Happy SUNday! – Minolta Madness

November 6, 2022November 6, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Another beautiful Minolta has found its way into our collection and to be quite frank, we have more SLRs than we could ever possibly shoot with or even display. So, this lovely Minolta X-700 MPS is available in our camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Minolta X-700 MPS (Minolta Program System) with sharp Rokkor MD 50mm f/2 lens.

This Minolta can be shot on full automatic exposure, aperture priority, or fully manual where you set both the shutter and aperture.

The X-700 is super easy to use and to me is lightweight enough to carry around all day.

The full-color brochure (over 40 pages) is filled with charts, tables, lists, and features of every Minolta lens and accessory available. The brochure is rather har-to-find and it’s included with the camera.

The Minolta X-700 is truly the heart of a complete system (MPS) of data backs, motor drives, flash units, lenses, focusing screens, close-up and macro accessories, meters, and cases. It’s one of our favorite 35mm SLRs to use. If you’re interested, pop on over to our shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com which is hosted by Etsy. Thanks for stopping by! – Chris & Carol

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.

Rare Pentamatic ’35’ Brochure from Japan

May 12, 2022May 12, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Here is another great find – fresh in from a seller in Japan. I believe this may be one of the first dedicated sales brochures for Yashica’s new 35mm SLR film camera. I’m guessing this was released in the Spring of 1960. Unfortunately, Yashica didn’t hide a date code somewhere in the brochure.

This is a scan of the centerfold –

The lower left box translates as “A versatile camera that can be used for practical purposes and hobbies”.

I’ll post additional scans from this brochure soon. Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

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Rare Pentamatic II Brochure from Japan

May 12, 2022May 12, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’m always, and I mean always, chasing anything to do with Yashica’s Pentamatic series of 35mm SLR cameras from the early 1960s. I was taken by its simple modern lines the first time I laid eyes on one.

Here is a wonderful Pentamatic II sales brochure (almost a catalog) from Japan that I’m guessing was published around the Summer of 1960 which was when the camera was introduced in Japan. I believe this is the first (and only) full-length brochure for this model.

The front cover introduces us to the Yashica Pentamatic II.

The lens was a new addition to this camera and was likely made for Yashica by Zunow Optical.

The back cover summarizes the features and specs of Yashica’s newest camera and lens set. The address (bottom) is listed as Yashica Co., Ltd., Nihonbashi Muromachi, Tokyo 1-8.

The ‘Yashica Girl’ started appearing on sales brochures around 1958 or so and continued here in this brochure. I don’t know her origins or purpose but she has two co-workers that often appear with her on other brochures. Here is a peek inside (it reads right to left) –

Unfortunately for Yashica, the Pentamatic II was not well received so it had a shortened production run of just over 5,300 units from August 1960 to January 1961 with breaks in production during that time. January 1961 is when Zunow Optical went bankrupt or was absorbed by Yashica (not well documented). Either way that put an end to this unique lens on a Yashica camera. It’s likely though that the lens design transferred over to Tomioka Optical (which was owned by Yashica) and Tomioka may have made this same lens for Mamiya in 1962.

One of my original Pentamatic II cameras with the Auto Yashinon f1.7 5.8cm lens.

One of the hardest cameras to chase down in Yashica’s entire lineup with just over 5,300 made with a vast majority only available in the Japanese domestic market.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

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Yashima YashicaMat – 1957

May 6, 2022May 6, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashicamat, Yashica-Mat, YashicaMat – they’re all the same camera, and as was typical for Yashima (later Yashica) they had a difficult time staying consistent when it came to the way they named their cameras. At this point in time, Yashima had only been around since 1953 so I’ll cut them some slack. By 1958, Yashima became Yashica as the company adopted the name of its cameras.

So here is a super early sales brochure (Spring 1957) for the new YashicaMat 120 roll film twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera, the YashicaMat.

High-res scans are posted below from my own brochure.

Front cover.

What I find interesting is that the camera that’s depicted is the very first version of the model with a 75mm Lumaxar f3.5 taking lens (bottom lens) that were only available for a very short time before being replaced by the lens described in the brochure – 80mm Lumaxar f3.5 lens. There’s no written history to definitively know why the change was made so quickly or why they switched at all. It’s possible Tomioka Optical had difficulty providing enough 75mm lenses to meet the production demands of Yashima.

Inside centerspread. Look closely and you can just barely see 75mm on the bottom portion of the lens retaining ring (bottom lens). Both lenses say Lumaxar with the viewing lens (top lens) the clearest of the two.

Back cover scan below.

Back cover. Yashima’s camera line-up as of early 1957 (newest models).

If you look closely at this back cover you can see Yashima’s full corporate name – Yashima Optical Industries, Company, Limited, and their headquarters were located in Shibuya in Tokyo. The factory was in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, and later Shimosuwa.

Thanks for stopping by and if you chase down a nice Yashica-Mat that you like be sure to check out my good friend Paul Sokk’s excellent TLR site at http://www.yashicatlr.com to learn more about the camera that you’re about to purchase. – Chris

Canon Model 7 Set from 1962

April 29, 2022April 29, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’ve decided it’s time to part with one of my favorite 35mm rangefinders – my Canon Model 7. It took quite a while to find this gem but it’s time to move on and let another collector enjoy it. Maybe someone with more free time will take it out for a photo walk. It’s 100% fully working even down to the meter.

The camera is nearly flawless with just the slightest signs of previous use.

