Hong Kong 1979

December 3, 2025December 4, 2025Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Canon F-1 on Kodak Kodachrome film.

I’m sure the skyline looks nothing like this now.

My best friend Jim was negotiating for a good deal on a boat ride.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on 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. Copyright © 2015-2025 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

Photographing ‘Mickey’

January 13, 2025January 13, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I was out and about in Sheung Shui, New Territories, near the Chinese border in January 1979. The dog never stopped watching me, and neither did the gentleman on the other side of the fence.
Photograph by my friend Jim with his Nikon F2. Me with my Canon F-1.

I believe this was a day school in Fanling, Sheung Shui. I can’t find this building today on Google Maps but, Lot 1584 shows up. I don’t see Police Station Road either.
Canon F-1 with FD 55 mm f/1.4 lens on Kodachrome.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

Facebook CC Photography of Amelia

Flickr Chasing Classic Cameras with 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

single frame – Kowloon, Hong Kong

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon F-1 with Canon FD 80-200mm f/4 SSC Lens on Kodachrome 64.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

Facebook CC Photography of Amelia

Flickr Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

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. Copyright © 2015-2024 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

wordless wednesday

January 31, 2024January 31, 2024Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hong Kong streets – 1979

August 10, 2021August 10, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Both of these images were captured with my Canon F-1 on Kodak Kodachrome slide film – handheld at 2-3 seconds. The colors are not the best but sometimes Kodachrome behaves badly at night at long exposures (well, that’s my excuse anyway). I don’t remember where in Hong Kong these were taken except the second image must have been near Fleet Landing if I recall correctly.

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, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.

Hard working Canons past and present

June 5, 2021June 5, 2021Chris and Carol 2 Comments

I purchased this Super 8 camera from a friend way back in 1977 while stationed in Japan on the USS Midway. I ran quite a few reels of film through it before the video revolution took hold in the early 1980s. I’ve since sold the camera to another collector (a few years back) but I still miss not owning it. What a beast but man was it an awesome camera to use. It’s macro and slow motion capabilities were not to be believed.

Here I am in the Philippines (near the Subic Navy Base) using the Canon with a curious onlooker.

As time went by my original Canon F-1 became somewhat obsolete as new advances in technology and electronics could deliver a lot of camera features in a “compact” 35mm SLR.

The Canon A-1. Lots of stuff packed in a compact camera (compared to the F-1).

I still have a couple of A-1s in my collection – one for show and one for go. Pictured above is the go-to camera in my bag. My Canon F-1 pictured below. This was a beast to carry on a photo walk!

The monster F-1 with all of its goodies. This is my original F-1 that pretty much went with me everywhere in the 1970s and 1980s. See pic below.

Me with the F-1 while walking on the outskirts of Kowloon (Hong Kong) around 1978 or so.

I should mention that both images of me were taken by my very good Navy buddy and dear friend Jim. Sadly Jim and his wife were killed in an airplane crash in late 2001. Jim was a Nikon guy and it was always great fun to see who got the best from their cameras.

wordless wednesday

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica in Hong Kong

May 16, 2020May 22, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

It’s known that Yashica had a presence in Hong Kong very early on but the establishment of an actual factory in Hong Kong didn’t happen until around 1968. A friend of mine on Flickr has spotted a rather unique marking on the back of his Yashica Minister III which was released early 1966.

Just to the right of the viewfinder, this Yashica Minister III has a seldom seen marking indicating that the camera was in some way processed in Hong Kong. Image courtesy of Graham Buxton-Smith.

BTW, the serial number decodes to 8 = 1968, 3 = March, 1816 = number 1,816 made that month. The “H” does not necessarily indicate Hong Kong.

Minister III from the mid-1960s. Image courtesy of Graham Buxton-Smith. The camera on the left has the Hong Kong markings.

Apparently, before Yashica operated a full-scale factory in Hong Kong it appears that they may have sent partially completed cameras there for final assembly. Usually, it would have “Assembled in Hong Kong” or simply “Hong Kong” on the camera. I’ve seen “assembled in Hong Kong from parts made in Japan” before but not engraved anywhere on the camera body. My best guess is that Yashica was attempting to save on labor costs or import fees by doing so. By the way, the “H” before the serial number in this example may not indicate Hong Kong. It’s been reported that some cameras have been spotted with the “H” but engraved Japan. More investigation is needed.

Courtesy of Paul Sokk at http://www.yashicatlr.com

By 1986 Yashica stopped making the Yashica Mat 124G. Notice that at the top of this address list it says Kyocera Corporation vice Yashica. Yashica was acquired by Kyocera in 1983.

So, not a significant discovery but an interesting one to a Yashicaphile. Has anyone else spotted a Yashica with “Processed in Hong Kong” before? If you’ve had please share that info with me here or at ccphotographyai@gmail.com – Thanks, Chris

Our camera shop can be found at 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.

Single Shot Focus on the Yashica TL Electro-X

July 5, 2019July 5, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

DSCF6151

The Yashica TL Electro-X. It would not be an overstatement to say that this camera was Yashica’s most successful 35mm SLR – ever! I’m not sure what the total sales record is for this camera but success is measured beyond just the number of cameras sold. It was the first SLR with full electronic control of the shutter and it used an innovative LED display in the viewfinder to help adjust the camera for the proper exposure.

From Yashica: Electronically operated metal focal plane shutter with speeds from about 2 seconds to 1/1000 with in-between shutter speed settings possible, and B. Thru-the-Lens (TTL) light measuring system with IC computer and electronic exposure readout. It had a “brain”.

This gorgeous example is from my personal collection and it’s available for purchase in my Etsy camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

It includes the famous Tomioka Optical designed and built Auto Yashinon 50mm f1.4 DS-M lens. The camera and lens are in collector quality condition – full mint condition and the camera works as new. The lens is perfect and the glass is crystal clear. Adding to the uniqueness of this set is that the camera was built at Yashica’s new factory in Hong Kong in September 1973. The baseplate is appropriately marked “Hong Kong”.

Assembled in Hong Kong with parts made in Japan.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check it out in my shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

There’s plenty of awesome cameras available in the shop with more being added from my collection almost daily.

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.

A fan for Carol – Hong Kong 1979

November 2, 2018November 2, 2018Chris and Carol 1 Comment

While going through some of our collections of “stuff” I came across the fan that I’m holding in this image. We took it out of its box and it still had its unique “aroma”.

The wonderful lady that I’m negotiating with was very funny and as I tell everyone she was able to get me to pay “too much” – JK

I’ve visited Hong Kong and the surrounding regions and territories three times in the late 1970s and I’ve always enjoyed myself. My best Navy buddy, Jim Abrisch took this photograph on one of our many walkabouts. Jim and his lovely wife passed away in an airplane crash in December 2001. I still miss him very much.

Mr. James Abrisch – Hong Kong 1979. On our way to another adventure.

Be sure to check out my previous post about Hong Kong and Jim here.

Thanks for stopping by! – 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.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Category Hong Kong

Hong Kong 1979

Photographing ‘Mickey’

single frame – Kowloon, Hong Kong

wordless wednesday

Hong Kong streets – 1979

Hard working Canons past and present

wordless wednesday

Yashica in Hong Kong

It’s known that Yashica had a presence in Hong Kong very early on but the establishment of an actual factory in Hong Kong didn’t happen until around 1968. A friend of mine on Flickr has spotted a rather unique marking on the back of his Yashica Minister III which was released early 1966.

Single Shot Focus on the Yashica TL Electro-X

A fan for Carol – Hong Kong 1979