Finally! (again)

July 9, 2023July 9, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Finally! A recently acquired Nikon F2A with a Nikon MD-2 Motor Drive. It’s actually a very well-used camera set that arrived dirty but working. It cleaned up nicely (I know how to detail a camera). Can’t wait to give it a go but since I’ve sold off all of my AI Nikkor lenses I’ll have to purchase a “new” one. I’m waiting on a new battery magazine for the Nikon MB-1 Battery Pack (it takes two magazines) so that part is untested ATM. The meter looks good and of course, the camera sounds great. It was professionally serviced back in 1992. The seals look good so I should be good to go once I get the lens (AI 50mm f2).

Nikon F2A Photomic. This model features the DP-11 meter head.

I say this again because just the other week I purchased a long-awaited Nikon F Photomic-T 35mm SLR to be the Nikon F in my collection. This model (above) is from late 1972 to around March 1973. The meter head was released in 1977. The motor drive was released in 1973.

Rear camera view of the F2A and MD-2 motor drive.

I’ll be sharing more details and a comparison with the Canon F-1 from the same time period. Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

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.

Nikon’s Little Gem – L35AF Set from 1983

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Complete set – the original box with matching serial numbers and papers.

Nikon L35AF 35mm compact point & shoot classic from the early 1980s. Nikon’s finest.

Beautiful Nikon L35AF 35mm compact point & shoot camera set. It’s been professionally serviced and film tested – ready for another 40 years of service. It’s available in my camera shop at www.ccstudio2380.com
Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Nikon F 35mm SLR Camera with Photomic-T Finder from 1967

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

It’s one of those camera profiles that even non-camera people will recognize (old movies, vintage print advertisements) instantly. The original Nikon F with a metered (light meter) viewfinder head.

Nikon F set from late 1967 with matching instruction booklets (and cap).

Nikon F Photomic-T with Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f1.4 lens. It’s been used but not abused through the years – notice the brassing around the ASA dial on top.

Original advertisement for the Nikon F from 1960. It’s shown here without the metered viewfinder (Photomic).

Actress Katharine Ross with her Nikon and motor drive.

I haven’t had the opportunity to shoot with my new to me Nikon but it’s in the queue. Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Tuesday’s Camera – Nikon F

June 27, 2023July 5, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

This one is from late 1971 or early 1972

I love the clean lines and “simple” design. A forever classic. Which is your favorite Nikon? Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out my camera shop CC Design Studios at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – it’s hosted by Etsy so shipping is nearly worldwide. – Chris

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Yashica Electro 35 – 1966

June 18, 2023June 18, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica’s first electronically controlled camera (aperture priority) jump-started Yashica’s role in electronic photography.

This one is from 1968 and features the <E.P> mark on the cold shoe indicating that it was likely sold at a US military exchange store and was tax exempt or “Exempt Purchase”.

Super sharp and fast Yashinon-DX 45mm f/1.7 lens.

It’s a very handsome camera representing the best of Yashica’s design team for that period. The Yashica TL Electro X wouldn’t have been developed without this groundbreaking camera.

The later enhanced version (gold contacts).

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Yashica 35 M

June 11, 2023July 11, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

M for mysterious? Maybe not mysterious but missing. It’s not a camera that gets a lot of attention as it was dwarfed by the more popular Minister line. It was one of the first Yashica rangefinder cameras made with a built-in light meter (exposure meter) released at about the same time as the first Minister with the f/2.8 lens.

The exposure meter is located just behind the light gathering window (upper left). That’s what Yashica calls it in the instruction booklet. The meter is a selenium cell that is powered by light so no worries about needing a battery. BTW, the serial number on the booklet camera indicates it was made in January 1960. It’s been reported that the camera was released in June 1960. That’s a big gap even by Yashica’s standards.

The serial number on mine is M2101662 which decodes to October 1962.

The lens is what differentiates this model from the earlier Minister model. The Model M is fitted with a faster Yashinon f/1.9 4.5cm lens and a Copal SVL shutter with speeds from Bulb to 1/500.

In this image, the exposure meter indicates an ‘LVS’ setting of 14 at ASA 200. To set the proper exposure you’d simply turn the outer ring on the lens to match the LVS number and the camera would be properly set (see below).

LVS set to 12 would set the shutter to fire at 1/125 and the aperture at f/5.6.

