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-G is a 6x6cm twin-lens reflex camera for 120 film, produced from approximately 1956. It sits in the lower tier of Yashica's mid-1950s TLR lineup, sharing the basic platform and Yashinon 80mm f/3.5 taking lens with contemporary models but using a knob film advance rather than the crank handle introduced on the Mat line. It produces twelve square negatives per roll and carries no built-in exposure meter.
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
Yashica's entry-level 6x6 TLR of the mid-1950s — simple, battery-free, with a fixed Yashinon 80/3.5 lens.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 film, 6x6cm (12 exp per roll) |
| Mount | Fixed |
| Taking lens | Yashinon 80mm f/3.5 (Tessar-type) |
| Viewing lens | ~ Yashinon 80mm f/3.2 |
| Years | ~1956 – ~ |
| Shutter | Leaf: 1s – 1/300s + B |
| Flash sync | ~ |
| Meter | None |
| Exposure modes | Manual |
| Film advance | Knob (red-window frame counter) |
| Viewfinder | Waist-level, ground glass + sports finder |
| Battery | None |
| Weight | ~ |
Yashica entered TLR production with the Pigeonflex in 1953 and rapidly expanded through the Yashicaflex line during the mid-1950s. By 1956–1957 the company offered a broad range of TLR cameras at multiple price points: the simpler letter-series bodies (A, B, C, D, G) targeted cost-conscious buyers and export markets, while the Mat series introduced the crank advance and appealed to more demanding users.
The Yashica-G fits within this lower tier, offering the core TLR experience — 6x6 medium format, a capable Yashinon lens, leaf shutter, and waist-level finder — at an accessible price. The G designation's exact position within the letter sequence and its production overlap with other models is not fully documented in English-language sources.
By the early 1960s Yashica rationalised its TLR range around the Mat line, and the simpler letter-series bodies were phased out as the Mat 124 and its successors absorbed both entry-level and advanced demand.
The Yashica-G represents the accessible end of the Yashica TLR range during a period when Japanese camera manufacturers were establishing themselves as credible competitors to German optics. The camera demonstrates that Yashica's Yashinon glass and Copal-type shutters were competent well below the price of a Rolleicord.
For contemporary users, the G is among the most affordable ways to shoot 120 film on a Japanese TLR with a Tessar-type Yashinon lens. The absence of a meter and the knob advance are practical drawbacks compared to the Mat line, but the optical quality is comparable and the mechanical simplicity is a durability advantage. The lack of any battery dependency is an unconditional positive.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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