It comes with the original instruction booklet in Japanese and I’ve added an English version too. The lens catalog and the products guide are both printed in Japanese and contain some great bits of info and have never seen before (by me) lens and accessories.

It’s available now in my online camera shop (hosted by Etsy) at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – thanks for stopping by! – Chris

At least they caught their mistake.

February 15, 2022February 15, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

This errata sheet was included with the Yashica brochure (pictured below) from 1974.

Yashica’s “Infallible” System needed to be corrected.

There aren’t too many of these sales brochures still floating around so I ended up buying one that is a bit rough condition-wise (but complete). It even has some prices written on the cover as a bonus.

The date code (lower right corner) is **E074** which I take to be July 1974. It’s one of the few brochures from this period that both the English and Japanese versions use the same images inside.

The sales brochures for the Yashica Electro AX and FFT cameras are pretty hard to find online here in the US on eBay and Etsy or through the Japanese auction sites. The owner’s manuals are even harder to find!

Here’s the back cover of the Japanese sales brochure. It uses the same date code ***074***.

Small stuff I know but I’m trying to document as much as I can on these last two models (AX & FFT) from Yashica in their M42 screw-in mount camera line (1972-1974). 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

Rare Yashica Minister-700 Camera Leaflet

February 6, 2022February 6, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I purchased this gorgeous advertising leaflet from a collector in Japan that is as fresh as the day it was printed back in 1964 (best guess of the actual date).

Yashica Minister-700 35mm rangefinder film camera.

The lower portion of this leaflet talks about a test that Asahi Camera magazine published in December 1964 praising the sharpness and speed of the f1.7 Yashinon 4.5cm lens and the accuracy of the built-in CdS light meter.

Yashica Minister-700 “DeLuxe” model 35mm rangefinder camera. There’s no mention as to what makes this a DeLuxe model other than the cost of a premium leather case for an additional 1,800 JPY.

The Yashinon f1.7 4.5cm lens has 6 elements in 4 groups. A lens like this would not normally be on a “simple” rangefinder like this at this price point of 18,000 JPY in 1964.

This model is not as common as the other models in the Minister “family” and it would be an excellent find for any collection. Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Yashica’s ‘Stealth’ Camera

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I know, sounds like clickbait. By stealth, I’m referring to a camera that few have heard of so it flew under the radar and avoided potential buyers back in 1972, 1973, and 1974. I don’t know how many Yashica sold but I do know it’s a difficult camera to find in working condition that isn’t beat to heck. So, if you’re looking for a challenging chase may I add this camera to your list.

It looks as though the first cameras rolled out in March 1972 and ended around February 1974.

The Yashica Electro AX. It’s a hard one to chase down and still get a working model that isn’t beat to heck.

It’s the same model but pictured with three different lenses. It’s also the only M42 lens mount body with the two leatherette patches on either side of the pentaprism.

The date code on this brochure is either 1974 or July (07) 1974 (lower right numbers).

My Electro AX was made in November 1973. Takes M42 screw-in lenses.

Here’s an earlier post I wrote about this camera https://yashicasailorboy.com/2020/01/31/yashica-electro-ax-yashicas-goofy-automatic-exposure-slr/

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Dreaming of my Fuji…

January 29, 2022January 29, 2022Chris and Carol 2 Comments

The Fujica GW690 (large) medium-format film camera by Fuji. It’s the largest 120/220 roll film camera in my collection and let me tell you, it’s a beast! It boasts an EBC Fujinon f3.5 90mm fixed lens that goes far and above any other film camera I’ve ever used. Check out this unedited image below – the detail that can be captured on a 6x9cm frame of film is amazing.

I love the look of Neopan Acros 100 film and its ability to capture the finest details.

I love the statement – “Light Weight and Compact”. I’m not quite sure that 6x9cm is considered to be a large format camera but who am I to argue with the gang at Fuji Photo Film marketing.

If you’ve never heard about this camera I highly recommend you take a stroll through the various online selling sites and check out this wonderful camera. There are “millions” of them out there so it’s not a difficult camera to chase down. I don’t ever see myself selling this camera as I originally purchased it from Japan at a great price and I love using it (although it’s been a long time). Be sure to check out my previous posts about this camera in the links below. Thanks for stopping by and I hope I’ve encouraged you to take a peek at these online. – Chris

Yashica 8E Zoom 8mm Movie Camera

January 27, 2022January 27, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica 8E Zoom movie camera brochure from November 1960. I like to collect these early Yashica brochures, especially the ones that have a printed date code. Whenever I’m doing research on Yashica’s history having a brochure with a date is invaluable.

The Cover

Closed the brochure is about 195 x 135mm. Yep, that’s one of the ‘Yashica Gals’ drawn on the lower right. There are three different ones and as best as I can tell they were never named by Yashica. They made their appearance around this time across several brochures.

Inside Features

Yashica’s big cine camera with an impressive Yashinon Penta Reflex f1.8 11.5mm to 33mm zoom lens.

Back Cover Pages

The date code is on the extreme lower right – *N11T35* – The 11 is for November and the 35 is the Showa Era in this case Showa 35 (add 25 to the Showa Era = 1960).

Yashica started producing 8mm movie cameras as early as 1956 and was all in by the date of the brochure. Projectors, editors, interchangeable lenses most notably made by Zunow for Yashica, and accessories such as the title pictured above left. Many more brochures to discover from this period.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Category Japanese Sales Brochures