Taiyodo Koki & the Beauty Camera Company

Beauty Flex

(two separate words) with geared-lens focusing & red-window frame counter/advance.

 

The following is a guide to the confusing array of Beauty Flex cameras. The sum of limited Internet "wisdom" suggests there were six models - the II, IIA, III, IV (early & late) and V - but with the exception of the late type IV and V, there is little consensus as to which is which. I have observed ten different models with no confirmed type III amongst them. 

​

[1&2] The earliest (circa 1951) Beauty Flex (Figure 1) is recognisable by

1. its 75mm f/3.5 Anastigmat lenses in an SKK shutter with speeds of 1/15 to 1/150,

2. the lack of an accessory shoe and flash-sync port, and

3. a flat nameplate with upper-case outlined lettering, although an image of the model with a different nameplate appeared in an advertisement($) in the January 1951 edition of the Japanese magazine "Photo Art" (Figure 2).

​

It would be natural to assume that the first model had no type number, but logic is sometimes absent in camera names. This 75mm lens camera is identified as the type "II型​" in the "Photo Art" advertisement.

​

[3] A second "II" type, also circa 1951, (Figure 4) differs considerably from the first model. It has

1. a pair of 80mm Doimer lenses set in a TKK shutter with speeds of 1 to 1/200, plus 

2. a protruding flash-sync post on the front-middle-left of the baseboard, and a user's left-side body accessory shoe.

​

This model has been seen with its original box (Figure 3), which identifies it as a type "II".

 

[4] A further example (shown in Figure 5) is identified as a type "II" in an anonymous article in the October 1951 issue of the Japanese magazine "Camera Fan" (on Flickr here($)). The only apparent difference between this and the previous Beauty Flex II is

• the "T" badge with a red background set on the viewfinder lid.​

​

[5] The camera in Figure 6 was found on a Japanese auction site($). Note that this model has

• a raised nameplate with a fluted edge, and solid upper-case lettering, and

• the flash-sync post replaced by an inset socket relocated to the user's left side of the body.

​​

The accompanying box identifies the camera as a Beauty Flex IIA. I think it's more likely to be an early IV with the wrong box.

​

Here is where things get a little bit complicated, because the same camera was identified as a "III" in a JCII exhibition (Figure 7), and identical models are more commonly named as an "early type IV". Before I get into that, here's a couple of anomalies.

​

[6] The camera($) shown at Figure 8 is the only example I've observed. It has a raised name plate with a fluted edge - like an early type "IV", but a flash-sync post  like a type "II". I think this may be the real IIA.

 

[7] The camera($) shown at Figure 9 has raised name plate and flash socket like an early type "IV", but this is on front of body location like a type "II". I have no idea what this is!

​

[8] Figure 10 shows an example typically named as an "early type IV" (circa 1952). It's often seen on Internet auction sites with a box labelled "Beauty Flex IV". More significantly, Figure 11 shows an image of an instruction leaflet confirming the "4" name.

 

I strongly suspect there was no Beauty Flex III because there was a Beauty III S (detailed in Beautyflexes (part 1)).

 

​[9] A second IV, which has become known as the late Beauty Flex IV (Figure 12) had a

• decorative fluted plate behind the viewfinder lens.

​

This model has been seen with its original box (Figure 13) and in magazine advertising (Figure 14), which clearly identify it as a "IV型" .

​

[10] The Beauty Flex V (Figure 15) was the last of the geared-lens focusers, and is thought to date to about 1953. It resembles the late version IV, except

1. the viewfinder lid has a TKK badge, and a sports finder window,

2. the shutter release was separated from the shutter housing and moved to a button on the front-bottom-right of the baseboard,

3. the flash-sync port was also moved to the front-bottom-left of the baseboard,

4. the TKK shutter was replaced by an "Etoal".

5. the back opening catch was changed from a clasp to rotating lock (Figure 16) and,

6. the pop-up magnifier surround reduced in size (Figure 17).

​

The "V" was also produced as the rebranded SCL Photoflex (Figure 18) with some very minor changes, which echo the styling of the later Beautyflex (one word) models. Note that the nameplate has an arched bottom edge - which was a feature of Beautyflexes, and the name is underlined - as seen on the Beautyflex D. This suggests the model was made in 1954 alongside the "D".

​

The uncommon "Crown Flex" and "Veri Flex I" of circa 1954 are attributed to the Tokyo manufacturer Kobayashi Seiko. They look very much like a Beautyflex D (with a different shutter and lenses). The Veri Flex (no number, see Figure 1) closely resembles a "Beauty Flex early IV", and most significantly has a pair of Doimer Anastigmat 8cm f/3.5 lenses. I think it is quite likely it's a Taiyodo Koki rebadge (image from Barry Toogood).

​

I think it must take a special kind of Nerd to watch this 51 minute video($), but here's a restoration of an early Beauty Flex IV. Personally, I would have replaced rather than cleaned the leatherette.

​

In summary - I believe there were 8 different models; 3 type IIs, a IIA, no III, 2 type IVs, and 1 V, and a "don't know what it is". Click the image below for visual summary of the key identifying features of the 80mm models identified.