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Camera Review
Yashica A Review: The Best $500 Entry Into Medium Format TLR Photography
Solid metal. Simple mechanics. Real 6x6 negatives. No batteries required.
The Yashica A — fully refurbished, re-leathered, and ready to load. Gray and Burgundy models at $500. Standard black at $425.
The Best $500 Entry Into Medium Format TLR Photography
You put your eye to the ground glass and the world settles into a square. Not quite right-side up, not quite how you normally see things, but clear and composed. Waist level changes everything. You're no longer hiding behind the camera. You're standing in the scene with it.
The Yashica A delivers that experience without complication. Yashica released it in the late 1950s as their first medium format twin-lens reflex. The design stays simple: solid metal body, Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 lens, leaf shutter, and nothing else. No meter. No batteries. Just the basics done right.
At Brooklyn Film Camera the Gray version costs $500. It arrives fully refurbished with new light seals, a fresh CLA on the body and lens, and recycled leather covering the body. The standard black edition sits at $425 if you want to spend less. Both carry a six-month warranty and come ready to load with 120 film.
That price gets you into real medium format TLR photography without the usual four-figure hit. The camera feels substantial in the hands. The focus helicoid turns smoothly. The viewfinder is bright and usable. Everything about it says this is a tool built to work, not just to sit on a shelf. It is not the rarest or most prestigious TLR ever made. That is exactly why it works so well as an entry point.
Yashica released the A in late 1956. It was their first medium format twin-lens reflex to carry the plain Yashica name.
They had already sold simpler TLRs under the Yashicaflex label. The A was the budget model in the new lineup. While German cameras loaded up on features and prices, Yashica kept this one basic. Solid metal body. Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 lens. Straightforward leaf shutter. No meter. No crank wind. Just a knob advance and a red window.
They built it that way on purpose. The stripped-down design put real 6x6 negatives within reach for serious amateurs who did not want to spend Rolleiflex money.
That same simplicity is why it still works. Fewer parts mean less to go wrong and less to service. The camera stays out of the way and lets you get on with the picture.
Built Like It Should Be
The Yashica A is built like older Japanese cameras used to be. Heavy when you pick it up. Solid in the hands. No flex, no creaks.
The focus helicoid turns with smooth, consistent resistance. The shutter fires with a clean, crisp click. The controls feel deliberate and positive. Everything operates exactly as it should.
Brooklyn Film Camera offers the camera in three finishes. The standard black version sells for $425. The Gray and Burgundy models go for $500. Both premium colorways come re-leathered in recycled leather. The Gray has a clean, modern look. The Burgundy feels richer and more distinctive.
Every camera they sell goes through a full refurbishment. They perform a complete CLA on the shutter and focusing mechanism. They replace the light seals. The lens gets inspected and cleaned for fungus, haze, and aperture issues. When it leaves the shop it feels tight and ready.
It does not have the prestige name of a Rolleiflex or the rarity of some other TLRs. Still, in the hand it comes closer than you might expect for the money. The build is honest. The fit and finish are good. You get the real twin-lens reflex experience without the usual collector premium.
Specs That Matter
The Yashica A centers on a Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 lens. Four elements in three groups, it stops down to f/22 and delivers even coverage across the full 6x6 frame.
The Copal leaf shutter offers speeds from 1/25 to 1/300 second plus B. That range covers most situations once you pair it with 400-speed film.
It takes 120 roll film and produces twelve square 6x6 negatives per roll. No fancy formats, no half-frames. Just straightforward medium format.
Look down into the waist-level finder and you see a bright ground-glass image with a pop-up magnifier for fine focus.
Everything operates manually. No built-in meter. No batteries. No electronics at all. Yashica left those features out on purpose. Removing them keeps the price honest and the camera simple to service. You end up with a tool that does exactly what it needs to do and nothing more.
Key Specs
LensYashikor 80mm f/3.5 (4 elements, 3 groups)
ShutterCopal leaf — 1/25 to 1/300 + B
Format6x6 on 120 film (12 exposures)
FinderWaist-level ground glass with pop-up loupe
Meter / BatteryNone
Price$425 (black) / $500 (Gray or Burgundy)
Shooting with the Yashica A
Put the Yashica A on a strap and take it out. Waist-level viewing flips the way you work. You stand square to the scene instead of raising the camera to your eye. The ground glass shows the frame reversed left to right, but once you adjust it feels natural. Street work gets quieter. People see the camera at your waist and often ignore it. Portraits turn conversational. You look at your subject, not through a viewfinder.
