Before there was Yashica there was Yashima. From its humble beginnings in the small town of Suwa in the shadows of the Japanese Alps and along the shores of Lake Suwa, Yashica grew to be Japan’s largest producer of high quality but low priced twin-lens reflex (TLR) medium format (6x6cm) cameras in less than a decade. The ‘Sailor Boy’ figurine is from 1962 and the box is from 1953. This box holds the very first camera that bore the Yashima name. The presentation box as they are called, has survived over six decades of use and represents the oldest box in our collection. Relatively rare (maybe really really rare) box is seldom seen outside of Japan. Most camera boxes from the 1950s were thrown away or just simply fell apart. 
Author Chris and Carol
Tomioka & Yashica
As best as I can tell, Tomioka Optical in Tokyo has always made the lenses used by Yashica and Yashima. In fact at some point in the late 1960s (I believe 1968) Yashica acquired Tomioka as part of their company. The Tominon name sometimes appeared on lenses that also had the Yashinon name. On occasion, Yashica would also “allow” Tomioka to put their name on the lens. The image attached to this article is an example of that. The Tomioka “branded” 55mm f/ 1.2 lens is to some the epitome of the classic fast lenses of the 1970s. I don’t have that lens in my collection as it almost always appears for sale on auction sites near the $1,000 mark… well out of my range for a lens that I would use infrequently. In addition, the mystique of the lens may outweigh the actual performance of the optics.
No doubt though the lens is fast and did perform well enough for its reputation to grow with an almost cult-like following. It is certainly a good looking lens that any Yashica collector would like to have.
This image is from a recently acquired Yashica publication titled Yashica TL ELECTRO-X, The Creative System of Photography. Some excellent images, illustrations, charts and descriptions of the TL Electro-X ITS and its accessories are spread out over its 45 pages.
Of note, the “model number” of these lenses are included in the serial numbers… they begin with 552 which tells the focal length of the lens (55mm) and the 2 indicates (f/ 1.2) aperture or “speed”. The next four numbers are the production sequence numbers. So when you see a serial number of “No. 5520312” you know that you’re looking at a 55mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/ 1.2 and it was the 312th unit made.
Tomioka Auto-Yashinon f/ 1.2 55mm lens.
45 page publication from around 1972.
Yashica TL Electro-X ‘ITS’
After nearly five years of research and thousands of “searches” on auction sites, I finally have my answer! ‘ITS‘ as it relates to the famous and groundbreaking Yashica TL Electro-X stands for… are you ready? Nothing!
That’s right… nothing. I’ve just finished reading what appears to be the most comprehensive guidebook on the TL Electro-X (from Yashica no less) and not one word as to why the marketing guys and gals at the office in Shibuya picked ‘ITS‘ to appear on the lower left front of the camera. Not one hint… no clues… nothing!
Okay so more than likely it was meant to mean exactly that… nothing. I can live with that. Marketing people don’t have to explain anything they do. ‘ITS‘ simply looks good. So fast forward from 1968 to the present day. Hear I am stressed out about what may have been a whim… an afterthought… or maybe something one of the designers casually mentioned in a meeting while you know, designing the thing. ‘ITS’… sounds good.
I’ve imagined what it may mean hundreds of times (sad to admit that) and nothing really fits for the time period except that maybe the ‘I‘ stands for “integrated”. Like integrated circuit or I.C. as I’ve sometimes seen it mentioned in other Yashica sales brochures. That’s got to be it. After all, the NASA people were always using that term during the height of the space race. Okay so maybe we now know that the ‘I‘ stands for “integrated”. Simple. The ‘T‘ has always stood for “technology” to me. What else would the ‘T‘ stand for? Timed? As in timed shutter. Oh that’s a good guess. I like it. Maybe the ‘TS’ part is for “timed shutter”? That’s another good one. Integrated… Timed… Shutter!!! Or how about “Interval” timed shutter? That’s ‘ITS‘ isn’t it?
Solved! Finished! No more worries right? No… that isn’t it. It’s got to mean something else. Something catchy, something better than that. Well the book (sales brochure) I just finished reading never mentioned what the ‘ITS‘ stood for. Just like the hundred other brochures and ads I’ve read. But wait! Hold on! There on the cover is a clue! There it is right in front of me! “SYSTEM”. Yashica called everything connected with the TL Electro-X ITS (lenses, filters, bellows, angle finders, accessories, etc.) SYSTEM.
So there it is! That was simple. Right? Well we’ll see. I’m going to keep on looking for that definitive statement from Yashica. Somewhere in black and white they’ll say it. For now though I’m sticking with… “Integrated Technology System” or “ITS” for brevity.
ITS = Integrated Technology System
A 45 page book from Yashica that explains everything about this fantastic camera.
