Yashica 44

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Just a teaser for now... more pics and impressions to come.

kansalliskala · Expire: 2016-12-30

Flashback .. I think my godmother had that exact shade gray Yashica?

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

The Yashica-44 next to a Yashica Mat 124G. The 44 is petite and feels more solid - less empty space inside - than the Mat.

The left hand gets the focusing knob, as well as (top to bottom): flash sync lever, aperture lever, self timer. I spent several moments wondering where the aperture indication is, or had it rubbed off on my copy? Turns out you read aperture from the other side, about 10 o'clock, right next to the shutter speed. The thing that looks like a mini flash shoe is the proprietary strap fixture.

The right hand gets the film advance crank, a very cute thing it is. However, you have to arm the shutter yourself via the lever on the side of the lens housing. Beneath this is the aperture window, you read the shutter speed next to it from the knurled disk that sets it. On the bottom, the shutter button.

From the front, the very nice shutter speed ring is visible. The lenses are Bayonet I so they take standard Bay I accessories, a good thing. The Yashicor I think is a triplet - the later versions and the LM I believe have the Yashinon. So far about the only complaint I have is that the viewing lens is a f/3.5 and therefore the viewfinder is noticeably darker than on the Mat.

127 film is available via B&H, the Frugal Photographer, etc. EFKE makes some b&w, and Frugal sells a Kodak 160 clone color film. I think the others are re-spoolings and cost a bit.

Frugal sells super-slide mounts & Dwayne's processes 127 slide film, so super-slides are a possibility with this camera.

Finally, here are instructions to do a 35mm conversion; I might try this once I have 127 b&w out of my system - has anyone done this sort of thing?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hans_marvell/sets/72157619656265732/

(All pics with the Tamron adaptall SP 35-80 01a)

fish4570 · Expire: 2012-03-21

That is one snappy looking camera ...

IANUS · Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 276 Location: Germany

Do you still have 127 slide film in the US?
I only get Rollei 80s b/w film here in Germany.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

What a cute little baby!

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

Quite a neat little TLR, about as near a handbag camera as TLRs got, I would think.
(I wait for someone to discover a genuine 35mm TLR) Smile

IANUS · Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 276 Location: Germany

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Agfa only made those on April 1? That's mind-blowing.

The most famous real 35mm tlr, and one I'd love to at least touch one day...

http://www.tlr-cameras.com/German/slides/Zeiss%20Contaflex%2035%20TLR.html

The internet is wonderful, I never suspected there are so many strange variants of 35mm TLR:
http://corsopolaris.net/supercameras/twin25/tlr35.html

How could I forget the Bolsey and Tessina and Samocaflex!

You can get 127 slide film from B&H and other places, I think these are aftermarket respoolings. And you can get the SuperSlide mounts from Frugal Photographer.

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

The Luckyflex is more the kind of thing I was thinking of.

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

I finally developed the EFKE 100, in Fomadon Excel (Xtol)
I'm not entirely happy with the sharpness, whether that's caused by the scanner, the camera, or my yeyeyeyes I'm not sure, probably all three.

fish4570 · Expire: 2012-03-21

Whatever the sharpness, lovely tonal range ...

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19