It travels light. The solid body slips into a shoulder bag without drama. On a trip you reach for it all day and it never feels like a burden.
Focusing is straightforward. The side knob turns with smooth resistance. The pop-up loupe in the finder lets you nail critical focus when the light allows. The ground glass stays bright enough for most conditions.
Film advance demands attention. Turn the right-side knob and watch the red window on the back. Line up each frame number dead center. There is no automatic stop and no double-exposure lock. Miss the window and you can overlap frames or waste shots. The same two knobs sit close together on the right side. Grab the wrong one and you advance film when you meant to focus. It happens to everyone once.
Before each shot you flip the small cocking lever beside the taking lens. Set your speed first. Change it afterward and the shutter can jam. No meter either. Pull out a phone app or guess from experience. After a couple of rolls the rhythm settles in.
Color film likes Portra 400 or Gold 200. Black-and-white works with HP5 Plus or Tri-X. The 6x6 square forces cleaner composition. You stop hunting for verticals and start seeing balance.
The pace is deliberate. You will not spray and pray. That is the point. The quirks are mechanical honesty, not flaws. Once you accept them the Yashica A stays out of the way and the pictures come easier.
The pace is deliberate. You will not spray and pray. That is the point. The quirks are mechanical honesty, not flaws.
Image Quality
The Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 is a four-element Tessar design. At f/3.5 the center stays sharp with good contrast. The edges and corners soften and pick up some vignetting. Fall-off is gradual and even. Stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 and sharpness holds across most of the 6x6 frame. At typical working apertures it gives plenty of detail for 11x14 prints or large scans.
Tonal separation is straightforward. Highlights roll off cleanly without clipping. Shadows hold usable detail instead of blocking up. Midtones stay natural with no artificial punch.
Color negative film scans straight. Portra 400 delivers even skin tones and balanced saturation. Kodak Gold 200 runs slightly warm but corrects easily. The square negatives carry latitude and information that make post work simple.
Black-and-white results follow the same pattern. Ilford HP5 Plus and Kodak Tri-X produce a long scale of grays with clear separation between similar tones. The gradual fall-off helps the subject sit naturally in the frame.
The Yashikor is not the sharpest lens ever put on a TLR. It is consistent, honest, and easy to scan or print. That is exactly what most people need from a $500 entry into medium format.
How It Stacks Up
The Yashica A is the most basic model in Yashica's TLR lineup. Later cameras like the Yashica-Mat and Mat-124G added several practical improvements. They use a four-element Yashinon lens instead of the A's three-element Yashikor. The top shutter speed increases to 1/500. And the film advance crank automatically cocks the shutter for the next shot.
Those changes make the Mats faster and easier to use in the field. Brooklyn Film Camera sells a clean Mat-124G for $585. The refurbished Yashica A in Gray or Burgundy is $500. You pay a bit more for the extras.
A Rolleicord brings noticeably better build quality, smoother operation, and sharper glass. It also carries a price tag often double that of Brooklyn Film Camera's refurbished Yashica A.
In the same general price range you'll find other basic vintage TLRs and a few modern alternatives. Most don't offer the same solid feel and low cost of ownership as the A.
The Yashica A gives up some convenience and refinement. In return it offers a much lower entry price and a simpler design with fewer things that can fail. For most people stepping into medium format TLRs, that trade makes good sense.
Yashica A — Black The same camera, standard finish. Fully refurbished with CLA and new light seals. Six-month warranty.
$425
Yashica A — Gray or Burgundy Re-leathered in recycled leather. Clean, modern look or rich, distinctive finish. Six-month warranty.
$500
Yashica Mat-124G Faster crank advance, auto shutter cocking, and a sharper Yashinon lens. The next step up.
$585
Final Verdict
The Yashica A is the best entry into medium format TLR photography available right now.
At $425 for the standard black or $500 for the Gray and Burgundy models from Brooklyn Film Camera, it gives you a fully functional, waist-level 6x6 camera with a capable lens and solid build. The experience is direct and mechanical. No meters. No batteries. Just you, the light, and the film.
Brooklyn Film Camera's versions stand out because they are properly refurbished. Each camera gets a full CLA, new light seals, and thorough testing. The Gray and Burgundy models receive fresh recycled leather covering. They come with a six-month warranty and arrive ready to shoot.
