Toyoca 35 (TLR)

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2150674108_6a7b074815_m_d.jpg
Picture courtesy of Bernard Guéant. (Image rights)
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 Toyoca 35 (トヨカ35) TLR, sometimes called "Toyocaflex 35" (トヨカフレックス35), is a Japanese 35mm TLR made by Tougodo from 1955 to 1957. The Haco 35 and Hulda 35 are name variants.

Description

The Toyoca 35 TLR is shaped as a conventional 35mm camera with a mirror box and viewing lens grafted on one side of the taking lens. There is an additional direct vision finder in the top housing, above the taking lens. The film runs horizontally and is advanced by a knob at the right end of the top plate, as seen by the photographer. The knob has an arrow indicating the turning direction, and its base is surrounded by an exposure counter; it is not coupled to the shutter, which must be cocked separately by hand. Next to the advance knob is the shutter release, surrounded by a removable milled cup which is sometimes missing on the examples found today; this release button is interlocked with the advance for double exposure prevention. The accessory shoe is to the right of the direct vision finder. The viewing hood for the reflex finder is on the left, and contains a magnifying lens hinged at the front and erected by a small lever on the side. There is a condenser in the reflex finder, for a brighter illumination of the corners, and the viewing screen has a cross and parallax indications on the left.[1] The rewind knob is at the left end of the top plate.

The camera name Toyoca 35, is engraved on a nameplate screwed above the viewing lens; variations in the engraving are known (see below), sometimes with quotes around "35". There is a lens-shaped TOYOCA FLEX logo and "35" above the direct vision finder. The body serial number is inscribed in front of the accessory shoe.

The back is hinged to the right; inside the camera the exposure chamber and pressure appear offset to the right because of the mirror box. There are knob-like flanges at both ends of the bottom plate. The one on the advance side contains a tripod thread, there is a smaller knob next to it, with A and R indications, to unlock the sprocket shaft for film rewind. The bottom plate also has the words MADE IN JAPAN engraved in small characters.

The two lenses and the shutter unit move together for focusing; the helical surrounding the taking lens is driven by a focusing tab. The shutter gives B, 1–200 or B, 1–300 speeds and has a self-timer. There are two PC synch sockets buried in the main body under the viewing lens, with F and X indications corresponding to flash bulbs or electronic flash.

The taking lens is an Owla Anastigmat 4.5cm f/3.5 and the viewing lens is a Viewer Owla Anastigmat 4.5cm f/3.5. The lens numbers are in the same range, and the two lenses are probably identical except for the marking.

2150674108_6a7b074815_m_d.jpg 2150674110_aee1572c0a_m_d.jpg 2150674112_779b4b224d_m_d.jpg
2150674126_db1a040081_m_d.jpg 2150674116_daa75cd830_m_d.jpg 2150674120_504f75b80e_m_d.jpg
Toyoca 35 (TLR) no.56881, fourth nameplate variant, second shutter type.
Pictures courtesy of Bernard Guéant. (Image rights)

Variations of the Toyoca 35

Minor variations are known of the Toyoca 35, but the exact chronology is unclear. At least four nameplate variants exist. The first nameplate has no underlining, a plain Toyoca with a squarish "y" letter and perhaps '35' in single quotes. The second nameplate has the word Toyoca underlined from the bottom of the "T" to the end of the "a", with a round "y" letter and no quotes around 35. The third nameplate has bars coming out of the letters "y" and "a", underlining the word Toyoca, and has "35" in double quotes. The fourth nameplate has long bars coming out of the "T" and "y" letters and double quotes.

The early examples have an NKS shutter (B, 1–200). The aperture scale is above the shutter casing and has the NKS logo. The black shutter plate sometimes has TOYOCA at the bottom, but this is not necessarily the sign of a shutter change.[2] The NKS shutter was replaced by a different model on later cameras, giving 1/300 top speed;[3] the transition occurred at the time of the fourth nameplate. The new shutter is distinguished by a different position and shape of the shutter cocking lever, and by the aperture scale moved to the bottom of the shutter plate.[4] At least one very late example is known with this newer shutter and a black instead of silver taking lens rim.[5]

It is also said that the early examples focus down to 2.5ft and later ones down to 3ft.[6]

Hulda 35 and Haco 35 name variants

The Hulda 35 is a name variant of the Toyoca 35, mainly differing by the HULDA "35" nameplate. All the examples observed so far have the older shutter; some, but not all, have a HULDA FLEX logo engraved on the top housing, instead of TOYOCA FLEX.[7]

The Haco 35 is another name variant of the Toyoca 35, probably made for export only.[8] The only example observed so far is pictured in Sugiyama.[9] Its nameplate has HACO "35" and it has the newer shutter to 1/300. It is unclear if the top housing has TOYOCA or HACO.

Commercial life

The Toyoca 35 TLR was featured in Japanese magazines dated February 1955, and was first advertisement on the same month.[10] Advertisements dated April, June and November 1955 in Asahi Camera give the price of ¥11,000 (case included).[11] In all these, the shutter is mentioned as an NKS (B, 1–200). The nameplate in the April picture is of the first type, and it is of the third type in the June and November pictures. In all three photographs, the aperture scale is at the top of the shutter casing.

The November 1956 advertisement in Asahi Camera gives the price of ¥1956, with ¥1,000 extra for the case.[12] The shutter name is not mentioned. In the picture, the nameplate is of the third type and the aperture scale is at the bottom.

The last reported advertisement is dated January 1957.[13]

Total production

The observed or reported body numbers of the Toyoca 35, Haco 35 and Hulda 35 have five digits in the 55xxx, 56xxx and 57xxx range; the first two digits perhaps indicate the year of production. The known taking and viewing lens numbers have five or six digits beginning with "54" or "55", and a few taking lenses are reported with a five-digit number in the 58xxx range. The lens number prefix certainly indicates the year of production too. The total production can be estimated at little more than 2,000 units.

Notes

  1. ↑ Details of the reflex finder: Awano, p.155 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35.
  2. ↑ Compare the cameras pictured in Sugiyama, items 3822 and 3823: the shutter controls are identical and the only difference is the TOYOCA marking (and the nameplate variant).
  3. ↑ 1/300 top speed reported in Sugiyama, item 3271, and in an online auction.
  4. ↑ Compare the example pictured here at Historic Camera and that pictured here at Corsopolaris.
  5. ↑ Example observed in an online auction.
  6. ↑ Minimum distance: Awano, p.155 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35.
  7. ↑ Hulda 35 with HULDA FLEX: example pictured in Kuno, p.130 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10. Hulda 35 with TOYOCA FLEX: example pictured in the 18 December 1996 Christies auction catalogue, lot no.187.
  8. ↑ Export only: Sugiyama, item 3271.
  9. ↑ Sugiyama, item 3271.
  10. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
  11. ↑ Advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.152.
  12. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.152.
  13. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.

Bibliography

Links

In English:

In Japanese:

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