Yashica T4

The Yashica T4 is a compact 35mm camera. It was introduced by the Japanese Kyocera Corporation in 1990, so it was not only available under the brand name “Yashica” taken over by Kyocera, but also under the name “Kyocera Slim T”.

The compact camera comes with a fixed Carl Zeiss T* Tessar 3.5/35 lens. The fixed focal length, so zooming is not possible, has a focal length of 35mm and a maximum aperture.

As known from compact cameras, the camera completely takes over the exposure settings. Neither the aperture nor the exposure time can be set manually, and the 35mm camera also sets the focus automatically.

The Yashica T4 supports all 35mm film from ISO 50 to ISO 3200, and it also reads the sensitivity automatically via DX encoding. A good choice for color images with the compact camera is the Kodak Ultramax 400*. For black and white images, you can buy the Ilford Delta 100*. Both films give solid results and are offered by reputable manufacturers.

The built-in flash provides more light in low-light conditions. Power for the Yashica T4, which is also needed for automatic film transport, comes from a CR123A battery (eBay / Amazon*).

A tripod socket and a self-timer are also present with the camera. So selfies and group pictures are not a problem.

The camera was made famous by photographer Terry Richardson, who used it for his pictures. As a result, the camera is still quite expensive on the second-hand market, but not least because of the high-quality lens, which is atypical for a compact camera.

Yashica T4D

The Yashica T4D is a variant of the T4. The difference is that it has a data back. That gives it the possibility to imprint the date directly into the picture.

Sample photos

Film: Rollei RPX 100