C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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compact-35mm
The Konica Big Mini BM-201 is the founding model of Konica's Big Mini series, introduced in 1989. It established the formula that would define the line: a **Konica Hexanon 35mm f/3.5** fixed lens (4 elements, 4 groups, multicoated), programmed autoexposure, active autofocus, built-in flash, and a lightweight polycarbonate body aimed at portability over feature breadth. The BM-201 entered a competitive domestic Japanese market alongside the Olympus AF-1 and early mju predecessors, distinguishing itself through the Hexanon optical pedigree and aggressive sizing. It was succeeded by the refined BM-301 around 1991.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Kodak UltraMax 400 is a versatile consumer-grade ISO 400 daylight-balanced color negative film with T-grain emulsion, delivering warm Kodak colors, fine-for-speed grain (PGI 46), and wide exposure latitude. Currently in production and available globally as a single-roll and multi-pack.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The original ultra-compact that started Konica's Big Mini line - Hexanon 35/3.5 in a pocket-sized polycarbonate shell.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Lens | Konica Hexanon 35mm f/3.5, 4 elements / 4 groups |
| Years | 1989–~1991 |
| Shutter | 8s - 1/500s, electronic leaf |
| Flash sync | ~ |
| Meter | Programmed CdS |
| Modes | Program only |
| Weight | ~195 g |
| Battery | 1x CR123A |
| AF system | Active infrared |
Konica launched the Big Mini BM-201 in 1989 as a direct competitor to the compact Japanese point-and-shoot segment then being defined by Olympus and Yashica. The name "Big Mini" was deliberately paradoxical - marketing a camera that was large in optical quality despite its small body. The BM-201 was sold primarily in the Japanese domestic market, with more limited international distribution compared to some contemporaries.
Within roughly two years, Konica superseded the BM-201 with the BM-301, which brought minor refinements in body ergonomics and specification while keeping the same Hexanon optical formula. The BM-201 is the rarest of the core Big Mini models as a result of its short production window.
The line continued through the BM-301 (1991), BM-302 (1993), and eventually the zoom-equipped BM-310z (1995), before Konica wound down its compact-camera line in the lead-up to the Konica-Minolta merger.
The BM-201 matters primarily as the origin point of the Big Mini line - the proof of concept for Konica's argument that Hexanon optics could be packaged in an accessible point-and-shoot form factor. For collectors, it represents the first-generation version of a camera family that has developed a dedicated following in Japan and among compact-camera enthusiasts internationally.
The Hexanon 35/3.5 in the BM-201 shares its formula with the BM-301 and is the same core reason to own either body: sharp, warm-rendering, multicoated glass in a camera that costs a fraction of a Contax T2 or Yashica T4. The trade-off is a slower maximum aperture (f/3.5 vs the mju-II's f/2.8) and program-only exposure control.
As a first-generation model, the BM-201 is less commonly found than the BM-301, which makes it modestly more collectable but also means service knowledge is slightly thinner.
C41
Kodak ColorPlus 200 is an affordable, consumer-oriented daylight-balanced color negative film at ISO 200. Known for warm, slightly muted color rendition, fine grain, and wide exposure latitude, it is currently in production and widely available in Asia and select global markets.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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