Taroflex

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The Taroflex (タローフレックス) is a Japanese 6×6 TLR made by Nippon Kōsokki from 1943.[1]

Description

The Taroflex is a 6×6 TLR. The focusing is done by moving the front plate back and forth. The film advance is semi-automatic, with a red window under the camera, only used to set the position of the first exposure. The focusing and film advance knobs are on the photographer's right, and there is a round exposure counter window at the top of the right-hand side plate. The focusing knob is surrounded by a depth-of-field plate. The shutter release button is at the bottom of the front, to the photographer's left.

On all the variants, the taking lens is a 7.5cm f/3.5 and has a serial number and the viewing lens is a 7.5cm f/3.2 and is not numbered.

Advertisements and other documents

The Taroflex was offered for ¥378 in an advertisement dated May 1943, by the distributors Nihon Shōkai and Honjō Shōkai.[2] The shutter was mentioned as an NKS giving 1–200 speeds with a self-timer, and only the lens aperture was given.

The camera was also mentioned in the "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), listing the Japanese camera production as of April 1943.[3] The maker's name is unfortunately missing from the document. The lens was given as a four-element Toa 75/3.5 made by Riken and the shutter as an NKS (B, 1–200, self-timer) made by Nippon Kōsokki.

Variations and actual examples

The camera pictured in the May 1943 advertisement has a viewing hood inspired from the Ikoflex, with the shape of a truncated pyramid and a logo in the middle reading NKS TARO. There is a large viewing loupe hinged to the front part of the hood. It is not clear if the hood contains a sportsfinder or not. The nameplate has a stepped frame and reads TAROFLEX in capital letters, or perhaps TARO FLEX with a narrow space between the two words. The company name NIPPON KOSOKUKI SEISAKUSHO TOKIO is written under the nameplate in small capital letters. It seems that the serial number is engraved at the bottom, under the moving front standard.

One of the two examples pictured in Sugiyama is exactly similar to the advertised model, with Toa Anastigmat lenses and an NKS shutter (B, 1–200, self-timer) inscribed NKS–TOKIO on the speed rim.[4]

One example has been observed with the truncated pyramid hood, the stepped nameplate and the company name engraving but no serial number at the bottom.[5] It has Toa Anastigmat lenses, with taking lens no. 2963. The shutter is a Ceres giving B, 1–300 speeds. This shutter is certainly postwar: if this fitting is original, this would mean that the production and sales of the Taroflex continued after 1945.

Two examples of the camera have been observed with a plain flat viewing hood and the stepped nameplate but no company name. Both have the serial number at the bottom and have the same NKS-Tokio shutter as previously described. One has Toa Anastigmat lenses and the other has a taking lens probably called K.O.L. Taro Anastigmat and a viewing lens whose name is unknown.[6]

One example has been observed with a flat nameplate, shaped as on the 1936 Rolleicord models.[7] The name Taroflex is inscribed in fancy script letters, and the company name is engraved below. This example has body no. 2627. The shutter is an NKS-Tokio, the taking lens is engraved TOA and RIKEN KOGAKU and has no. 2622, the name of the viewing lens is unknown but its number is in the same 26xx range.

Notes

  1. ↑ Date: advertisements listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 337, run from 1943 to 1944.
  2. ↑ Advertisement published in Hōdō Shashin, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 78.
  3. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), item 114, under the name "Taro Ref" (タローレフ).
  4. ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 2030.
  5. ↑ Watakushi no ni-gan-refu kamera-ten, p. 25.
  6. ↑ Toa lens: example pictured in Sugiyama, item 2031. K.O.L. Taro lens: example observed in an online auction.
  7. ↑ Example pictured in Shunkan o torae-tsuzukeru shattā-ten, p. 19.

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 141.
  • Kamera no mekanizumu sono I: "Hai! Chīzu" Shunkan o torae-tsuzukeru shattā-ten (カメラのメカニズム・そのⅠ・「ハイ！チーズ」瞬間をとらえ続けるシャッター展, Camera mechanism, part 1 "Cheese!" Exhibition of instant taking shutters). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 2002. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number) P. 19.
  • "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7. Item 114.
  • 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. 39 (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. 915.
  • 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 2030–1.
  • Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Senzen umare no maboroshi no kokusan nigan-refu: 6×6-han no Sakurafurekkusu" (戦前生まれの幻の国産二眼レフ6×6判のサクラフレックス, A Japanese phantom TLR born before the war: the 6×6 Sakura-flex). 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.27, December 1993. No ISBN number. Stereo World (ステレオワールド). Pp. 122–4. The article has a front view of the Taroflex, showing the logo in the viewing hood.
  • 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.
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