The Yashica Samurai is a half-frame 35mm film camera with a unique hand grip. It was introduced in 1987 and abandoned ideas of what a still camera could look like, opting to incorporate design from the camcorders that were becoming popular at the time. 

A half-frame camera is a camera that takes two smaller frames on one normal sized frame of 35mm film. You take images in the same way as a normal 35mm film camera, however when you develop the roll, you will have two frames side by side. You can read more about half-frame cameras here. Here is a diagram that explains the size of half-frames.

The Yashica Samurai autofocus has its pros and cons. It can be slow to focus as the lens moves in and out trying to find the focus point. It generally only struggles in low-light situations. 

To focus the Yashica Samurai, you half-press the shutter button and can hear the camera finding the focus point.

On the other hand, I have been blown away by how sharp and accurate the focus has been. When focusing in daylight, the camera performs really well and focuses in just a few seconds. The camera has never missed a focus point for me, making it my go-to choice for trips and everyday shooting.

Despite being a half-frame camera, the Yashica Samurai uses standard rolls of 35mm film and does not require any special developing.

I have used the Yashica Samurai a lot and it performs well with any roll of film you use. Most of the images in this article were taken using the Kodak Colorplus film stock as it has good results across all subjects and is an affordable roll of film to use. 

The camera is DX coded, which means your roll of film should have a DX code. Almost all rolls of film have a DX code unless your roll of film has been bulk loaded into a generic film canister that does not have the original details on it.

You can use black and white film in the Yashica Samurai too, as well as colour film. 

Every time I use this camera, it still impresses me. Whether it is taking portraits or landscapes, the focus is always spot-on, the exposure is correct and the images appear high quality. 

The camera is so fun and easy to use. It is a great camera to hand to someone who knows nothing about using a film camera, which makes it a great option for travelling and making sure you get photographs of yourself on trips.

Still not sure if this camera is right for you? Take our camera quiz here. Or read more about other half-frame cameras here.

If this article helped you, please consider buying me a coffee, so that I can keep creating content for photographers like yourself.