Yashica Samurai X4.0
camera back and battery port opened image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights) |
The Yashica Samurai X4.0 is a fully automatic half-frame autofocus SLR camera made by Kyocera. Its unique design makes it the optimal still camera for people who never made photographs but know to handle a modern compact video camera. It's designed for one-handed operation. It makes exposures in half 35mm frame format, allowing to make 72 instead of 36 images on one film. It offers 4 exposure programs: autoflash, daylight, night, and night flash. Time and date can be enlighted onto the film. The camera name "samurai" is derived from a Japanese synonym for "bushi", the Japanese word for Japan's medieval warriors. Outside of Japan the synonym is always used instead of "bushi", thus the camera might have been designed mainly for export.
the common Japanese word for samurai (medieval Japanese fighter, warrior or knight) is bushi image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights) |
specifications
- Type: Autofocus Zoom SLR
- Manufacturer: Kyocera
- Launch: maybe 1988
- Film: 35mm film with speeds 50 to 3200 ASA
- Lens: 1:3.8-1:4.8/25mm-100mm Zoom
the Samurai 4.0 is a half-frame SLR: two images fit in the 24x36mm frame of a common 35mm film exposure |
- Shutter: speeds 3 to 1/300 sec.
- Focusing: TTL phase difference detecting autofocus
- Viewfinder: SLR finder with shifter for diopter adjustment
- Exposure: programmed automatic
- Film advance: motorized
- Flash: built-in, alternate flash can be shifted into the hot shoe on the camera top
- Dimensions: 74×125×146mm
- Weight: 690 g without 2CR5 6V battery
still camera in camcorder style image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights) |