Foth-Flex
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| Foth-Flex II with f/2.5 lenses, showing the focus lever (right of the picture), and aperture control (left of the taking lens). image by pipa pipa (Image rights) |
The Foth-Flex is a TLR camera for 6×6 cm exposures on 120 film, produced by Foth in Germany in 1935. It has a number of unusual features for a TLR. It is one of the very few TLR to use a focal plane shutter; the 1936 Mentorett is another one.
General description
The Foth-Flex has a focal plane cloth shutter with speeds up to 1/500s. It takes 6×6 pictures on 120 film. It has a curious (shove-under) accessory shoe and no flash synchronization.
The Foth-Flex has two Foth Anastigmat lenses, taking only push-on filters.
Operation
The Foth-Flex is focused by a wheel on the left side of the camera. Aperture is set by a lever under the taking lens. The shutter is operated on the right side of the camera: a lever to set it and a button to fire it. A separate wheel is used to advance the film. The last unusual feature of the Foth-Flex is the back which is hinged on two sides. The two parts are held together by a button on the lower back. There is no frame counter, but there is a ruby window in the bottom.
Variations
The earlier models (Foth-Flex I) are marked Foth on the waist-level finder, and have a FOTH–FLEX nameplate under the taking lens. The shutter only gives B, 25–500 speeds.[1]
Later models (Foth-Flex II) have slow speeds down to 2s.[1] This version is known to exist with Foth Anastigmat f/3.5 or f/2.5 lenses.[2] At least some cameras have a sports finder integrated in the waist level finder.
From 1938 onwards,[2] the focusing wheel was replaced by a lever between the two lenses. Variations are known in the position of that lever, which is either on the left or on the right.[3] These models have a Foth–Flex nameplate on the conventional spot above the viewing lens.
| German TLR () | |
|---|---|
| 35 mm | Contaflex | Flexilette | Optima Reflex |
| 3×4 | Pilot Reflex |
| 4×4 | Baby Rolleiflex (1931) | Baby Rolleiflex (1957) | Karma-Flex |
| 6×6 | Altiflex | Amplion Reflex | Brillant | Flektar | Flexo | Flexora | Flexora II | Flexora III | Foth-Flex | Ikoflex 1 | Ikoflex II | Ikoflex Ia | Ikoflex Ic Ikoflex Favorit | Karma-Flex | Mentorett | Montiflex | Peerflekta | Perfekta | Photina Reflex | Plascaflex | Reflecta | Reflekta | Reflekta II | Rica Flex | Rocca Automatic | Rocca Super Reflex | Rolleiflex | Rolleicord | Rollop | Superb | Superflex | Trumpfreflex | Vitaflex | Weltaflex | Wirgin Reflex |
| 6×9 | Superfekta |
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| Fothflex with right side lever image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights) |
Export
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| January and February 1936 | April 1936 |
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Advertisements by Asanuma Shōkai in Asahi Camera, for the Foth Derby and Foth-Flex. | |
The Foth-Flex was exported to various countries, including Japan. In early 1936, the Foth-Flex II was advertised by the distributor Asanuma Shōkai, with f/3.5 lenses, at ¥210.[4]
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| September 1936 | November and December 1936 |
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Advertisements by Nichizui in Asahi Camera. | |
From September 1936, it was advertised by Nichizui, at an unchanged price.[5] The advertisements placed in the November and December issues of Asahi Camera say that Nichizui was the main distributor for Asia (東洋総代理店).[6] They list two versions of the camera, with f/3.5 or f/2.5 lenses. The f/2.5 model has a sports finder; the f/3.5 normally has none, but it could be added as an option.
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Foth-flex in a leaflet issued in about 1936 |
Catalogue by Herbert Small (in Australia) about |
American advertisement in 1937 |
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 McKeown 12th edition, p.301.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 McKeown 12th edition, p.301, and 10th edition, p.200.
- ↑ Lever on the right pictured in McKeown 12th edition, p.301. Camera with lever on the left pictured in this page at olegvolk.net.
- ↑ Advertisements in Asahi Camera January 1936, p.A7, February 1936, p.A7, and April 1936, p.A7.
- ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera September 1936.
- ↑ Advertisements in Asahi Camera November 1936, p.A22, and December 1936, p.A21.
Bibliography
- Asahi Camera. Advertisements by Asanuma Shōkai:
- January 1936, p.A7;
- February 1936, p.A7;
- April 1936, p.A7.
- Asahi Camera. Advertisements by Nichizui Bōeki:
- September 1936, p.A33;
- November 1936, p.A22;
- December 1936, p.A21.
- 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.301.
Links
- Foth-Flex I and Foth-Flex f/2.5 at Barry toogood's www.tlr-cameras.com
- Foth-Flex II with focusing lever in Oleg Volk's camera gallery
- Foth-Flex serial no. 16887 sold at the fifteenth Westlicht Photographica Auction, on 23 May 2009.
- Foth-Flex PDF manual at OrphanCameras.com
