraving above the viewing lens and has silver lens bezels. This version has not been observed yet and perhaps corresponds to a prototype.

In the May 1955 advertisement in Asahi Camera,[7] 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 was perhaps 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 bezels. The company name has become Samoca Camera and the distributor is again Hattori Tokei-ten.

Actual examples

Most of the actual examples observed so far have a five or six-digit body number beginning with 55. The prefix "55" probably indicates the release year, the remaining digits being the production number itself. Numbers are known from 55174 to 552641, indicating a production of less than 3,000 units for this main batch.[8] The corresponding lens numbers have five digits in the 55xxx to 59xxx range, perhaps in a single common sequence for the taking and viewing lenses.[9]

On about the first half of the batch, the top plate is retained at the front and rear by four apparent screws, which disappeared on later cameras.[10] At the very end of the batch, example no.552641 has a non standard viewing lens, with no marking and a larger front element, as if it were a dummy.[11]

An isolated camera is known with a six-digit body number beginning with 57, and lens numbers in the 70xxx and 71xxx range, perhaps corresponding to a second batch.[12]

The Samocaflex 35 II

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,[13] The news column published that month in Shashin Kōgyō mentions the addition of a prism rangefinder on the focusing screen, but this feature was already present on some examples of the original model (see above).[14]

In the July 1956 advertisement in Sankei Camera,[15] 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.[16]

The last reported advertisement is dated May 1957.[17] The Samocaflex 35 II is listed again in the Summer 1957 special issue of Shashin Kōgyō on Japanese cameras, at an unchanged price.[18] This is the last known mention of the camera.

The Samocaflex 35 II is very uncommon. One example is known with body no.551848, mingled within the main batch of the original model, and lens numbers in the 58xxx range.[19] Another example is known with lens numbers in the 70xxx range.[20]

Accessories

The lens cap is made of black plastic, with the name FLEX SAMOCA 35 moulded on it. The ever-ready case is made of brown leather, embossed SAMOCA–35 REFLEX at the front.

At the time of the Samocaflex, the company was also selling a Samoca exposure meter in a small brown leather case.

Notes

  1. Made of plastic: Awano, p.148 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35.
  2. Condenser: advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.139.
  3. Awano, p.148 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35. This is perhaps based on the announce of the Samocaflex 35 II in Shashin Kōgyō June 1956, p.429, where the new model is said to have a prism rangefinder on the focusing screen.
  4. Examples pictured in this page and observed in an online auction.
  5. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.352.
  6. Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.139.
  7. Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.139.
  8. One example has been reported with seven-digit no.5512526, but this is perhaps a mistake. See lot no.417 of Christies sale no.8590 (November 25, 1999).
  9. Taking lens numbers are known from 55238 to 58877, and viewing lens numbers from 55157 to 59768.
  10. See for example the pair of Samocaflex 35 sold as lot no.143 of Christies sale no.5688 (February 15, 2005).
  11. Example sold as lot no.386 of Westlicht Photographica auction no.1 (November 15, 2002).
  12. Example sold as lot no.68 of the March 25, 2006 auction by Auction Team Breker. It has body no.571157, taking lens no.71646 and viewing lens no.70013.
  13. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.388.
  14. Shashin Kōgyō June 1956, p.429: ピントグラスの中央にリープリズム[sic]を使用した距離計がついた.
  15. Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.252.
  16. Parallax-correcting element: Awano, p.148 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35.
  17. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.388.
  18. Column in Shashin Kōgyō no.63, p.111, reproduced in this page. It is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
  19. Example pictured in this article and in this page at AEI Collectibles.
  20. Example offered for sale by a Japanese dealer.

Bibliography

Links

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