No denying it – it’s a sharp looking camera and the ‘ITS’ just makes it that much cooler. It’s one of our favorite Yashicas in our collection. This one came to us via Okinawa, Japan. Purchased in late 1973 – that makes it one of our newest Yashica SLRs too. We’ve kept all of the original paperwork and of course the box. If you come across a nice looking one for sale (or better still get it as a gift) it should be on your list of must haves. The battery is an easy find and most will have working meters since they were only electronic (no moving match needle affair).
Happy hunting!
Chris and Carol ^.^
Yashica-Mat EM
Another slight departure from the Pentamatics. Here is a beautiful Yashica-Mat EM from around mid 1964. Everything works on this camera… the built-in exposure meter works like a charm (no batteries required) and the shutter is spot on. Of course what would a picture of a classic Yashica be without one of the ‘Sailor Boys’ posing alongside. The marketing doll is from around early 1962 and he was made in many different versions. The EM is a twin-lens reflex (TLR) film camera and was made by the talented craftspeople at Yashica’s factory in Shimosuwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. A true work of art that has stood the test of time.
Sailor Boys Galore!!!
A nice collection of different versions of Yashica’s ‘Sailor Boys’. In my travels I’ve discovered other Yashica marketing “dolls” but this just about covers them all. I know there’s a Christmas candle ‘Sailor Boy’ with matching Christmas box. If you’ve seen others please feel free to share them with me. Thanks!
Standard Lens for the Pentamatic II
The only difference we can tell between the original Yashica Pentamatic ’35’ and the Pentamatic II (which came out in August 1960), is the standard lens that came with the camera body.
The original Pentamatic came with the Auto-Yashinon, f/1.8, 5.5cm semi (fully?) automatic 6 element lens. Of course it has the unique Pentamatic bayonet mount and not the M42 screw mount. The Pentamatic II came with the Auto-Yashinon, f/1.7, 5.8cm lens (pictured below). The f/1.8 lens was made for Yashica by Tomioka Optical of Tokyo. New evidence uncovered by us (Oct 2017) indicates that the f/1.7 lens was made by Zunow Optical. It’s a beautiful lens and weighs a ton and is rather rare today at under 6,000 lenses made. It has 10 aperture blades.
Update July 2017 – The Pentamatic II was only for sale in the Japanese home market and for only a short time (Aug 1960 to Jan 1961). Less than 6,000 cameras were made and of course about the same amount of these lenses. No English language sales brochures have been found that mention or feature the Pentamatic II. No advertisements either in English language newspapers or magazines.
The Auto Yashinon f/ 1.7, 5.8cm lens mounted on a later model Pentamatic S.
If you find a sales brochure or advertisement in English that features the Yashica Pentamatic II, please bring it to our attention. Thanks!
Chris & Carol
What Happened?
What happened to Yashica’s first ever 35mm single lens reflex (SLR) camera… the Pentamatic? After nearly two years of producing the original Pentamatic, it’s virtually gone from the major photography magazines in the U.S. and after nearly a year of production, no mention of the second model in the Pentamatic series the Pentamatic II. In the February 1962 issue of Modern Photography magazine, I counted only three small ads for the Pentamatic and no ads (large or small) for the Pentamatic II. Why did Yashica let the Pentamatic go away so quickly? I’m still searching for the first advertisement that mentions the model II. I have seen the model II in Japanese domestic market sales brochures so I know that Yashica at least advertised the camera at home. No English language ads as of yet. I will say that I don’t have all the photography magazines from 1961, 1962 or 1963 so I’m basing my info or a rather small sample size. I do have Japanese language sales brochures that advertise the model I and II together and as best as I can tell, the ads are from very late 1960 to very early 1961. So my search continues and my questions remain unanswered for the moment. These two ads appeared in the February 1962 issue of Modern Photography magazine. Both ads were from major camera retailers in New York City.
Yashica Pentamatic Timeline… update 3 (Oct 2017)
Our best timeline for the development of the Yashica Pentamatic 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) film camera… Pentamatic ’35’
Please note that this is a “dynamic timeline” and it will be updated as we discover new dates and developments…
- Summer 1959… Yashica develops / invents its first 35mm SLR
- September 1959… Yashica files to trademark the name ‘Pentamatic’ in Japan
- October 1959… Tomioka starts production of a new lens for the Pentamatic. f/1.8 5.5cm
- December 1959… First Pentamatics assembled at the Suwa factory
- February 1960… Yashica files to trademark the name ‘Pentamatic’ in the U.S.
