# Mini-medium format



## compur (Oct 26, 2009)

Recently found a Komaflex-S, one of the very few SLRs made for 
127  film. It's made by Kowa (Japan) and has a 65mm f/2.8 "Prominar" 
4-element lens. I bought it for the princely sum of $5 at a swap 
meet a week or so ago. It's in pretty nice condition with working
shutter (1 to 1/500) that even seems pretty accurate.












The lens is non-interchangeable but Kowa made a set of screw-in
wide and tele lens converters for it.  Guess I'll have to find those
now ...


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## ErectedGryphon (Oct 26, 2009)

Nice find, that would go good on my mantle piece


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## Buckster (Oct 26, 2009)

Very nice!  Great find!


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## Mitica100 (Oct 27, 2009)

Very cute!


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## compur (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks,   I've been looking for an excuse to explore 127 film a little 
because I've never really shot with it and I always thought it had 
something to offer.  Namely a bigger-than-35mm negative in a  
compact camera.

But then I do have a 645 folder that's about the same size as this
guy so I may only re-discover why 127 cameras went extinct.


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## Derrel (Oct 27, 2009)

Nice find on a cool-looking camera! I always wanted one of the gray baby Rollei TLR's...I guess now they are cheap. I had never heard of the Komaflex-S. Sure seems worth $5. Now that 127 film is extinct as an off-the-shelf format, it seems like that Film For Classics company has got a pretty good chunk of the custom film market and a single roll of film is worth about two to two and a half times what the camera set your back!


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## compur (Oct 27, 2009)

Freestyle carries Efke B&W in 127 for about $7.  I live nearby so next time 
I go there I'll get some.  They also often have recently expired or 
short-dated film in the store on their bargain table at a good discount. 

The camera could use some new light seals too so I'll do that first. It's
a pretty simple job on this camera.


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## Actor (Oct 27, 2009)

Vintage Kowa Komaflex-S Single Lens Reflex Camera - eBay (item 380170458353 end time Oct-28-09 20:55:51 PDT)


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## compur (Oct 27, 2009)

^ $40 shipping --ouch!


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## Actor (Oct 27, 2009)

compur said:


> Freestyle carries Efke B&W in 127 for about $7.


Great!  A roll of film costs more than the camera!  



compur said:


> ^ $40 shipping --ouch!


Get it on _Antiques Roadshow_ for an appraisal.


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## compur (Oct 28, 2009)

Actor said:


> Great!  A roll of film costs more than the camera!



Yes, another disadvantage to 127 film. I usually pay no more than $1/roll 
for 35 and 120 at yard sales and such.  Often people practically give it
away.


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## Actor (Oct 29, 2009)

Actor said:


> Vintage Kowa Komaflex-S Single Lens Reflex Camera - eBay (item 380170458353 end time Oct-28-09 20:55:51 PDT)


It sold for over $120.  I hope whoever won it enjoys it a lot.


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## compur (Oct 29, 2009)

There were 2 versions of the camera.  That one on eBay is the second  version. 
 Mine is the first version.


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