Gen
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Gen
Gen was a name used by Taiyōdō Kōki K.K. to rebrand rebadged Beauty cameras (i.e. Gen models are not direct copies of Beauty models, but copies of cameras that were based on Beauty cameras). It appears that Gen cameras were sold in Canada, and those that come up for sale today are usually located in that country.
Rebadged equipment is produced by the original manufacturer, but the product or model names are changed by the maker to be sold by other distributors. Rebadged equipment may be duplicates of the original, or may have cosmetic or specification changes made to meet the distributors' requirements.
Taiyōdō Kōki made rebadged 6x6 TLRs under the names Fodorflex, USC Auto Fifty and Wardflex, along with two 35mm models, the Milo 35 and Ward 35.
Rebranded equipment is identical to the parent camera but for changed names, and made to be sold by the manufacturer themselves in different markets.
In addition to Gen, Taiyōdō Kōki also made rebranded copies of Beautyflexes under the name Photoflex and rebranded 35mm cameras under the name Varicon.
Gen-flex
The Gen-flex was a TLR, and a copy of the rebranded Wardflex (metal) made for Montgomery Ward, which was in turn based on (but not identical to) the Beautyflex T.
Gen 35
The Gen 35 was an f/3.2 35mm viewfinder, and a hybrid combination of the f/3.2 Milo 35 made for Miller Outcalt and the f/2.8 Ward 35 made for Montgomery Ward, which were both based on (but not identical to) the Beauty 35. The Gen 35 resembled the Milo 35, but for a film-type-reminder unique to the Ward 35, and an altered shutter (black) speed scale on the lens barrel not found on the Beauty/Milo/Ward 35.
The variant appears to have been sold in Canada, a couple of years after the launch of its relatives. The camera was typically priced at $29.95. Some sellers bundled the Gen 35 with a light meter, flash gun and gadget bag, and offered the package for sale for $56.95 (Canadian dollars).
Links
- Gen-flex at Barry Togoods TLR Cameras Website
- Gen 35 at Taiyodo Koki and the Beauty Camera Company
- Department Store "Simpson's" advertisement for the Gen 35 Camera Kit in the 19th July 1957 edition of the Saskatchewan Leader-Post (via Goole book search)
- "Excelo Photo Co" advertisement for the Gen 35 in the 18th August 1958 edition of the Saskatchewan Leader-Post (via Goole book search)
