Which Yashica SLR?

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

Okay, I've been looking at many of the photos here taken with both Contax and Yashica lenses that will mount to the more modern Contax and Yashica SLRs, and I'm at the point now where I'm interested in acquiring some. I'll get an adapter for my EOS DSLR so I can use them with it, but I would like to have a film camera I can use them with also.

It seems like even Contaxes that are going on 30 years old still sell for quite a bit, so I'm thinking about going with a Yashica instead. I've researched the subject somewhat and it appears that the following models would all work pretty well. But I would also be interested in any preferences you may have, and of course, why.

FR
FR-I
FX-1
FX-2
FX-3
FX-3 Super 2000
FX-7
FX-D
FX-103 Program

Thanks!

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

The FR was my first camera in '83 (Yup I was a kid then).
It is still going strong and I use it occasionally.
I love that camera. It is fully manual with a simple 3 led Meter system.
Takes a 6v L28 battery very easy to find.
I also have an FR1 which adds a AE system.

All the FR cameras take the Contax RTS system acc (drives, VF mags RH finders..etc).

The FX 3 is another full manual camera I highly recommend. Cosina built it is very light weight but quite durabable.
Take the FX3 2000 model as the grip is vinyl and will not wear off.

My experience with all the remaining models you list is that they should be avoided due to poor reliability and build quality IMHO.

Actaully the FX1,2 are built quite well but have clumsy power systems to the meter and seldom work in that area. They are also a bit large.

Poolhall · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 1296

Would agree with the above but FX-7 is just a Chrome FX-3, so should be ok. I can recommend Fr, Fr1 and FX-3, all of which I have and still occasionally use but also Fx103p if you can find it- I had one for a long time from about 1985 and never had a problem with it. If it was one to really push I would go for the Fx-3 too its an excellent camera Very Happy

berraneck · Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 5:37 am Post subject:

it is bit OT, but i´d rather go for contax body. 167, 139 or aria.

from yashica models think about FX3, but i do not know others well

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

If I could find a Contax body for a reasonable price, I'd prefer it too. I suppose, if I'm patient, I may run across a 139Q priced cheaply enough. That's the oldest Contax I'd be interested in, though.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

I used to have an FX2 and it was very spartan but solid and reliable.
They tell me FX3 is even better.
Both are super cheap.

jmiro · Expire: 2012-03-03

I agree with most of what the other people have said. I have over time tried out most of the Yashica and Contax bodies and I kept the three - FR-I, FX-3 Super 2000, 167MT - I talk about below as having the best features of their respective series.

The FR series is very well made - the best built Yashicas. The most useful one is the FR-i. It has both manual and aperture priority - the FR manual only and FR-ii only aperture priority. Its viewfinder has the most info but not in an intrusive way - f-stop, shutter speed and manual mode indicator. You can attach winders and databacks to all the FR series whether they say Yashica or Contax.

The FX-3 in all its variations is very light, has mirror lock-up with the timer, viewfinder leds that are just +, -, or 0 and a good vertical travel shutter. The FX-3 Super 2000 has a flash ready viewfinder sign, a useful built-in hand grip, one faster speed and a somewhat brighter viewfinder.

The Contax 167 MT is normally not that much more expensive than either the FR I or FX-3 Super 2000, though you may have to wait a while for a reasonable price. It is very well built. It has a quiet built in motor, has many modes - various "programs," aperture, shutter and manual, full but not intrusive viewfinder info, and the "largest" and clearest view screen of the three I talk about. Perhaps most importantly for you, if I correctly remember your complaints about some Canon bodies, it has both center weighted and spot metering, the only reasonably priced Contax body that has both. None of the Yashicas has both.

The FR-I and 167 MT have very smooth shutter releases that are a joy to use.

Cobalt60 · Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: Central Europe

+1 for the 167MT - but you have to be careful to get a fully working model off fleabay, I remember some electrical problem in quite a few (but if they got it the don't work at all, so those should be easily spotted)

Revolution · Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Posts: 7

THe two best IMO are Yashica FR1 and FX1.

FRI
Manual and aperture priority
Aperture and shutter speed in viewfinder, split image view
Depth of field preview button
Electronic shutter release

FX1
As FR1 but without the split image and manual shutter release.

I believe the FX series may be more durable than the FR series. THe film counters are often broken on FR series.

The rest of the FRs and FXs are aperture priority or totally manual.

I have the FRII (aperture priority), I do not need manual and I dont really know why people find it desirable either. It has planar 50mm 1.7, the only fault is no DOF preview, I would have preferred the FRI but only for the DOF button.

The other Yashica C/Y mount cameras do not offer anything over the FX1 and FRII except the model with the 2000 shutter speed, but it does not have dof button.

Revolution · Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Posts: 7

I should add that the Yashica FRII cost me $20 plus postage so very cheap. The planar has some dust specs but cost me $15.
You can get the Yashica bodies cheaper than the contax, if you wait you should be able to pick up a FR1 well under $50 on Ebay.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

Thanks for all the comments, guys. I have a few more questions:

Of all the models that you've mentioned preferences for, which have fully coupled manual modes? By that I mean that the meter responds when either the shutter speed dial or the aperture ring are moved. As you probably know, with a lot of cameras that have program modes, the manual modes are not fully coupled. For example, on A-series Canons in manual mode, the meter readout will change as shutter speeds are adjusted, but it does not when the aperture ring is turned. Vice versa, for instance, with some Minoltas, like the X700.

So anyway, I'd prefer to have a camera that isn't halfway crippled in manual mode.

Also, do you happen to know how tight the metering patterns are? Canon used to advertise their A-series cameras as having a "bottom-centerweighted" pattern. But my experience was that the weighting was very mild -- too mild if one's shooting slides. Nikon's traditional "60/40" pattern, where 60% of the metering occurs within the central circle visible in the viewfinder, works much better. And the "80/20" pattern found on the F3 is even better, IMO.

Jmiro, I would love to be able to snag a 167MT. As I recall, when it was new, it sold for about the same price as a Nikon F3HP, perhaps even a bit more. But, unlike used F3s these days, I seldom see it selling on eBay for reasonable. It's still an expensive camera, if I can use eBay as any indication.

jmiro · Expire: 2012-03-03

Revolution · Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Posts: 7

Most of the info you can find by looking for the manual in Butkus.org
eg.

Yashica FR1
Exposure Meter:. Center weighted full aperture light metering via SPA cell.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

Jmiro,

I hadn't thought to check KEH. Thanks for the reminder.

Sure, I'm interested in Contax glass, but not just Contax. I've seen some incredible images posted here that were taken with Yashica lenses as well, so I'm interested in acquiring some of them eventually also.

Rev, thanks for the reminder about butkus. Good idea.

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

167MT big viewfinder...but no diopter correction

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21