Yashica Rangefinders

[F16SUNSHINE]

Here are a bunch of sorta sloppy shots of some of my Yashicas. Sorry for the poor work
. I did a nice set and then accidentally erased the card. The re-shoots are a bit here and there.
Anyway if anyone wants more info on a particular model, please just ask. There are many others.
I tried to include the most interesting and less common.

Yashica YE. This is the first RF after Yashica acquired Nicca. Some unusual models actually have both label names on them (Nicca and Yashica). This camera is a near exact copy of a Leica IIIf with a LTM mount for lenses. It is actually an improvement in the area of the advance lever. One of my favorite cameras. This one is wearing a Yashikor 2.8/5cm



Yashica YF. The next in the line. Also LTM mount. Here you can see some originality in the design. Note the Nicca on the front plate. This cam has a very nice advance lever flushed into the back of the camera above the film door. Here we have a Yashinon 1.8/5cm. An improved design over the Yashikor and faster as well.


Yashica 35. This camera marks the end of interchangable lenses. It is the first fixed lens RF from Yashica. Note the long baseline of the RF. Lens is a 1.9/4.5cm.


Yashica EE. Here we jump forward a few models. The EE is an aperture priority Selenium Cel cam. This one has a 1.9/4.5c, Yashinon lens. It is my understanding that it was also available with a 2.8/4.5.


Minister III. This is one of my favorites I like the looks of it for sure. This camera is full manual with a built in meter as you can see. The lens is a 2.8/45 although it came in a f1.8 version as well under a different name.


Lynx 5000. The lynx 5000 is a super fully manual camera. It features the fastest leaf shutter that was available on a fixed lens RF at the time. Top speed is a sizzling 1/1000. Lens is a 1.8/45cm (guess I could have cleaned the smudge off for the photo )


Lynx 14. This is a beast of a camera. The lens makes it a one of a kind in fixed RF's. This is basically the same lens as the Tomioka 1.4/50 we all clammer over in these parts. A real monster hunk of glass with 7 elements in 5 groups. This one I got brand new in the box. It has never had a roll thru it as the shutter need to be flushed. I do have a working copy that has seen some work. Honestly I prefer the Lynx 5000. This guy although really impressive, is a tank.


Yashica Professional. Well now we skip forward a bit again. This model is from the first of the Electros. The Professional was meant to be just that. It is identical to the Electro G but for tw differences. The color is black rather than chrome and the ISO range is from 12-500 rather than 25-1000. As is the case with the lynx, the diode for the light meter is above the lens. This can be very useful to control metering in back-lit situations. You canuse your finger to cover the diode and lengthen exposure times. As all the electros are full aperture auto cameras. It is a beautiful little camera and in short supply. If you see one grab it. Chrispy sharp 1.7/45 Yashinon lens.



Electro GTN. This is the Black Pro model that was offered with the Chrome GSN that is so very popluar. In this guy th specs are identical to it's chrome mate (ISO range 25-1000).




M5. The M5 is an odd duck and a failure I think. There are few copies out there. It is an auto camera with 3 light settings rather than aperture control. Sunny, Cloudy, Or indoors displayed on the lens with cheesy icons. This one is important because we see the change to next to the lens diode for the meter. I think Yashica did not make t's R&D back on this model.


35CC. Here is a real gem. The 35CC is the smallest of the Electros. It sports the 1.8/35 Yashinon. This lens is sharp open and with it's speed makes for some real opportunities on the street and in Pubs etc. It only came in black. One other thing to note is it was only sold in Japan and Europe and not for long. The oddity with this camera is a two bladed aperture. Something that has in fact pinched me a couple times shooting stopped down in strong light. I show this one with a brightline viewfinder that makes street shooting using scale focus techniques a real breeze . If you can find one take it! It is a great camera.


GX. The GX is the last of the Electros and maybe the best. It has the AF system for flash, a super sharp 1.7/40 Yashinon lens, and is compact as you could ever ask for. One thing that is missed here as it is with the 35CC is a bulb setting. With auto exposure times to 30 seconds it is ok without most of the time. ISO settings are a bit limited of you shoot B+W. The range is 25-800. I would rather it 50-1600 or even higher. Minor complaints this thing is a gem. Here are both the chrome and highly sought after black models.


All phots taken with a CZJ 4.5/40 on the 40D shot at f.

Andy

[LucisPictor]

What an excellent collection!!

And thanks to your generosity, I also own one.

[Prometheus]

Very very nice, it's so sad the focus point on my EE is worn so you hardly can see it - nice camera otherwise. My Minister D works fine though.

A Lynx5000 went on Tradera yesterday, for £10... was going to buy it but my account had no money until this morning so I didn't dare. And it's not that different from my Minister D except the lower f-stop in the lens (1.8 vs 2.. But I regret it a bit :/

[Jesito]

Wow Andy, what a nice collection!

My favourite is the Lynx 5000, it's a wonderful RF and works without a battery.
The 35CC looks similar to the Konica C35 and all the similar breed, (GAF, CHINON, etc.).

Jes.

[Prometheus]

[Attila]

Nice collection!

[poilu]

wow! that's a encyclopedia!

[Nesster]

Thank you for the tour, I learned a lot. A very interesting set of cameras. I didn't realize Nicca merged into Yashica for example. And I've been confused about some of the earlier models. Wonderful camera portraits!


I have 2 GSNs, one looks good but has very little going on in the brains, and the other doesn't looks so good but is competent.

[koji]

Wow, wonderful Yashica collection.

I wander how those Yashinon RF lenses perform.

[Jesito]

[Farside]

Excellent gathering of Yashicas. I was unaware Yashica made a Leica clone - hardly surprising really, as so many did then.

[luisalegria]

Now thats a collection - you have the whole history of the product line !

[koji]

Thanks Jesito. Fixed lens Yshicas sport petty good lenses according to
Ogura's book and some reputations I've heard/seen.

I am more interesting in those first two L-mount Yashicor lenses.

[F16SUNSHINE]

Thanks guys for all your comments. I feel now inspired to take some nicer photos with the complete collection.
This has been a passion of mine for a while.
I have all but a couple odd ducks in the lineage and most are 100% functioning.

@ Koji
Next week I will have an Epson RD1 and will posts some tests of these lenses made with it.
Here is a B+W shot that was made with the Yashikor 2.8/5cm. This frame is quite edgy.
I like to push with traditional B+W film. I find that the resulting scans never look so good as a good old fashion silver print.
But here you get to look at something at least.

[img] [/img]

Andy

[koji]

Thanks Andy.

[montecarlo]

Excellent Yashica RF collection !
Congratulations.

[maddog10]

That is a great collection!
I have not seen some of these.

[kuuan]

what an incredible Yashica Collection Andy!

You did not show any Electro GL..I just bought one today:





I also have a 'CCN Wide' which I believe is the same as the CCN you had shown, only the lettering on the body is different:



Any opinion on the GL Andy?
I kind of bought it on impulse because since long I want to try to shoot film, but again I do not carry any film body.

greetings,
Andreas