You give up some convenience compared to later Yashica-Mats or more expensive Rolleiflex models. In exchange you get a much lower price and a simpler camera that is easier to maintain.
If you want to start shooting real medium format without spending a fortune, the Yashica A from Brooklyn Film Camera is a strong choice.
Fully refurbished. Six-month warranty. Ready to load.
Yashica A Review: The Best $500 Entry Into Medium Format TLR Photography
Solid metal. Simple mechanics. Real 6x6 negatives. No batteries required.
The Best $500 Entry Into Medium Format TLR Photography
You put your eye to the ground glass and the world settles into a square. Not quite right-side up, not quite how you normally see things, but clear and composed. Waist level changes everything. You're no longer hiding behind the camera. You're standing in the scene with it.
The Yashica A delivers that experience without complication. Yashica released it in the late 1950s as their first medium format twin-lens reflex. The design stays simple: solid metal body, Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 lens, leaf shutter, and nothing else. No meter. No batteries. Just the basics done right.
At Brooklyn Film Camera the Gray version costs $500. It arrives fully refurbished with new light seals, a fresh CLA on the body and lens, and recycled leather covering the body. The standard black edition sits at $425 if you want to spend less. Both carry a six-month warranty and come ready to load with 120 film.
That price gets you into real medium format TLR photography without the usual four-figure hit. The camera feels substantial in the hands. The focus helicoid turns smoothly. The viewfinder is bright and usable. Everything about it says this is a tool built to work, not just to sit on a shelf. It is not the rarest or most prestigious TLR ever made. That is exactly why it works so well as an entry point.
The Yashica A Story
Yashica released the A in late 1956. It was their first medium format twin-lens reflex to carry the plain Yashica name.
They had already sold simpler TLRs under the Yashicaflex label. The A was the budget model in the new lineup. While German cameras loaded up on features and prices, Yashica kept this one basic. Solid metal body. Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 lens. Straightforward leaf shutter. No meter. No crank wind. Just a knob advance and a red window.
They built it that way on purpose. The stripped-down design put real 6x6 negatives within reach for serious amateurs who did not want to spend Rolleiflex money.
That same simplicity is why it still works. Fewer parts mean less to go wrong and less to service. The camera stays out of the way and lets you get on with the picture.
Built Like It Should Be
The Yashica A is built like older Japanese cameras used to be. Heavy when you pick it up. Solid in the hands. No flex, no creaks.
The focus helicoid turns with smooth, consistent resistance. The shutter fires with a clean, crisp click. The controls feel deliberate and positive. Everything operates exactly as it should.
Brooklyn Film Camera offers the camera in three finishes. The standard black version sells for $425. The Gray and Burgundy models go for $500. Both premium colorways come re-leathered in recycled leather. The Gray has a clean, modern look. The Burgundy feels richer and more distinctive.
Every camera they sell goes through a full refurbishment. They perform a complete CLA on the shutter and focusing mechanism. They replace the light seals. The lens gets inspected and cleaned for fungus, haze, and aperture issues. When it leaves the shop it feels tight and ready.
It does not have the prestige name of a Rolleiflex or the rarity of some other TLRs. Still, in the hand it comes closer than you might expect for the money. The build is honest. The fit and finish are good. You get the real twin-lens reflex experience without the usual collector premium.
Specs That Matter
The Yashica A centers on a Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 lens. Four elements in three groups, it stops down to f/22 and delivers even coverage across the full 6x6 frame.
The Copal leaf shutter offers speeds from 1/25 to 1/300 second plus B. That range covers most situations once you pair it with 400-speed film.
It takes 120 roll film and produces twelve square 6x6 negatives per roll. No fancy formats, no half-frames. Just straightforward medium format.
Look down into the waist-level finder and you see a bright ground-glass image with a pop-up magnifier for fine focus.
Everything operates manually. No built-in meter. No batteries. No electronics at all. Yashica left those features out on purpose. Removing them keeps the price honest and the camera simple to service. You end up with a tool that does exactly what it needs to do and nothing more.
Key Specs
Shooting with the Yashica A
Put the Yashica A on a strap and take it out. Waist-level viewing flips the way you work. You stand square to the scene instead of raising the camera to your eye. The ground glass shows the frame reversed left to right, but once you adjust it feels natural. Street work gets quieter. People see the camera at your waist and often ignore it. Portraits turn conversational. You look at your subject, not through a viewfinder.
