Silverflex
The Silverflex (シルバーフレックス) is a Japanese 6×6 TLR made in 1953–4 by Nihon Kōki.
Description
The Silverflex is a plain copy of the Ricohflex III. It has externally geared lenses for focusing, and the distance scale and depth-of-field indications are engraved on the upper lens. The viewing hood contains a large magnifying lens. The nameplate reads SILVERFLEX MODEL S. The film is advanced by a knob on the photographer's right. The advance is controlled by a red window in the back, protected by a vertically sliding cover. The exposure chamber comes out together with the spool holders for film loading.
The lenses are 80mm f/3.5, and the marking is SILVER ANASTIGMAT on the taking lens and SILVER VIEWER on the viewing lens. The early examples perhaps have 25, 50, 100 shutter speeds, and the regular cameras have an NKS shutter (B, 10–200) with flash synchronization, marked NKS at the bottom of the speed rim and at the top of the shutter plate. The release lever is attached to the shutter casing itself.
Commercial life
The Silverflex was featured in Japanese magazines dated September 1953.[1] An advertisement in Asahi Camera of the same month gives the price of ¥8,500 and says that the shutter has 25, 50, 100 speeds and is synchronized for flash.[2] In an advertisement in the January 1954 issue of the same magazine, the price is unchanged and the range of speeds has become B, 10–200.[3] In both advertisements, the camera is only called "Silverflex" (シルバーフレックス), despite the "Model S" marking on the nameplate. The last mention of the Silverflex appears in June 1954.[4]
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. Item 536. See also the advertisement for items 537–8. On p.443, Orima Isamu (織間勇), who was an engineer at Riken from the 1950s, says that the build quality of the Silverflex was appalling.
- 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). P.82 (brief mention 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.721.
- 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 2255.
Links
In English:
- Silverflex S at Barry Toogood's tlr-cameras.com
In Japanese:
- Silverflex compared with a Ricohflex VI at Oozusi's Ricohflex site
- Advertisement for the Silverflex and Silver Six dated 1954, reproduced in Shashin-Bako
