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 Walzflex II is a 6x6cm twin-lens reflex camera produced by Walz Co. of Japan, introduced approximately 1956 as a successor to the original Walzflex of 1954. The principal improvement is a brighter waist-level viewfinder screen, making composition and focus confirmation easier under typical shooting conditions.
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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
The refined follow-up to the original Walzflex, introduced around 1956 with a brighter viewfinder for easier focusing.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 film, 6x6cm (12 exposures) |
| Mount | Fixed |
| Taking lens | ~Walzer 75mm f/3.5 |
| Viewing lens | ~Walzer 75mm f/3.5 |
| Year introduced | ~1956 |
| Shutter | Leaf: 1s - 1/300s + B |
| Flash sync | ~ |
| Meter | None |
| Film advance | Side knob, red-window frame count |
| Viewfinder | Waist-level, brighter ground glass + sports finder |
| Battery | None |
Walz Co. introduced the original Walzflex around 1954 as part of the broader mid-1950s wave of Japanese budget TLRs. The Walzflex II followed approximately two years later, representing an incremental refinement rather than a fundamental redesign. The improved finder screen was a practical response to user feedback, as dim waist-level viewfinders were a common criticism of entry-level TLRs of the era.
The production run length and exact discontinuation date remain poorly documented. Walz Co. focused primarily on importing and distributing photographic goods; the Walzflex camera line appears to have been a modest side venture that did not continue far into the late 1950s.
The Walzflex II represents a small but genuine improvement on an already modest design. The brighter finder, while not as refined as what Yashica or Minolta were offering at similar price points by the mid-1950s, made the camera more practical in everyday use and distinguishes the II from the original in a meaningful way.
For collectors, the Walzflex II is slightly more desirable than the first model due to its improved usability, though it remains uncommon and inexpensive. It is an honest representation of the quality floor of Japanese TLR production during the mid-1950s expansion of the amateur photography market.
The Walzer 75mm f/3.5 lens delivers acceptable mid-frame sharpness at f/8 and smaller, with the softness and vignetting typical of budget glass from this period. Results are usable for contact prints and moderate enlargements.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →Walz Co. Walzflex II
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