YashicaT4 (T*)

The Yashica T4 (T*) is a product of the early 1990s, when premium compacts and motorised zooms split the market in two — a autofocus compact paired with a Carl Zeiss Tessar T* 35mm f/3.5. Some backstory: Terry Richardson's signature camera — love him or hate him, the T4 is iconic.

Format

35mm

Year

1990

Lens

Carl Zeiss Tessar T* 35mm f/3.5

Min. focus

0.35 m

Flash

Built-in

Battery

1× CR123A

The Carl Zeiss Tessar T* 35mm f/3.5 sits in the daylight sweet spot: sharp wide open, well-corrected against flare, and small enough to disappear in a jacket pocket. Standard 35mm keeps it compatible with whatever Kodak, Ilford, Fuji or CineStill stock you find on the shelf today. A single CR123A lithium cell powers everything including the motor; still cheap and stocked at most camera shops. The built-in flash will fire whenever the meter decides it should, so learn the override before your first night out. Minimum focus is 0.35 m — unusually close for a compact of this era and a genuine advantage over rivals that stop at 0.7 m or 1 m. You can fill the frame with a coffee cup, a flower, or a face without stepping back. Something that catches new owners off guard: has a periscope finder on top for shooting from the hip. Best for street, travel and environmental portraits — 35mm is the all-rounder documentary photographers default to.

The Yashica T4 (T*) has its fans for a reason, but it's no longer a secret — set a strict budget, hold out for a clean copy, and don't overpay for a famous name. File away for later: prices have 10x'd in the last decade. Sorry.

• §1Terry Richardson's signature camera — love him or hate him, the T4 is iconic.
• §2Has a periscope finder on top for shooting from the hip.
• §3Prices have 10x'd in the last decade. Sorry.