Japan 1961 – Compact – 35 mm (half frame) – Rare.
The Yashica Rapid is a distinctive half-frame viewfinder camera featuring an elegant and atypical vertical design, a hallmark of the innovative approaches seen in Japanese cameras of the 1960s.
Half-frame cameras employ a film format that is half the size of the standard exposure format, often applied to 35mm film where the regular format is 24×36 mm. In the case of the Yashica Rapid, it captures 18×24 mm exposures. One of its merits is the ability to obtain 72 exposures on a roll typically designed for 36 exposures.
Adding to the uniqueness of the Yashica Rapid is its advance mechanism, which necessitates pulling a leather strap to both advance the film and cock the shutter. Blending a distinctive combination of subdued metal and glossy dark plastic insets, the Yashica Rapid stands out as a captivating camera and a splendid collectible.
