Yashica LM – a different view

April 1, 2022April 1, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My Yashica LM as seen on my Burke & James Press 4 x 5 camera’s focusing screen.

The Yashica LM has a “built-in” exposure meter that’s attached to the camera’s left side. It’s a selenium cell meter so no batteries are required but after 60 years most have stopped working. This one still works! For more about all Yashica TLRs, visit my good friend Paul Sokk’s site at http://www.yashicatlr.com/66ModelsPage4.html#yashicalm

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by, and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, is this blog’s property and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.

Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera Kit – 1952

September 5, 2020September 5, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hi all! Thanks for stopping by. I wanted to share this wonderful camera kit that I’ve recently acquired from the original owner’s family. I’ve done some minor restoration on the rare original leather and wood case and I’ve gone through the camera and cleaned and inspected (tested) everything.

The complete kit with sheet film holders (5), rare lens shade, instruction booklet, flash bulbs, and the camera.

The case is made from wood that’s been covered with leather. Some of the edges showed some wear so I did some minor restoration. The aluminum lens shade is made by Tiffen and uses a Kodak adapter. An original unused lens board is also included.

The camera was originally owned by noted New Mexico writer and photographer Ken Cobean. Ken’s work has appeared in magazines such as Life, Time, and National Geographic and Ken received two prestigious awards from Kodak at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.

This beautiful set is now available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – pop on over and check it out. There’s even a short video that you can watch.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Large Format Lens – Wollensak Raptar

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

It sounds like a bird of prey – Wollensak Raptar. It’s actually a Raptar Serirs II 162mm f/4.5 (Catalog 2) lens that was made from 1947 to 1972. This one is from around 1950 and is in excellent condition with a fully working and accurate Wollensak Rapax 3 Synchromatic lens.

This 162mm lens is equivalent to a 55mm ‘normal’ lens in 35mm photography.

Classic Burke & James Press (4×5) camera from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s (pictured below).

Super clean and shiny.

1946 catalog from Burke & James.

This press camera is designed to shoot with still available 4×5 inch sheet film in both color and black & white negative film and color transparency (slide) film.

An example of a currently available 4×5 sheet film. Kodak, Fujifilm, Ilford, and others are still made and there are many online labs that develop the film.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great and safe day! – Chris

http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

New ground glass focusing screen for my Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera

August 23, 2020August 23, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’ve recently acquired a rather large collection of cameras and various bits of gear from well-known New Mexico writer and photographer Ken Cobean’s estate. His son, Sam Cobean was kind enough to let me appraise his dad’s collection and we’ve since struck a deal for me to purchase it.

One of the cameras in the collection is this very nice Burke & James Press camera (pictured below) from the late 1940s to early 1950s (I haven’t nailed down the exact date of this particular camera as of this post). It may turn out to be a mid-fifties camera and lens set after a tad more research.

4×5 inch large format press camera. Equipped with a Wollensak Rapax Syncromatic shutter with speeds from 1 to 1/200th of a second plus ‘B’ and ‘T’.

The lens is a Wollensak 162mm f/4.5 coated Raptar Series II (Tessar type) made about 1950 or 1951. In 4×5 large format photography, a 162mm focal length lens is considered to be equivalent to a ‘normal’ 55mm lens in 35mm photography.

The ‘C’ with the ‘W’ inside it (in red) indicates that the lens is ‘Wocoted’ or simply has a Wocote coating on all lens surfaces. This lens was produced between 1947 to 1972.

After installing a new custom made ground glass focusing screen I decided to give it a test run in the studio. My Yashica LM proved to be an appropriate subject.

The revolving back on the B&J Press was rotated to take advantage of the verticle nature of the shot. I’m quite pleased with the results.

My ‘studio’ set up. The press camera is in the dark on the lower right.

The original ground glass in the press camera has seen better days.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – Chris

http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Category Burke & James Press Camera

Yashica LM – a different view

Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera Kit – 1952

Large Format Lens – Wollensak Raptar

It sounds like a bird of prey – Wollensak Raptar. It’s actually a Raptar Serirs II 162mm f/4.5 (Catalog 2) lens that was made from 1947 to 1972. This one is from around 1950 and is in excellent condition with a fully working and accurate Wollensak Rapax 3 Synchromatic lens.

New ground glass focusing screen for my Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera

I’ve recently acquired a rather large collection of cameras and various bits of gear from well-known New Mexico writer and photographer Ken Cobean’s estate. His son, Sam Cobean was kind enough to let me appraise his dad’s collection and we’ve since struck a deal for me to purchase it.