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 SEM Semflex is a twin-lens reflex camera manufactured by the Societe d'Exploitation Manufacture (SEM) in France from 1948. It produces 12 exposures on 120 roll film in the 6x6 cm format, following the TLR configuration pioneered by Rolleiflex. The Semflex was produced in several variants over its lifespan, including the manually-wound Standard and the semi-automatic Otomat, which used a red-window frame counter combined with a simplified advance mechanism.
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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 →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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About this camera
A French-made 6x6 TLR from 1948 carrying quality Berthiot glass, built to challenge the Rolleicord in the postwar European market.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 (6x6 cm) |
| Lens | Som Berthiot 75mm f/3.5 |
| Shutter | Prontor / Gitzo, 1s - 1/300s + B |
| Flash sync | X sync (varies by variant) |
| Meter | None |
| Focus | Manual via front-element focus knob |
| Viewfinder | Waist-level ground glass with magnifier |
| Battery | None required |
SEM was a French camera manufacturer active in the postwar period, producing cameras for a domestic and export market that was underserved by West German manufacturers in the immediate postwar years. The Semflex appeared in 1948 as France rebuilt its consumer optics industry. It occupied a market tier below the Rolleiflex 2.8 and broadly comparable to the Rolleicord — a capable, affordable medium-format TLR for serious amateurs and working photographers who could not access German-made cameras during the period of postwar currency controls and import restrictions.
Multiple variants appeared over the production run. The Semflex Standard relied on manual film advance with a red window; the Otomat introduced automatic frame spacing. Later variants received updated shutters and lens coatings. Production details are not fully documented in English-language sources.
The Semflex represents an often-overlooked chapter in postwar European camera manufacturing. While Germany and Japan dominated the postwar camera market, France maintained a small but technically competent camera industry, of which SEM was a notable participant. The Semflex demonstrates that quality 6x6 TLR cameras were produced outside the Rollei-Yashica axis.
Photographically, the Semflex matters primarily for its Berthiot lenses. The Som Berthiot 75/3.5 delivers results that are distinctive within the crowded field of 1950s medium-format TLR glass — slightly softer wide open than a Zeiss Tessar or Xenar, with a rendering that some photographers prefer for portraiture and available-light work. Collectors value the Semflex as an accessible entry to French camera manufacturing history.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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