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Kalloflex Automat

The Kalloflex Automat is a high end, Japanese TLR manufactured by Kowa, beginning in 1954. It is similar in appearance and function to the Yashica Mat and Rolleiflex Automat cameras of the early 1950s. Its most distinguishing feature includes the combined focus knob and film crank, both sitting on the right side of the camera, under the user's right hand. This feature stands out from the more common style of placing focusing and film winding on opposite sides of the camera, made popular by crank-advance TLRs.

The Kalloflex sports a four element 75mm f/3.5 Prominar lens, which was boasted as having exceptional resolving power. These cameras have been referred to as the "poor man's Rolleiflex cameras," because of their affordability; they offer quality on a budget.

During its production run, there were two variants of the Kalloflex Automat. The Model 1, introduced in 1954, has a Seikosha-Rapid shutter, no multiple exposure capability, and a flash sync of X only. The Model 2, introduced in 1956, has a Seikosha-MX shutter, is capable of multiple exposures, and has flash sync options of M, F, and X.

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Kalloflex Automat, Model 1

There is a certain joy to using TLR (twin lens reflex) cameras. We know that most of you reading this already know what we mean but, for those unfamiliar with the TLR, we thought we would share a bit more about them.

The most distinguishing feature of a TLR is its two lenses, which give the camera its name. The top lens is your viewing lens while the film is exposed via the bottom, "taking" lens. Unlike an SLR, you do not see through the lens being used to make the image, but unlike a rangefinder camera, you are still seeing through a lens that is set to match what the taking lens sees.

This setup gives some advantages and disadvantages. One advantage being that TLR cameras can employ a fixed mirror for viewing. This way, when the shutter is fired, the mirror remains in place and does not generate any noise or shake. TLR cameras therefore tend to be super quiet. Another interesting fact is that your view never blacks out - you continue to see through the viewfinder, even during exposure.

TLR cameras do tend to struggle a bit with close focusing. Most will only focus down to about 1 meter (the Mamiya TLRs being a big exception) and, even then, you have to watch out for parallax error when focusing close. At closer distances, there is a greater and greater difference between what the top and bottom lenses see. Lie on your side in bed and close your bottom eye, then open it and close your top eye. Note how your view changes, this same thing happens with TLRs at close distances, as well. Some TLRs (like the later Rolleiflexes) correct their viewfinders for parallax as you begin to focus closer, but many do not; requiring you to keep that in mind as you compose those close portraits, lest you cut off the top of a head.