C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Konica Big Mini BM-501 (1995) is a late-run member of the Big Mini family, positioned as a refined successor to the BM-301 (1991). It retains the fixed **Hexanon 35mm f/3.5** four-element lens and programmed autoexposure that defined the Big Mini line, with updated electronics and minor ergonomic revisions. The CR123A battery, polycarbonate construction, and active autofocus system carry over from the BM-301. Aimed at the same premium-compact segment in the mid-1990s, when competition from the Olympus mju-II (1997) and Yashica T4 was intensifying.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Kodak UltraMax 400 is a versatile consumer-grade ISO 400 daylight-balanced color negative film with T-grain emulsion, delivering warm Kodak colors, fine-for-speed grain (PGI 46), and wide exposure latitude. Currently in production and available globally as a single-roll and multi-pack.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
Mid-1990s refinement of the BM-301; Hexanon 35/3.5, updated electronics, same optical formula.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Lens | Konica Hexanon 35mm f/3.5, ~4 elements |
| Year | ~1995 |
| Shutter | 8s - 1/500s, electronic leaf |
| Modes | Program only |
| Focus | Active autofocus |
| Battery | 1x CR123A |
| Flash | Built-in |
The Konica Big Mini line began in 1989 with the original Big Mini, followed by the BM-301 (1991) which became the highest-volume model of the series. The BM-501 (~1995) represents the next generation in the fixed-lens branch of the family, while the BM-510 was released in a similar timeframe. Konica's compact camera development continued until the Konica-Minolta merger in 2003 and subsequent exit from the camera market in 2006.
The mid-1990s were competitive for premium compacts. Contax T2 dominated the premium tier; Olympus mju and Yashica T-series held the mid-market. The BM-501 was a strong value proposition -- Hexanon glass at lower prices than Contax -- but the Big Mini line never achieved the same collector recognition as those competitors.
The BM-501 offers effectively the same optics as the BM-301 at potentially lower prices, since the later BM-series models are less widely discussed in vintage-camera communities. The Hexanon 35/3.5 lens produces clean, sharp results in the f/5.6-f/8 working range typical of programmed compacts, with the warm color signature characteristic of Konica glass. For buyers who want Big Mini performance and are comfortable with a slightly newer, less storied body number, the BM-501 is a rational choice.
Compared to the Olympus mju-II: the BM-501 lens is f/3.5 vs f/2.8, slightly slower; the mju-II body is more pocketable. Compared to BM-301: the BM-501 is functionally equivalent with incremental refinements.
C41
Kodak ColorPlus 200 is an affordable, consumer-oriented daylight-balanced color negative film at ISO 200. Known for warm, slightly muted color rendition, fine grain, and wide exposure latitude, it is currently in production and widely available in Asia and select global markets.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Konica Big Mini BM-501
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