Seagull* 4A-103 | Frank Titze

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Seagull* 4A-103

Overview

The Seagull* 4A-103 is a classic, medium-format twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera manufactured by the Shanghai Camera Factory in China. It is part of the long-running Seagull* 4A series, which is known for being a very popular and affordable alternative to more expensive German TLRs like the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord.
Key Characteristics:

Twin-Lens Reflex (TLR): The camera has two lenses stacked on top of each other. The top lens is the "viewing" lens, which projects an image onto a ground glass screen in a waist-level finder for composition and focusing. The bottom lens is the "taking" lens, which captures the actual photograph on the film.
Medium Format: The Seagull* 4A-103 uses 120 roll film and produces square 6x6cm negatives. This medium format size yields high-quality images with excellent detail and is a classic format for portraiture, street photography, and landscapes. A single roll of 120 film provides 12 exposures in this format.
Fixed Lens: The camera has a fixed 75mm f/3.5 Haiou SA-85 taking lens. This lens is a Tessar-type design, which is a four-element lens known for its sharpness and good contrast. The viewing lens is a faster f/2.8, which provides a brighter image on the ground glass for easier focusing.
Fully Manual Operation: The Seagull* 4A-103 is a completely mechanical camera and requires no batteries to operate. The photographer must manually set the shutter speed (from 1 second to 1/300th of a second plus Bulb mode) and the aperture (from f/3.5 to f/22).
Waist-Level Viewfinder: The camera is held at waist level, and the photographer looks down into the viewfinder to compose the shot. This style of shooting provides a different perspective and can be less intimidating for subjects than holding a camera up to your eye. The image in the viewfinder is laterally reversed (mirror-imaged), which takes some getting used to.

In summary, the Seagull* 4A-103 is a classic, mechanical, medium-format TLR camera from China. It uses 120 roll film to create 6x6cm square negatives and features a fixed 75mm f/3.5 lens. It is known for its affordability and is often considered a great entry-level camera for those interested in the unique and deliberate experience of shooting with a TLR.

Evaluation

(++) A Cheap Camera
(--) A Cheap Camera Not Well Made

In 1980s/90s when medium format cameras were expensive and film cheap, it had some value.

26.08.25

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