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.
View profile →rangefinder-35mm
The Mamiya/Sekor 528AL Black is a black-painted variant of the standard chrome Mamiya/Sekor 528AL, a fixed-lens 35mm coupled-rangefinder camera featuring a selenium-cell automatic exposure system requiring no battery. The specification is identical to the chrome 528AL: a leaf shutter spanning 1 second to 1/500s with full flash synchronisation at all speeds, a coupled rangefinder for focus, and selenium-driven AE with manual override. The black finish was offered as an alternative to the standard chrome version and was typically produced in smaller quantities, which accounts for the relative scarcity of black-finished examples on the current used market.
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 →BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
Black examples command a modest premium over chrome. Realistic working-condition prices are in the $40-130 range depending on cell function, paint condition, and shutter accuracy. A full CLA may approach or exceed the camera's market value; prioritise buying already-serviced or demonstrably working examples.
About this camera
Black-finished variant of the 1969 selenium AE rangefinder - the 528AL in less common factory black paint.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Finish | Black paint over aluminum |
| Lens | Mamiya-Sekor fixed, ~40-45mm f/2.8 |
| Shutter | 1s - 1/500s, leaf |
| Flash sync | 1/500s (all speeds) |
| Meter | Selenium, coupled AE |
| Modes | Auto, manual override |
| Focus | Coupled rangefinder |
| Battery | None required |
| Weight | ~625 g |
Mamiya produced black-painted variants of several 35mm camera models in the late 1960s, following a broader industry practice of offering black-finish versions of consumer cameras for photographers who preferred the more discreet appearance or the association with professional camera aesthetics. Black-painted Leicas, Nikons, and Canons had established the convention; camera makers including Mamiya adopted it for consumer lines as a relatively low-cost differentiating option.
The 528AL in both chrome and black finishes represents the end of Mamiya's selenium-metered fixed-lens rangefinder lineage. The 528TL followed shortly after (~1969) with CdS TTL metering - a substantive technical change that also introduced battery dependency. The black 528AL is therefore among the last battery-free fixed-lens rangefinders Mamiya produced.
Production numbers for the black variant are not documented. Black versions of Japanese cameras from this era consistently turn up in lower quantities than chrome variants, reflecting either smaller production batches or higher attrition from the period's photojournalism and professional use cases that disproportionately favoured black-bodied cameras.
The 528AL Black is the same camera as the chrome 528AL with a different finish: the photographic case for or against it is the same as for the chrome model. The selenium-cell AE system works without batteries - a genuine practical advantage in 2026 when the original metering power sources for many 1960s cameras are unavailable without voltage-adapted substitutes. A healthy selenium cell provides usable exposure guidance at no cost and no adaptation.
The black finish adds a modest collector premium over chrome examples due to relative scarcity. For a working shooter, the finish has no bearing on performance; for a collector assembling the Mamiya 528 family in all documented variants, the black 528AL is the rarer piece. The camera is not widely documented in English-language photographic history and carries no particular association with notable photographers or publications.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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.
View profile →Mamiya 528AL Black
Image coming soon