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 Yashica FX-103 Program, introduced in 1985, is a mid-tier automatic SLR occupying the space between the stripped-down FX-3 Super 2000 and the more capable Contax-branded bodies in the shared Contax/Yashica C/Y mount system. Its key addition over the manual-only FX-3 line is a full program AE mode alongside aperture-priority and manual exposure, making it a three-mode camera accessible to photographers moving from point-and-shoot automation toward more deliberate control. The electronic vertical-metal shutter reaches 1/2000s, metering is center-weighted silicon, and the body accepts the full range of C/Y mount lenses including the Carl Zeiss T* range. It runs on four AA cells with no mechanical fallback.
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 Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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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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Before you buy used
About this camera
Yashica's mid-range multi-mode C/Y SLR from 1985 - program AE, aperture-priority, and manual in a polycarbonate body.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Contax/Yashica (C/Y) |
| Years | 1985 – ~1990 |
| Shutter | 4s – 1/2000s + B, electronic vertical metal |
| Flash sync | 1/125s |
| Meter | Center-weighted silicon |
| EV range | ~EV 1 – EV 18 |
| Modes | Program, Aperture-priority, Manual |
| Viewfinder coverage | ~0.92 |
| Weight | ~490 g |
| Battery | 4x AA |
By the mid-1980s, the C/Y mount system had developed a clear two-tier structure: Contax-branded bodies (RTS, 137, 159, 167) at the professional and enthusiast level, and Yashica-branded bodies (FX-3, FX-7, FX-D) as accessible alternatives sharing the same mount. The FX-103 Program arrived in 1985 to fill an AE-capable slot at a price below the Contax 137 MD Quartz.
The FX-D Quartz had established the template: a Yashica body with aperture-priority AE and quartz shutter timing. The FX-103 extended this with a program mode, following the industry-wide adoption of program AE that Nikon's FA (1983) and Canon's A-1 had normalized. The model designation "103" does not correspond to a clean product numbering sequence; the FX line naming across this era was inconsistent.
Kyocera, having acquired Yashica in 1983, manufactured the FX-103 through approximately 1990. The body was phased out as the FX-3 Super 2000's mechanical simplicity and lower price made it the preferred entry-level C/Y option, while the Contax Aria (1998) eventually replaced multi-mode Yashica bodies at the AE tier.
The FX-103 Program is a practical camera rather than a collector's camera. Its significance lies in what it unlocks: full access to the C/Y lens ecosystem — including Carl Zeiss Planar, Distagon, and Sonnar T* glass — with program AE that makes it genuinely useful for less experienced film photographers who want automation. At used prices typically well below $200, it is one of the cheaper ways to run Zeiss lenses in a functioning automated body.
The three-mode system (P/A/M) covers the major exposure automation patterns. Program mode is useful in variable-light street and travel shooting; aperture-priority suits controlled portrait or landscape work; manual provides full override. This flexibility, combined with the lens system access, places the FX-103 in a practical tier between the FX-3's bare-manual approach and the Contax-priced alternatives.
For photographers primarily interested in Zeiss glass quality rather than body prestige, the FX-103 Program represents a cost-effective system entry point with more automation than the FX-3 Super 2000.
Full Contax/Yashica (C/Y) mount compatibility:
The TTL hot shoe supports compatible Yashica and Contax TLA flashes. A PC sync port allows standard studio strobe connection.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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