Firstflex Model 2 by Tokiwa Seiki K.K.

[Stephen]

Coming from Ebay, an obscure 35mm Reflex, a real oddity perhaps, a Tokiwa Seiki "Firstflex". This is one of the 1958 productions, a 35mm reflex with pentaprism, auto diaphragm, instant return mirror and an Exakta mount for the lenses. Makes some German designs look dated at the time....but..

It used the mirror as the shutter in the EXA manner, and has an oddity.......Just the one main shutter speed of 125th!...+ Bulb.....

All the effort of designing the first modern Japanese 35 mm Reflex, and then to fall down on the shutter!

This one has not got the correct standard lens, but a Trioplan from an Exa.

Tokiwa Seiki Firstflex work OK within the limit of the design, and are all metal, decent if simple engineering. The earlier 1954 Tokiwa Firstflex had a leaf shutter and range of speeds, but no pentaprism.

About 1960 a third model with more speeds was sold in the UK as the Paul Plus Firstflex, but then the company seems to have quit still camera making, and did cine for a while, then faded away.

[Berndt]

Interesting find

All the effort of designing the first modern Japanese 35 mm Reflex, and then to fall down on the shutter!

Yes and No. Kill me for what I say, but 1/125 sec is mostly enough. If you have a variety of apertures, you can basically live with just 1/125 sec and B very well. Where is the shutter of this one BTW ? A leaf shutter, built in the lens ? A focal plane shutter in the body ?

[retina]

G'day Berndt, the mirror IS the shutter on this camera.

As an aside, Stephen, did you get the standard lens with the camera, or did you just get a body? and did you get the accessory shoe, which mounts on the rewind knob end?

I've got a Firstflex like this and the Plusflex, but I've only seen one accessory shoe on Ebay, and as luck would have it, the seller had it listed as US or UK only, I forget which, and I don't think I could even ask questions...

Regards, Chris

[Berndt]

The mirror IS the shutter ? And no light leaking in ? Then, it is already a masterpiece of engineering with just one shutter speed

[Stephen]

I believe from the description on the web, that it is described as a focal plane guillotine shutter driven by the mirror, but I suspect it is the Exakta Exa early style shutter, the mirror is, in effect, the first blind, and is followed by a capping blade that follows the shutter up, and descends, light tight, with the mirror for the next shot.

The mirror is an instant return type on the Firstflex, very advanced for 1958, and the EXA type shutter would work with it.

Or it could be a focal plane plate, driven by the mirror, with a sprung return blanking plate.

Until it is examined, or Retina tells us! ..I suspect the Tokiwa copied the EXA, as they used the mount from Exakta as well.

There is no standard lens, and the chances of finding one are similar to getting next weeks winning lottery numbers.

It is coming with a Trioplan, from an Exa, which may well be better than the original, which by most accounts was reported as very modest.(Again Retina may be able to enlighten on this point). The original was auto diaphragm
, a first I think.

They rarely turn up for sale, so I thought even without the lens it would be worth collecting...I am still after the Tokiwa Firstflex model one, the leaf shuttered one!
The later Plus Firstflex added 1/60th to the ..er....speed range!

Tokiwa mainly make twin lens reflexes, 120 film, but had been involved pre-war with the side by side twin lens reflex type in 35mm. Meisupi were the main make of this intriguing type, I am still looking for some of these to turn up, preferably not on Ebay!!, where the price would break records!

The oddity of the Firstflex is the single speed, leaves it quite usable, but why go to the trouble of an expensive prism, instant return mirror, and auto diaphragm, at a time when major makers struggled to justify adding these features, siting the high costs. I wonder if Tokiwa were a sub contractor to another maker for manufacturing the expensive prisms, and then used surplus capacity in their own cameras.

The next camera to have all these features was the Canonflex, and that was an expensive camera at the time, just a year later.

Anyway it should be here soon, and be serviced and then tested out, at least a decent CZ Pancolor will fit!!

[Stephen]

Sept 21, 2012 23:10:38 GMT -5 retina said:

G'day Berndt, the mirror IS the shutter on this camera.

As an aside, Stephen, did you get the standard lens with the camera, or did you just get a body? and did you get the accessory shoe, which mounts on the rewind knob end?

