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 Pearl III is a folding 120-film camera producing 6x4.5 cm negatives, introduced by Konishiroku (Konica) in 1955 as a significant upgrade over the earlier Pearl models. Its most important advance over its predecessors is the addition of a **coupled rangefinder**, integrating the focus measurement directly into the viewfinder-rangefinder window so the photographer can confirm sharp focus without separate distance estimation. The lens was also upgraded to a **Hexar 75mm f/3.5**, one stop faster than the f/4.5 of the original Pearl. These two changes together positioned the Pearl III as a more capable tool for available-light work and faster-moving subjects, approaching the utility of the German coupled-rangefinder folders that inspired the line.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the — 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.
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Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →C41
Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Develop — film
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About this camera
Refined 1955 Konica folder with coupled rangefinder and faster Hexar 75/3.5 lens.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 film (6x4.5, ~16 exposures) |
| Lens | Hexar 75mm f/3.5 (fixed) |
| Shutter | ~1s - 1/400s, leaf shutter |
| Flash sync | ~ |
| Rangefinder | Coupled (integrated in viewfinder) |
| Meter | None |
| Weight | ~ |
| Battery | None required |
The Pearl line evolved steadily through the early 1950s. The original Pearl (c. 1949) was a scale-focus folder with an f/4.5 Hexar lens; the Pearl II introduced modest refinements. By 1955, competitive pressure from German folders and from growing domestic rivals prompted Konishiroku to add a coupled rangefinder for the Pearl III -- a feature that had been standard on premium German folders like the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta B for years. The shutter was also updated to achieve a higher top speed of ~1/400s and the lens brightened to f/3.5. The Pearl III was followed by the Pearl IV (1958), which represented the culmination of the line with further lens and shutter improvements.
The Pearl III marks the point at which the Konica folder line achieved functional parity with mid-grade German competitors. Coupled rangefinders were the decisive usability differentiator between entry-level and serious folders in the 1950s market; without one, a folder required careful distance estimation that slowed shooting and increased the risk of focus errors. By adding the coupled rangefinder, Konishiroku signaled that the Pearl was no longer simply a budget alternative but a considered photographic instrument. The Pearl III also demonstrates Konishiroku's accelerating optical development: the Hexar 75mm f/3.5 was a more ambitious design than the earlier f/4.5 and contributed to the company's growing credibility as a lens manufacturer, a credibility that would fully mature with the Hexanon lenses of the 1960s SLR era.
BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Konica Pearl III
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