Yashica-44
The Yashica-44 line of cameras were introduced to the world in the late 1950s. Yashica had been producing cameras that used 120 film and when the Rollei camera company brought the “Baby Rollei” back into production, Yashica followed suit with its Yashica 44.
Using 127 film to produce twelve 4x4cm square images, the Yashica-44 was a very capable camera for making the popular “Superslides” that were nearly twice as large as standard 35mm negatives. When using slide film, the Superslide images provided nearly unparalleled color rendition, sharpness, and clarity.
Through its Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) design, the Yashica-44 allows for waist-level viewing of a ground glass and, as you may have experienced, everything looks better on ground glass. Its 60mm focal length equates roughly to a 46mm focal length on a 35mm camera, so the Yashica-44 is a perfect answer to the question of what camera is good for all-around photography.
The only blemish on the Yashica-44’s record is a small run-in Yashica had with Rollei over the color of some of the camera model’s leatherette coverings. An American distributor for Rollei claimed that Yashica’s “baby gray” color was too similar to the Rollei cameras. Despite settling the dispute, production of the Yashica-44s was discontinued in late 1964.
While they may not have had the cachet of the Rolleis, the Yashica-44 cameras hold their own in build quality, ease of use, and overall style. If you need a fancy German name to go with your 127 camera, find a Rollei; if you want a solid camera that you can use just about anywhere, pick up a Yashica-44.
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