It’s a fun camera to use as it’s about as old school as you can get. The lens is clean and clear, and the light meter works. It’s available in my camera shop CC Design Studios at http://www.ccstudio2380.com which is hosted by Etsy. Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Yashica 44 – Yashica’s first mini-TLR

June 2, 2023June 2, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

They never called them that back in the day, they were just smaller than a regular TLR. A full-sized TLR shot 6×6 cm images on 120 or 220 roll films. This Yashica shot 4×4 cm images on 127 roll films.

Complete set from 1958. My set even includes a roll of exposed 127 film from the 1960s!

Dove gray leatherette on gray metal. 1958 saw the birth of the Yashica name as the company name. Prior to that, they were known as Yashima.

Tomioka made Yashikor 60mm f/3.5 taking and viewing lenses.

We continue to dive deep into our Yashica collection and are offering this gem for sale in our camera shop CC Design Studios at http://www.ccstudio2380.com. You won’t find a better fully working model of this camera anywhere. Yes, 127 film is available through many online camera and film dealers so here is an opportunity to shoot with this classic.

Includes a very rare sales brochure for this exact model. How neat is that!

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Rare Black Yashica J-3 Set – available!

May 29, 2023May 29, 2023Chris and Carol 2 Comments

As Carol and I continue to downsize our camera collection, we’ve decided the time is right to pass along one of our Yashica J-3s in the limited ‘Pro-black’ finish along with a matching black Auto Yashinon 5cm f/2 lens (made by Tomioka Optical). This black version was made in a limited quantity for a short period in 1963. It was also Yashica’s first black SLR!

Yashica J-3 in ‘Pro-black’ with a matching all-black lens.

These are extremely difficult to find for sale anywhere and the few that have come up for sale are non-working cameras. This one is fully working – even the CdS light meter is active with an LR-44 (A76) 1.5V battery installed. The shutter is accurate and the lens is a gem. The image below was taken using this Yashinon lens mounted with an adapter on my Fujifilm X-T2.

Photographed with the Auto Yashinon 5cm f/2 lens mounted on my Fujifilm X-T2 using a FotodioX M42 to FX adapter. The Yashica lens has 6 elements in 4 groups and was designed and built by Tomioka Optical.

If you’re interested I’ve listed this beautiful camera set in my camera shop which is hosted by Etsy. Visit CC Design Studios at http://www.ccstudio2380.com for more images and details about the camera. Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Yashica’s Early 35mm SLRs

May 28, 2023June 4, 2023Chris and Carol 3 Comments

My good friend Paul Sokk from Australia (www.yashicatlr.com) has compiled a great database of almost all of Yashica’s cameras and by decoding serial numbers we’ve been able to come up with a list of manufacturing dates. So, by using these serial numbers here is a general list of when the following models were first and last made.

Penta J Aug 1961 to Aug 1965

Reflex 35 Mar 1962 to Jan 1964

J-3 Nov 1962 to Sep 1964

J-5 Mar 1964 to Jun 1965

J-P Aug 1964 to Sep 1966

J-4 Mar 1965 to Jun 1965

J-7 Nov 1966 to Dec 1967

Yashica’s little oddball model. I believe it was only manufactured to be sold by Montgomery Ward as the Wards SLR 500. For Wards, Yashica fitted it with a Tominon C 5cm f/2 lens vice the lens shown here. A true budget model for around $160 US.

The Pnnta J was the first modern style SLR from Yashica with the universal M42 screw mount for a wide variety of lenses. It was the first model after the Pentamatic S. The J-3 was the first model that had a coupled CdS light meter built into the camera’s left shoulder.

From the 1964 Wards catalog. It’s easy to see that the Wards slr 500 is mostly made from the Yashica J-P with the film advance lever used from the Penta J.

One final note. The serial numbers tell when the camera was produced, not when a camera was released for sale to the public. I believe this list represents the most accurate timeline of these early models from Yashica. Many thanks to Paul for his efforts to compile the most accurate data to date. There is no one better.

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Black Beauty from Yashica

May 24, 2023May 24, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

The Yashica J-3 was the first numbered model of the ‘J’ Series of cameras and was released in late 1962. The black version was never mentioned in any brochure that I own or have seen either in English or Japanese. A small number were made but finding a mint and working model is quite difficult – but worth the chase!