There is relative consensus that the Yashica 44 was a short-lived model.
It is quite clear from both their serial numbers and advertising that both the 44A and 44LM were released by the middle of 1959 (see “Yashica 44 Production Timetable” below). There is conflicting data about release dates and periods of overlap of the three Yashica 44 Models. The availability of different colours is what makes the Yashica 44 unique. Except for the greenish blue of the Miniflex, the others were either black models, grey models or available in either black or grey. That is why it is relatively common compared to the others, some of which included f/2.8 lenses, shutter cocking linked to film wind and innovation as with the Ricohmatic and Minolta Miniflex. The Yashica 44 was a pretty and solidly built camera but as always, it was built with price and the mass market in mind.
Models were also released by Minolta (Miniflex), Ricoh (Super 44, Ricohmatic 44), Tougodo (Toyoca, Kino, Halma, Laqon, Tower, Prinz 44s) and Walz (Automat 44). This conclusion contradicts views expressed on some other sites including the entry for the Yashica 44 which claims that it was the first Japanese 4x4. According to, first to be announced in magazines were the Yashica 44 and Topcon Primo-Jr (badged and marketed as the Sawyer’s Mark IV in the US) in May 1958 (see Shashin Kōgyō cover) but also according to, as the Primo-Jr was advertised in the same month and the Yashica 44 not until July, the Primo-Jr was first to market. 34 mm x 23 mm).Ī number of Japanese companies producing TLRs responded almost immediately. I’m not sure whether it was a response to the short-lived 127 film “super-slide” boom or in fact was the camera that started it (super-slides use the same size slide mounts, 2” x 2”, and hence projectors, as 35 mm slides but are considerably larger in image area, approx. Until 1963, it was available only in an instantly recognisable light grey colour (from the RolleiClub). In September 1957, Franke & Heidecke reintroduced their pre-war 127 film baby 4x4 Rolleiflex as the commonly referred to “Baby Rollei”. There is also the photograph of the mythical Yashica 44 Auto in Sugiyama's book (similar to the 44LM but with f/2.8 lens and crank wind). The Yashica 44 was available with metalwork in eight colours, the other two in a more limited livery. There were three, perhaps four Yashica 44 models: the Yashica 44 characterised by crank wind and Bay 1 filter mounts but without the self-cocking shutter or other sophistication of its Mat big brother the simpler Yashica 44A, like the Yashica A, with knob wind and plain filter mounts and Yashica 44LM with selenium exposure meter, Bay 1 mounts and a knob wind which had more in common with the crank operation on the Yashica 44 than the knob on the 44A. Yashica 44 Production Timetable The Models and the Origins
Yashica 44 Series (44, 44A & 44LM – see also “ 44 Models”) Contents