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.
View profile →tlr-medium-format
The Yashica 635 Flash is a variant of the Yashica 635 (1958) dual-format twin-lens reflex camera, sharing the core platform — 6x6cm 120 film capability with an optional 35mm film adapter kit — while incorporating the Copal-MXV leaf shutter's M, X, and V synchronisation contacts fully exploited for flash work. The "Flash" designation highlights the camera's suitability for studio and on-location flash photography, where synchronisation at all shutter speeds (a feature inherent to leaf shutters) gives it a practical advantage over focal-plane-shutter SLRs of the same era.
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.
Develop — film
We're growing the lab directory near you. Browse all labs.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The dual-format Yashica 635 with full flash synchronisation at all shutter speeds — the same body as the standard 635, refined for flash work.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 film, 6x6cm (12 exp) / 35mm via adapter |
| Mount | Fixed |
| Taking lens | Yashinon 80mm f/3.5 (Tessar) |
| Viewing lens | Yashinon 80mm f/2.8 |
| Years | 1958–1969 |
| Shutter | Copal-MXV leaf: 1s – 1/500s + B |
| Flash sync | All speeds (M, X, V contacts) |
| Meter | None |
| Exposure modes | Manual |
| Film advance | Side crank handle |
| Viewfinder | Waist-level, ground glass + sports finder |
| Battery | None required |
| Weight | ~1,100 g |
Yashica launched the 635 in 1958 as its dual-format TLR, distinguished from competitors by its ability to shoot both 120 and 35mm film in a single body. The Copal-MXV shutter fitted to the 635 series carried synchronisation terminals for M-class bulb flash, X-class electronic flash, and V (self-timer) functions, making the camera versatile for studio and event photography.
The Flash variant underscored these capabilities in its marketing, appealing to portrait and commercial photographers who needed reliable leaf-shutter sync. Full synchronisation at 1/500s meant flash could be used to freeze motion or eliminate ambient light without the partial blackout encountered with focal-plane shutters at high speeds. Production of the 635 line continued until 1969, a notably long run for a fixed-lens TLR.
The 35mm adapter kits required for the secondary format were often separated from the camera body over the decades; many 635 Flash bodies on the used market today lack their adapter sets.
The Yashica 635 Flash occupies a specialised niche: a dual-format TLR optimised for flash photography at any shutter speed. In 1958–1969 this was a meaningful selling point for wedding and portrait photographers who used flash heavily and could not afford — or did not want — a Rolleiflex or Hasselblad. The Yashinon 80/3.5 lens produces results competitive with German optics of the era at a significantly lower price.
Today the camera's interest is primarily historical and collector-oriented. The dual-format capability is a curiosity; the flash-sync labelling distinguishes it from the basic 635 in period documentation. Practically, it functions identically to any other 635 variant.
The taking lens is fixed and non-interchangeable. Standard accessories include:
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →Yashica 635 Flash
Image coming soon