The Wardflex II is a quality camera. It has an automatic frame counter (no red window.) It’s got nicely coated lenses. The 3.5 Biokor taking lens is excellent. The viewing lens is a Tri-Lausar which is the
taking lens of quite a few other mid quality TLR’s. The camera has a fresnel screen and a good shutter. A self timer and Rolleiflex style double bayonets on both lenses round out the package.
There were three Wardflex models. Two were metal and the other was plastic. The plastic Wardflex was
made by Argus and is a rebadged Argoflex E. The Wardflex II was the top of the line.
You may know all of this already but I’ll bet you didn’t know that the camera was part of a marketing scheme for the TV show “Leave it to Beaver.”
A whole line of cameras were planned for the marketing campaign. But only the Wardflex made
it to market. There was to be a “Juneflex.” A Wallyflex was in design when the plugged was pulled on the idea. I have a friend who worked on the “Cleaver Project” as it’s called in the industry. According to him the people behind the project felt that the final model name wouldn’t be well received by the public.
It’s too bad. I’d love to have all four models on my shelf. Hell, who wouldn’t ?
Detail of old water tower – Belchertown, Ma – Replaced in 2022
Arista EDU 400 in HC110(H) with no agitation (I forgot.)