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 44A (1959) is a 4×4cm twin-lens reflex camera for 127-format roll film, built by Yashica in Japan. It is the upgraded successor to the original Yashica 44 (1958) and shares the same compact "baby TLR" dimensions while adding a built-in selenium exposure meter and a more convenient lever film advance in place of knob-wind.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the — 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 →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →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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About this camera
The Yashica 44A refined the baby-TLR concept with a built-in selenium meter and lever film advance — a pocket-sized 4×4cm twin-lens reflex producing square frames on 127 film.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 127 film, 4×4cm (16 exposures) |
| Mount | Fixed |
| Taking lens | Yashinon 60mm f/3.5 |
| Viewing lens | Yashinon 60mm f/3.5 |
| Years | 1959–1963 |
| Shutter | Copal/Citizen leaf: 1s – 1/300s + B |
| Flash sync | All speeds (M and X contacts) |
| Meter | Selenium cell, uncoupled |
| Battery | None (selenium) |
| Film advance | Lever advance |
| Viewfinder | Waist-level, ground glass + sports finder |
The 127-format baby TLR was a niche that Rollei pioneered with the Baby Rolleiflex in 1931. By the mid-1950s, Japanese manufacturers including Yashica, Minolta (Miniflex), and others had entered the segment. Yashica launched the original Yashica 44 in 1958 as a direct competitor, then the 44A in 1959 with the selenium meter and lever advance as upgrades.
127 film enjoyed modest popularity into the 1960s but was gradually superseded by 35mm for amateur use and by 120/220 for professional medium-format work. The 44A was discontinued by approximately 1963. The format saw a brief revival of interest in the late 2000s–2010s when Efke and then Rerapan began producing fresh 127 emulsions, and small-batch 127 film remains available from specialty suppliers.
The Yashica 44A is the most capable of Yashica's 127-format TLRs — the selenium meter and lever advance make it more convenient to use than the basic Yashica 44. The baby TLR form factor is distinctive: small enough to carry casually but producing significantly larger negatives than 35mm (4×4cm vs. 24×36mm).
The Yashinon 60/3.5 optic is well regarded for its format. The camera's primary limitation for contemporary use is 127 film availability — but fresh stock does exist, and the format produces a unique aesthetic.
The Yashica 44A accepts Bay 1 accessories:
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →Yashica 44A
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