Yashica 44B1959

History

Yashica launched the 44 series in 1958 as a 127-format companion to its growing 120-format TLR range. The 4x4cm format had a small but devoted following — it produced negatives large enough for quality enlargements while the compact 127 roll allowed a substantially smaller camera body than 120. The original Yashica 44 was followed quickly by the 44A and then the 44B, each representing incremental production refinements rather than fundamental redesigns.

The 44B dropped the EV (Exposure Value) coupling lock that had appeared on some earlier leaf-shutter TLRs, or simplified the shutter control layout depending on the market variant. It retained the core design: knob-advance film transport with red-window frame counting, a Copal or Copal-SVL leaf shutter (depending on market), and the standard Yashica waist-level hood with sports finder.

The line's final evolution, the 44LM, added a selenium meter without battery. After the 44LM, Yashica did not continue the 127 format, focusing resources entirely on the 120-format Mat line through the 1960s and 1970s.

Why It Matters

The 44 line represents Yashica's sole attempt to build a competitive "baby TLR" to contest the Rolleiflex T and similar miniaturised medium-format cameras. While the 44B never achieved the cult status of the contemporaneous Rollei Baby or the later Minolta Autocord, it offered similar optical performance in a similarly compact package at a substantially lower price.

Today the 44B is notable primarily for using 127 film, which is still manufactured in small quantities by specialty suppliers including Rera Pan (Japan) and Film Ferrania (Italy). Photographers willing to engage with 127 film can produce 4x4cm negatives with the same ease of use as any standard TLR, but in a body small enough to be genuinely pocketable. The 4x4 square format is also compatible with super-slide mounts for direct projection.

The unmetered 44B is the most accessible entry into the 44 line for users who prefer to meter externally; the absence of a meter also means there are no electrical components to fail or battery-voltage issues to manage.

Lenses & Accessories

The Yashinon 60mm f/3.5 taking lens is fixed and non-interchangeable. The shorter focal length (relative to the 80mm of 120-format Yashica TLRs) is appropriate to the smaller 4x4 frame. Accessories are limited:

• 30mm screw-in filters — standard thread for the taking lens; exact thread size should be confirmed before purchase
• Close-up supplementary lenses — available through original Yashica accessories or generic Bay-mount equivalents
• Ever-ready case — the 44 line had a dedicated smaller case; original examples are scarce

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• Used in Japan and limited export markets during the late 1950s and early 1960s, primarily by advanced amateurs seeking a more portable medium-format alternative to full-size 120 TLRs.
• The 127 format and 4x4cm negative were popular for direct projection as super slides in European markets; the 44 line was occasionally marketed for this use.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Yashica 44B