It travels light. The solid body slips into a shoulder bag without drama. On a trip you reach for it all day and it never feels like a burden.
Focusing is straightforward. The side knob turns with smooth resistance. The pop-up loupe in the finder lets you nail critical focus when the light allows. The ground glass stays bright enough for most conditions.
Film advance demands attention. Turn the right-side knob and watch the red window on the back. Line up each frame number dead center. There is no automatic stop and no double-exposure lock. Miss the window and you can overlap frames or waste shots. The same two knobs sit close together on the right side. Grab the wrong one and you advance film when you meant to focus. It happens to everyone once.
Before each shot you flip the small cocking lever beside the taking lens. Set your speed first. Change it afterward and the shutter can jam. No meter either. Pull out a phone app or guess from experience. After a couple of rolls the rhythm settles in.
Color film likes Portra 400 or Gold 200. Black-and-white works with HP5 Plus or Tri-X. The 6x6 square forces cleaner composition. You stop hunting for verticals and start seeing balance.
The pace is deliberate. You will not spray and pray. That is the point. The quirks are mechanical honesty, not flaws. Once you accept them the Yashica A stays out of the way and the pictures come easier.
Image Quality
The Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 is a four-element Tessar design. At f/3.5 the center stays sharp with good contrast. The edges and corners soften and pick up some vignetting. Fall-off is gradual and even. Stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 and sharpness holds across most of the 6x6 frame. At typical working apertures it gives plenty of detail for 11x14 prints or large scans.
Tonal separation is straightforward. Highlights roll off cleanly without clipping. Shadows hold usable detail instead of blocking up. Midtones stay natural with no artificial punch.
Color negative film scans straight. Portra 400 delivers even skin tones and balanced saturation. Kodak Gold 200 runs slightly warm but corrects easily. The square negatives carry latitude and information that make post work simple.
Black-and-white results follow the same pattern. Ilford HP5 Plus and Kodak Tri-X produce a long scale of grays with clear separation between similar tones. The gradual fall-off helps the subject sit naturally in the frame.
The Yashikor is not the sharpest lens ever put on a TLR. It is consistent, honest, and easy to scan or print. That is exactly what most people need from a $500 entry into medium format.
How It Stacks Up
The Yashica A is the most basic model in Yashica's TLR lineup. Later cameras like the Yashica-Mat and Mat-124G added several practical improvements. They use a four-element Yashinon lens instead of the A's three-element Yashikor. The top shutter speed increases to 1/500. And the film advance crank automatically cocks the shutter for the next shot.
Those changes make the Mats faster and easier to use in the field. Brooklyn Film Camera sells a clean Mat-124G for $585. The refurbished Yashica A in Gray or Burgundy is $500. You pay a bit more for the extras.
A Rolleicord brings noticeably better build quality, smoother operation, and sharper glass. It also carries a price tag often double that of Brooklyn Film Camera's refurbished Yashica A.
In the same general price range you'll find other basic vintage TLRs and a few modern alternatives. Most don't offer the same solid feel and low cost of ownership as the A.
The Yashica A gives up some convenience and refinement. In return it offers a much lower entry price and a simpler design with fewer things that can fail. For most people stepping into medium format TLRs, that trade makes good sense.
$425
$500
$585
Final Verdict
The Yashica A is the best entry into medium format TLR photography available right now.
At $425 for the standard black or $500 for the Gray and Burgundy models from Brooklyn Film Camera, it gives you a fully functional, waist-level 6x6 camera with a capable lens and solid build. The experience is direct and mechanical. No meters. No batteries. Just you, the light, and the film.
Brooklyn Film Camera's versions stand out because they are properly refurbished. Each camera gets a full CLA, new light seals, and thorough testing. The Gray and Burgundy models receive fresh recycled leather covering. They come with a six-month warranty and arrive ready to shoot.
You give up some convenience compared to later Yashica-Mats or more expensive Rolleiflex models. In exchange you get a much lower price and a simpler camera that is easier to maintain.
If you want to start shooting real medium format without spending a fortune, the Yashica A from Brooklyn Film Camera is a strong choice.
Fully refurbished. Six-month warranty. Ready to load.
Shop Yashica A