- March 1960… Production reaches 1,500 units
- March 1960… First showing of the Pentamatic occurs at a trade show in St. Louis… first images of the camera are provided by Yashica
- April 1960… First published look at the Pentamatic in the May 1960 issue of Modern Photography magazine
- May 1960… First full page advertisements for the Pentamatic ’35’ appear in the June 1960 issues of Modern Photography, Popular Photography and U.S. Camera magazines and the Pentamatic is available at Yashica dealers by early May
- June 1960… Production reaches 5,000 units
- June 1960… First review of the camera appears in the July issue of Modern Photography magazine
- August 1960… Production reaches 9,300 units
- August 1960… The Pentamatic II goes into production. Sold only in Japan
- August 1960… Zunow produces a new lens for the Pentamatic II. f/1.7 5.8cm
- Winter 1960-1961… The Pentamatic I and II are are both sold in Japan
- December 1960… Camera dealers in New York advertise new Pentamatics at under $110 (USD)
- January 1961… Production reaches 15,700 units
- January 1961… The Pentamatic S goes into production
- January 1961… The Pentamatic II ends production at under 6,000 units
- February 1962… February issue of Modern Photography has only two advertisements for the Pentamatic and NO mention of the Pentamatic II or Pentamatic S
- Late 1961… The Pentamatic models are replaced by the Penta J
- End of Production… About 30,000 Pentamatic cameras (all models) are made over 3 years
- August 1963… ‘Pentamatic’ receives trademark registration in the U.S.
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By January 1961, some pretty strong discounts on the original Pentamatic I. No Pentamatic S advertised.
First look at the new camera in the May 1960 issue of Modern Photography.
Why the Pentamatic?
The Yashica Pentamatic has always fascinated me from the moment I first caught a glimpse of it while doing research on the Yashima / Yashica Company. It was (and still is) a strange-looking camera… so 1960s and it was Yashica’s very first 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. I love its sleek lines and simple design… and it was just a little bit “quirky”. My first 35mm SLR was the very popular and stylish Yashica TL Electro-X (in satin chrome finish) which I purchased in early 1972. That camera was big and heavy just like the Pentamatic… lots of brass and glass as they say. The exposure system was a through the lens (TTL) affair that used two red arrows to guide you in adjusting the shutter speed and aperture to obtain a properly exposed image. It was fairly accurate and easy to use but under some low light conditions the meter would be off as much as 1/2 to 1 full “f stops” especially when shooting with color slide film for transparencies. I used that Yashica through my first year of living in Yokohama before purchasing a Canon F-1 in 1978. Why the departure from Yashica? Simple, when comparing the new Contax RTS to the F-1, in my opinion, there was no contest. I also liked the system that Canon offered and the wide array of professional accessories and lenses.
So back to the Pentamatic. When I started to concentrate my research on the Pentamatic, I found nothing but confusing and contradicting information on the internet (as is typical of anything). No clear images of the camera, no images of its boxes or the accessories available. The release date was especially bothersome as it was all over the map and even now many sites still give the wrong introduction date in the U.S. The specifications of the cameras are often wrong or incomplete and when I did find solid proof of something, it made the existing entries even more out of line with reality. The Pentamatic series of SLRs (the original model I, model II and the model S) never sold in vast quantities (the original Pentamatic model I was produced at around 1,500 units per month at its peak of production) as best as I can tell, so finding a complete set was rare and finding sales brochures was even more daunting.
My quest was simple (I thought)… purchase a few Pentamatics and find a few instruction booklets and I would be all set. Wrong! Yashica normally does not date their cameras, lenses and publications (instruction booklets, warranty cards, accessory pamphlets and sales brochures) so I knew that I had my work cut out for me. On the other side of the coin, my Canon collection has dates everywhere! I can honestly say that I’ve never found something from Canon that was not dated in some way. Why didn’t Yashica do the same? I did discover eventually that from about 1956 or so onward Yashica (then Yashima) did date many of their photography booklets and featured pictures of their factories in Nagano Prefecture and of their headquarters in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Many of these early booklets even had pictures of the president and founder (Mr. Yoshimasa Ushiyama) of Yashima… not often seen in other camera manufacturer’s publications. The practice of dating publications slowly vanished around late 1958 and by 1960 was basically gone. It wasn’t until the late 1960s and early 1970s that Yashica would occasionally slip in a date on a publication (but never on the camera or lens).
In summary… I don’t have all the answers to my Pentamatic questions and I am constantly updating information as I receive it both here on my blog and on my Flickr page (Yashica Sailor Boy). My goal is to be as accurate as I can, fill in the blanks and share whatever I have with others. I encourage comments and would gladly receive any and all bits of info that you may want to share with me. Thank you for visiting my page!
Chris
Nice Pentamatic model II page from a Yashica sales brochure from February 1961. Not a bad price in Japan at that time… about $110 (USD) with case. When introduced in mid 1960, the original model I was listed at about $159 (USD) here in the U.S.
Yashica Pentamatic Lenses
Nice find for me from a collector in Japan. The first detailed sales brochure from Japan that included the Pentamatic I and II. This page is from the accessories part of the brochure.
A very complete listing of the lenses available (and prices) for the Pentamatic series from late 1960 or very early 1961. These lenses were built for Yashica by Tomioka Optical at their Tokyo factory. The only lenses missing are the original f/1.8 5.5cm lens (for the original Pentamatic) and the f/1.7 5.8cm lens for the model II. I have in my collection the 35mm, the 135mm, the 55mm and the 58mm.
