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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The Konica MR-640 (1985) is a 35mm zoom autofocus compact offering a 38-105mm Hexanon zoom lens in a consumer-market polycarbonate body. It was introduced as the mid-1980s consumer zoom compact market expanded rapidly, with buyers seeking telephoto reach previously available only through SLR systems. The MR-640 uses programme autoexposure, active autofocus, and a built-in zoom-following flash. ISO range covers 100-400, reflecting the film stocks most commonly available and marketed to point-and-shoot users at the time. Power comes from four AA batteries.
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.
View profile →C41
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
Konica's mid-1980s 38-105mm zoom compact - a consumer telephoto zoom in the pre-autofocus-saturation era.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Lens | Konica Hexanon ~38-105mm zoom |
| Year introduced | ~1985 |
| Zoom ratio | ~2.75x |
| Shutter | 4s - 1/400s, electronic leaf |
| Flash sync | ~ |
| Meter | Programmed silicon |
| Modes | Program only |
| AF system | Active autofocus |
| Battery | 4x AA |
| Weight | ~350 g |
By 1985 the Japanese camera industry had established the zoom compact as a defined product category. Fuji, Olympus, Nikon, and Canon were all competing in the segment, and Konica needed a credible entry to maintain retail presence. The MR-640 was positioned on the Hexanon lens name, which carried authentic optical heritage from Konica's SLR and rangefinder programmes.
The 38-105mm range was a common commercial choice for mid-range zoom compacts of the era - wide enough to cover group shots, long enough to isolate a subject at modest distance. The body design followed the conventions of its category: lightweight polycarbonate, a retracting zoom, and point-and-shoot operation requiring no deliberate input beyond framing and pressing the shutter.
The MR-640's production run coincided with rapid improvement in autofocus compact technology. By the late 1980s, faster and more accurate AF systems, slimmer bodies, and sharper zoom lenses from competitors had moved the market considerably. Konica subsequently developed the Z-Up line (Z-Up 70, Z-Up 90, Z-Up 110) as its successor zoom-compact family, incorporating multi-zone AF and wider ISO ranges.
The MR-640 is primarily a historical artefact of the mid-1980s consumer zoom compact segment. It demonstrates the commercial logic of the era: deliver telephoto reach and automatic operation in a compact body at accessible price. For today's film photographers it is a functional but unspectacular tool.
Its merits are practical rather than premium: the Hexanon zoom lens delivers acceptable image quality for casual use, though it cannot match the optical performance of the fixed-prime Hexanon lenses in the Big Mini or Hexar. Program-only AE is limiting for controlled work. The camera's value proposition today is primarily low price and the novelty of a mid-1980s Konica zoom compact in working condition.
It is not a camera sought by collectors for optical character or mechanical interest, unlike the Konica Hexar AF or Big Mini. Its audience is film photographers wanting an inexpensive, functional zoom compact for casual shooting.
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.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Konica MR-640
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