Minolta's metered 6x6 TLR — fixed-lens Autocord with selenium meter, waist-level finder, 1959.
The Minolta Autocord L is a fixed-lens medium-format twin-lens reflex from Minolta, part of the Autocord range that ran from the mid-1950s. The Autocord line was Minolta's answer to the established TLRs and earned a strong reputation for its taking lens. The L variant of the late 1950s added a selenium exposure meter to the Autocord body.
It is a twin-lens reflex shooting 6x6cm square frames on 120 roll film, twelve per roll. The lens is fixed, with a separate taking lens exposing the film and a viewing lens feeding the mirror and ground-glass screen. A distinctive under-lens focusing lever, rather than a side knob, moves the front standard. The leaf shutter sits in the lens standard, composition is through a waist-level finder, and the L variant carries a selenium meter.
The Autocord is a well-regarded affordable route into 6x6, suiting portraits, landscape, travel and general work, and its lens is often praised by users. The under-lens focusing lever is smooth in use though a known wear point. As a fixed-lens TLR it offers no lens changes, and like all TLRs it presents a laterally reversed viewing image that takes practice.
When buying a used Autocord L, inspect the taking and viewing lenses for haze, fungus and separation, and test the focusing lever, which is prone to breaking and stiffness on these bodies. Fire the leaf shutter across its speeds and confirm the aperture works. Check the film-wind and counter, and inspect the ground glass for brightness. The selenium meter has usually weakened with age and should be checked against a hand-held meter.