Hobiflex, Japanese TLR

[Randy]

Can anyone tell me anything about this HOBIFLEX I bought recenty, other than the fact that the nameplate is missing?

[PeterW]

Hi Randy,

The Hobbiflex was made by Tougodo Optical Company in Japan in the early 1950s. I believe there were several models with different lenses and/or shutters.

Tougodo was (is?) an old established company going back to the early 1930s. They made another TLR at the end of the 1950s, a 12 on 127 similar to the baby Rolleiflex and, believe it or not, a 35mm TLR in the 1930s using unperf 35mm rollfilm. They also made a string of little 'Hit' cameras in the 1950s, but whether or not they were related to the Tougo-do, another old-established camera company in Tokyo I don't know.

Hope that was of some interest.

Peter

[Randy]

Yes, your info helped Peter. Any experience with one? Do they take decent pictures?

[PeterW]

Sorry, Randy, no experience other than seeing one on a stall at a camera fair some years ago. It interested me because I hadn't seen one before (or since for that matter) and I got chatting with the owner about it. I didn't buy it because he wanted £60 (about $95) for it, and I thought that was too much for an unknown quantity even though it seemed quite nicely made.

Peter

[Randy]

Wow! Hey Peter, I bought it for $6.99 US! Everything works! The fastest shutter speed is only 250, but it does stop down to F-22. Thanks

[PeterW]

Sounds a a better price Randy!!

Peter

[PeterW]

Almost forgot. I was over at a friend's house this morning and looked it up in a copy of McKeowns. OK, it was an old copy, 1993, but McKeown priced it at between $40 and $65, so your price looks good.

Peter