Big World Picture: Camera case #1 Seagull 4A "black face"

In these posts I will focus on various cameras form my own personal collection and I will add photographs taken using the camera (if possible to use the camera).

The Seagull 4A is a 6×6 TLR 120 roll film camera made in Shanghai, China by the Shanghai Camera Factory.
It was introduced in the late 1960s to complement the 1964 Seagull 4, and is reputedly still in production 40 years later.
I find TLR cameras great because I can put a dark filter on the lower capturing lens and still have a bright clear view in my focus screen.

The Seagull 4A have right-hand wind-on crank with automatic frame counter.
You simply fold out the crank arm make on rotation (until it clicks) and then fold the arm back into its hold position.

The fixed finder hood, which has the Seagull logo on top, consists of two parts that fold open. The finder screen is plain without any special focusing aids.

The finder optic is a nameless serial numbered 1:2.8 / 75 lens, while the taking optic is a HAIOU-31 SA- eight digit serial numbered 1:3.5 / 75 coated lens.

The five bladed fully synchronised leaf-shutter has B and 1 to 1/300 sec. speeds. The PC sync. contact is at the lower left-hand front, and the threaded release button is at the lower right-hand front. Below the taking lens is a small self-timer lever.

A special feature is the depth-of-field scale within the focusing knob.
This great for getting an idea on the focus range for depth of field. It is clear to use, you simply focus on your subject and then look at either end of the black or white curve that matches the aperture you are using. In this picture if you are using f11 then the focus would be between 10m and 3m.

This is one of my favorite medium format cameras that I own. It has a nice balanced weight to it and it is very easy to use with a clear and bright focus screen.

Below is a selection of photographs taken on my first roll of film loaded into my Seagull 4A.