I've got a Firstflex like this and the Plusflex, but I've only seen one accessory shoe on Ebay, and as luck would have it, the seller had it listed as US or UK only, I forget which, and I don't think I could even ask questions...

Regards, Chris

Chris,
It has an Exa Triplan with it, no standard lens, which is going to be most difficult to find!

No bracket, the hole to take it is a mystery to most web sites, so no idea what it looks like. I believe one site said a bulb flash gun bolted in direct, with the lead under the lens, to the flash socket

The instruction book is available!!!! on the net for free download in PDF form.

Can you settle which type of shutter it is, focal plane or an Exa mirror type, or combination of both? I assume the Paul Plus version has the same basic type, with 60th added, I know they added a rotary speed knob to the front.

Stephen.

[Stephen]

Sept 21, 2012 19:32:25 GMT -5 Berndt said:

Interesting find

All the effort of designing the first modern Japanese 35 mm Reflex, and then to fall down on the shutter!

Yes and No. Kill me for what I say, but 1/125 sec is mostly enough. If you have a variety of apertures, you can basically live with just 1/125 sec and B very well. Where is the shutter of this one BTW ? A leaf shutter, built in the lens ? A focal plane shutter in the body ?

It is the same as Exakta EXA, but simplified as theirs had 25th to 150th speeds, the mirror rises and then is followed by a curved blanking blind, the gap working like a focal plane shutter. The second blind slams in the mirror back, and returns with the down motion of the mirror.

As made by Tokiwa, there is no timing required, the design deals with the single speed, and a B position as well, where the second blind movement is stopped.

Tokiwa also made the 120 TLR that you posted upon recently, a range was made throughout the 1950's.

They also did the Firstflex 1, which was 35mm , with waist level finder, and a leaf shutter, very rare indeed. It had a range of speeds, as the shutter was conventional.

[retina]

G'day Stephen,

You are quite correct with your description of the mirror and following closing plate.

What makes the Firstflex interesting is that it is an instant-return mirror. Once the closing plate hits the mirror, they drop back down together.

Here is a little bit more on the Firstflex 35 models from my website if you haven't found it already.

retinarescue.com/firstflex35.html

Regards, Chris

[Stephen]

Sept 22, 2012 14:19:57 GMT -5 retina said:

G'day Stephen,

You are quite correct with your description of the mirror and following closing plate.

What makes the Firstflex interesting is that it is an instant-return mirror. Once the closing plate hits the mirror, they drop back down together.

Here is a little bit more on the Firstflex 35 models from my website if you haven't found it already.

retinarescue.com/firstflex35.html

Regards, Chris

I had to guess the operation, it must be a clone of EXA design, I had just found the site and connected the name!! What about the lens quality? was it any good, I suspect they bought in the glass elements from a bigger maker like Soligor etc. perhaps with the prisms if they did not make them in house for others.

Exakta once argued that instant return on an EXA would cause vibration, but surely the shutter is fully closed and no vibration can occur, perhaps they were worried about recoil effects of quickly dropping the mirror, a bounce could open the blinds up for a moment....

It was all cured by the later models, and the EXA 500 had a good vertical blind shutter with a good range of speeds.
Stephen.

[Stephen]

The Firstflex Japanese made SLR, by Tokiwa Seiki, bought via Ebay, as received, due for a deep clean and service, the camera body works, but the viewfinder lens is displaced, and the screen and pentaprism need a very good internal clean indeed. Couple of very slight dents to remove as well.



Mirror is OK, and the Mirror Shutter works fine at the only speed of 1/125th and bulb. Very smooth operation, relatively quiet, with an instant return mirror and auto diaphragm if use with Firstflex lenses.



View of the back, well engineered, neat crackle paint finish on sound castings. The underside of the mirror acts as the shutter first blind, followed by capping blade. Unlike the EXA it is instant return, a first on an SLR



Auto diaphragm mechanism, acts on first pressure on release, then further pressure releases the shutter, normally in one press.



Came fitted with a Trioplan standard lens from an Exa at the moment, as the standard lens is missing. The camera uses a copy of the Exakta mount. The original lenses were made by Soligor for the makers.



Very clean design top, release and counter, plus wind, re-wind.



