# Starflex (?)



## Aaaak (Sep 25, 2015)

Hello,

I was gifted an old camera and I couldn't find specific information about it, would you collectors help me? 

Thank you.


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## Derrel (Sep 25, 2015)

That is DEFINITELY a Starflex twin lens reflex! I'm not an expert, but my guess is mid- to late- 1950's era, value $10. Have you seen the reasonably new trend/fad of taking these old box-camera-grade TLR's, and then building a paperboard chimney, and on top of the chimney, mounting a digital camera? You then take the images off of the camera's viewfinder screen! Photos shot this way have a very _*lensy*_, Diana- or Holga-like softness to them. Looks kind of cool!


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## smithdan (Sep 25, 2015)

Strange one this.  Don't think it's a Star series (Starflash, Starmeter, Starmatic) from Kodak, they shot 127 rollfilm and had fixed focus lenses.  The focusing distances are in meters so it's likely a continental European beast.  Open it up and look for some ID or a logo inside or a faint logo embossed into the covering.


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## vintagesnaps (Sep 29, 2015)

I was thinking too maybe European; the lettering to me looks modern/art deco.

For some reason it made me think possibly even Japanese? (resemblance to Konica lettering maybe?) and I did find a Starflex made by Tougodo that is supposedly a rebranded Toyoflex. Those look like TLRs modeled after Rolleis (like the Ciroflex and Argoflex and every other flex! lol) and don't look like this one.

This one looks to me like a box camera - latch at top back and knobs/levers lower side; and/or if anything maybe a pseudo TLR with the top 'lens' actually being used as a viewfinder not a lens. With a distance scale on the lens and the knobs possibly being made to pull in and out as a way to adjust aperture I'd think a later box camera ('40s ?).

I looked at sites I use to look up collectible cameras and I'm not finding anything else. It's an interesting looking camera, I like the lettering and design of it.


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## Aaaak (Sep 29, 2015)

Hello!
I'm sorry for the late reply and thank you for the answers. You made me even more curious about it. It's interesting that there isn't an easy answer. 


Derrel said:


> That is DEFINITELY a Starflex twin lens reflex! I'm not an expert, but my guess is mid- to late- 1950's era, value $10. Have you seen the reasonably new trend/fad of taking these old box-camera-grade TLR's, and then building a paperboard chimney, and on top of the chimney, mounting a digital camera? You then take the images off of the camera's viewfinder screen! Photos shot this way have a very _*lensy*_, Diana- or Holga-like softness to them. Looks kind of cool!


I showed it to an old technician, he didn't know much about it but he guessed almost the same "it's from the 40-50's", he said. He showed me how it works, which is really interesting. He said to me that it is probably working, but the frontal lenses is damaged and it wouldn't focus well. Funny technique, btw.



smithdan said:


> Strange one this.  Don't think it's a Star series (Starflash, Starmeter, Starmatic) from Kodak, they shot 127 rollfilm and had fixed focus lenses.  The focusing distances are in meters so it's likely a continental European beast.  Open it up and look for some ID or a logo inside or a faint logo embossed into the covering.



Ya, someone said to me the film is "120" (I don't know what this means, to be honest) and it shoots 10 poses.
I've opened it up and looked carefully all around and inside the camera and I couldn't find any kind of code, or brand or anything else. Would it be hidden? 
I'll later upload a couple of pictures of the inside, it might help you. 



vintagesnaps said:


> I was thinking too maybe European; the lettering to me looks modern/art deco.
> 
> For some reason it made me think possibly even Japanese? (resemblance to Konica lettering maybe?) and I did find a Starflex made by Tougodo that is supposedly a rebranded Toyoflex. Those look like TLRs modeled after Rolleis (like the Ciroflex and Argoflex and every other flex! lol) and don't look like this one.
> 
> ...


Nice infos that you gave me. It's really beautiful to me, I love the outside made of leather.

...
So, 
I have a question for you all, don't get me wrong... I'm that ignorant about collectable cameras... for the replies and the talk I had with a seller, I'm guessing it isn't anything special, but I must ask you:
Is it valuable somehow? 
I don't mean the money, I know it's cheap, I never intended to sell it and I'd rather keep this little beauty. But, if this is has some value for Photography, I'd give it to a museum or to a serious collector, someone who'd give to it the proper care and register. I'd feel bad for having it as some hipster decor if I'm wasting something important. I haven't even cleaned it, afraid of doing something wrong. 
So, can I clean it myself, put it on my room as a cute decorative old camera with a clean conscience? Or should I find somewhere or someone to donate it? 

Thank you all 
I'll be back with more pictures! 
Cya


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## vintagesnaps (Sep 29, 2015)

I don't know since so far none of us seem to have found it listed anywhere - seems like we've mostly eliminated possibilities. Most box cameras aren't worth much (I have quite a few) but this seems unusual (at least here in the US) so I don't know how rare it might be or if collectors or a museum would have any interest. It looks like a fairly basic camera, looking at the shutter release at the top etc. so I don't know if it would be valuable. A lot from the depression era into midcentury was made to be affordable I think. The lettering seems to give it some style.

I would not do much cleaning if any. A soft cloth, or soft brush. If you want to clean the glass I'd use something made to clean lenses and squirt a small amount on a microfiber cloth not directly on the lens/glass. Start with a small area that won't show. Leatherette can get fragile with age so I don't think I'd use a liquid cleaner on it. Some collectors prefer to do the cleaning themselves and I imagine museums might too.


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## Aaaak (Sep 29, 2015)

vintagesnaps said:


> I don't know since so far none of us seem to have found it listed anywhere - seems like we've mostly eliminated possibilities. Most box cameras aren't worth much (I have quite a few) but this seems unusual (at least here in the US) so I don't know how rare it might be or if collectors or a museum would have any interest. It looks like a fairly basic camera, looking at the shutter release at the top etc. so I don't know if it would be valuable. A lot from the depression era into midcentury was made to be affordable I think. The lettering seems to give it some style.
> 
> I would not do much cleaning if any. A soft cloth, or soft brush. If you want to clean the glass I'd use something made to clean lenses and squirt a small amount on a microfiber cloth not directly on the lens/glass. Start with a small area that won't show. Leatherette can get fragile with age so I don't think I'd use a liquid cleaner on it. Some collectors prefer to do the cleaning themselves and I imagine museums might too.



Thank you [emoji1] this is actually good news. 

And thanks for the tips on how to clean it.  

Sent from my C2104 using Tapatalk


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## vintagesnaps (Sep 29, 2015)

Just one person's thoughts, you may still get other ideas and suggestions.

Here's something on loading and using120 film from Silverbased, and from Marcy at Junkstore Cameras (Barbie not necessary and most likely useless!).

Silverbased | Film Newbie: Loading & Shooting 120

Box Camera 101

Almost forgot - this page on Photoethnography talks about 120 film. It doesn't come in a cartridge like 35mm does, it's on a spool and is paper backed; the paper tail loads into the camera onto the empty spool, then after you close the camera you watch thru the red window in the back of the camera to see the number of each photo as you advance the film (turn the knob).

Medium and 35mm Film Formats - Photoethnography.com's Classic Camera DB


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