Yashica Lynx 1000 - Yashinon 4.5cm f/1.8

[luisalegria]

I picked this up cheaply from ebay (of course) as "parts or repair". Fortunately Yashicas are usually quite easy to repair.



This dates from around 1960 I think.

This is one of the very few leaf-shutter cameras with a 1/1000 speed. And I believe it does indeed get to that speed, or not too far from it. The most common other such camera with 1/1000 is the later Yashica Lynx 5000. The shutter is rather loud for what it is, with a quite audible metallic reverb. The Minolta Hi-Matics and Canon Canonets and Konica Autos and even the big brother Lynx 14/14e only get to 1/500.

There is no silly EV system but it does have locked aperture and shutter. When you turn the shutter ring on the lens barrel the aperture will change to keep the exposure the same. If you want to change exposure you need to use the aperture ring. This isn't as bad as some similar systems, and it is easy to get used to.

The meter is the usual selenium cell of the era, not functional on mine unfortunately. It is a coupled meter with a match-needle window on top and also a rather obtrusive "head up display" in the viewfinder that blocks part of the image.

The bright line finder is otherwise perfectly OK, and it has automatic parallax adjustment. The viewfinder patch is fairly good on mine, not as good as new probably, but I have seen much worse. I may have to give it another cleaning. Close-up accuracy of the rangefinder is not what I would like, but that may just be me.

Service is as straightforward as can be. The shutters and aperture on these tend to be locked up. The front lens group just screws off, giving access to the shutter leaves. The usual screws and twist lock as on Compur shutters gets you to the shutter mechanism, and your opportunity to spray lighter fluid. A few treatments of this and some exercise of the shutter and all is good. The top comes off quite easily, clean that out, and there she is. I suggest that as long as the top is off the opportunity should be taken to check and adjust the rangefinder.

You should heed the suggestion of the Yashica guy to have a pair of snap ring pliers or a sharp compass to help with the removal of the top - http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/lynxfix.html
The soldering iron trick to heat balky screws may also serve.

Test shots on Fujicolor 100 developed and scanned at Walgreens drugstore. I tried to use 1/1000 as much as possible, and I don't think I missed exposure by much if at all. Exposure was either by guesstimate or my trusty old plastic Sekonic meter.















Flare test !

[Attila]

Excellent presentation! Special thanks for repair guide!

[rbelyell]

cool quality images. i wouldve guessed the film as ferrania, has a similar quality. nice find.

[dof]

Good job!

Another similar camera is the Minolta AL, also with 1/1000 leaf shutter. Repair notes are nearly identical too.

[Big Dawg]

A beauty.

[bhargav]

Luis,

Many thanks for the informative post. Actually I just got myself the same camera today and tried to clean up the front lens element and also the shutter mechanism as well. The only thing I couldn't achieve was to put it back together properly. When I turn the speed dial it works fine. I can also see the shuttercorresponding to the speed set. But the aperture just wouldn't change. It keeps turning smoothly so I'm thinking it is not locking where it should. Any ideas what I maybe doing wrong? I will truly appreciate your help.

Thanks and regards,
Bhargav

Please ignore my post and pm as I have managed to fix it. Loaded the film and hope to post photos soon!

[luisalegria]

Good luck bhargav!

[bhargav]

[Minolfan]

[luisalegria]

Hi bhargav.

Sorry to hear about your shutter release.

If we are lucky its just a lubrication problem in the mechanism under the top plate.
If you want to get in there it isn't too difficult, you just have to remove the top cover.

If not lucky its going to require removing the lens/shutter/helical unit from the camera. These are a single unit attached to a brass plate that you can unscrew from the front of the camera, after peeling back the leather from around the lens.

If really unlucky the problem could be the linkage within the lens/shutter/helical unit.

[luisalegria]

I did not check the later Hi-Matics ! Just the 7's and 9's.

You are right, the Hi-Matic E also did 1/1000

[fish4570]

i got one of these cams today from a thrift store for $15. i made a post about mine this evening. thanks for the yashica guy tip ...