Very advanced design for 1958, but only the simple shutter lets it down, the other features were way ahead of rivals. They failed to sell well, and Tokiwa Seiki gave up cameras, after a model with three speeds, imported by Paul Plus to the UK. They also made TLR 120 cameras, and later 8mm Cine Cameras in the 1960/70's.

It was the first 35mm SLR with both auto diaphragm and instant return mirror, features only later added by other SLR makers. The design came out at the same time as the rare Zunow cameras, and it is odd that a cheaper maker would try to rival the design. Most of Tokiwa Seiki designs for TLR were plain, but well built, and the earlier Firstflex with a leaf shutter was also an advanced design on the cheap. Wisely they chose only to make a couple of lenses and rely on the Exakta fit mount to provide the range needed for a decent SLR.

Unwisely they simply lost the plot on giving the camera a single speed plus bulb, a crazy decision, as if the EXA design was used it should have given a better range, and if successful should have launched them as a major make, with the adoption of a focal plane shutter.

Serial Number on body is No 68488
Stephen.

[Stephen]

The Meyer-Optik Gorlitz 50mm F2.8 lens needs a good clean, being aluminium is a touch corroded and scratched on the lens body, but the glass is fairly clean and bright, no fungus etc. The body mount is 100% Exakta fit, but of course the release is on the top, not the Exakta, or Topcon, front body position.

The screen is physically small, and with the masking of the shutter mechanism, I suspect long focus lenses may vignette a bit, same as the Exa, but not so badly, and even on top and bottom. It would not affect up to 150mm or so.

I'll remove the top of the camera body to assess the clean up and replace the viewfinder lens into position, I hope the parts are still there! It does not look as if it has been opened up at all, no marks on the screws or the pin spanner nuts.

Stephen.

[Stephen]

Well, all has come apart quite easily, and unfortunately a serious problem exists, the prism has come loose, not the lenses, but it has an issue, the silvering is partially shot, however a Russian Zenit prism may be able to fit the same space. I have not got a spare to hand, but Ebay might provide a broken Zenit as source. Anybody got a duff Zenit?
The other answer is to get the prism silvered, but that is expensive and difficult to find companies that will do the work.



The camera is fully usable, just not a very clear view, although the screen is a surprise, a microprism type, again very early use of this modern feature.



The pentaprism is held in by a block of foam!! Not the best of ideas, and needs a strap made with springs to retain it properly. It rests on a phosphor bronze tray with tabs to locate it, set on a recessed Phosphor bronze plate secured to the castings.



The rest of the camera is all right, quite good condition, but needs the rotten foam dust crumble removed carefully. The foam on the door can be fitted with felt, and the mirror buffer can be made from felt as well.

On reflection it may even be possible to fit an Exakta prism, I have a spare that can be taken apart, it may just squeeze in, although I can see it looks larger than the Firstflex Prism. Grubby dented examples of the Exakta prism feature cheaply on Ebay Germany, should it fit.

Stephen

[Doug T.]

Hi Stephen!
That is an interesting camera. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's done, as well as some test shots.

Berndt,
Here's another one that uses the mirror as a shutter..

camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Wall_PF-1

It is actually a clone of a Fujica ST-F.
It could also be called "Little Ugly"

Doug

[Stephen]

Re-assembled for the time being, in full working order, with prism held in with tissue pads. I'll be looking for a prism I had spare when a viewfinder lens was needed for my Alpa, (Yes the Russian ones fitted perfectly). Not sure where it is, but another Zenit can be bought later if needed. The Exakta Prism is a bit too big in height, unfortunate, but the Russian one is definitely smaller.

The view focuses etc, and works, but has dark vague areas at each side. A further surprise is the screen is a Fresnel type, again it may have been a first in a 35mm reflex.

Stephen.

[Stephen]

Oct 16, 2012 15:47:09 GMT -5 Doug T. said:

Hi Stephen!
That is an interesting camera. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's done, as well as some test shots.
Berndt,
Here's another one that uses the mirror as a shutter..
camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Wall_PF-1
It is actually a clone of a Fujica ST-F.
It could also be called "Little Ugly"
Doug

Sadly the test result will be with the Trioplan, and only give as good as an EXA, as there is no original standard lens, for which I have set searches on Ebay, but that is a very long shot indeed to find one. With 200ASA film the camera with only 1/125th should be able to cover all outdoor shots with ease, as it stops to F22.
Stephen.