Yashica TL-Super 1966

January 5, 2024January 5, 2024Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica’s first through-the-lens (TTL) light metering single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. Two CdS resistors measure the average degree of light entering through the lens and directed to the focusing ground glass. The TL-Super started a bunch of great things at Yashica.

In addition, the TL-Super was the first Yashica SLR with a fixed accessory shoe (flash hot shoe) mounted to the top of the pentaprism (woohoo)!

Shown with a sharp and fast Auto Yashinon-DX 50mm f1.4 lens.

It’s a great first-time film user camera if you can find a nice example.

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.

Happy SUNday! – Yashica Sailor Boy

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

Rare Yashica dealer display ‘Yashica Sailor Boy’ 20cm size with green shoes. Made in 1962 by Modern Plastics Co, Japan. He’s in collector condition and he’s available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

It’s time for another collector to add this rare find to their collection.

The green shoe ‘Sailor Boy’ is a full 8 inches tall. The smaller guy is 4 inches. My camera shop can be found at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Early Yashica Zoom Lens – like new!

August 22, 2023August 23, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica Auto Yashinon Zoom Lens
w/ Yashica Front & Rear Lens Caps,
the Original Factory Box and Case
and Metal Lens Hood.

SN 701123
7 elements/6 groups
55mm filter ring

This is a super sharp early lens in
the Yashica family. Tomioka Optical
made Yashica’s lenses (actually Yashica
acquired Tomioka).

This beautiful lens is now available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com
Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

3 little Yashicas from the 1960s

July 23, 2023July 27, 2023Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Yashica Minimatic-S. A fully automatic (no autofocus) 35mm rangefinder was released in February 1963. The camera set both the aperture and shutter speed.

Yashica M. Released in June 1960. 35mm rangefinder with a sharp and fast Yashinon f1.9 lens. The “M” was also known as the 35M and 35 Model M.

Yashica Half 17. Capable of shooting up to 72 images on a roll of 36-exposure 35mm film.

Each camera uses selenium cell light meters to assist with setting the proper exposure. If you can find working examples of these classics you’ll enjoy a whole new level of vintage film shooting as the Yashinon lenses are sharp, colorful, and contrasty. Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

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-Tomioka Macro Lens

June 12, 2023June 12, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

This beautiful lens is now available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

One of our favorite lenses in the Yashica family. A rather fast f/ 2.8 60mm macro lens made by Tomioka Optical Co., Ltd. of Tokyo for Yashica. 5 elements in 4 groups… it’s capable of life-size (1:1) macro photography. As Yashica describes this lens… “By far the most effective lens for close-ups, copying and macrophotography, as well as general photographic work. Features a new optical glass element, and is fully compensated for all aberrations. Designed to ensure maximum brightness and extremely sharp results. Particularly effective for close-ups of moving subjects (??) and macrophotography without using bellows.” Not sure about the moving subjects part as the depth of field is very shallow.

Weighs in at around 400 grams and can focus down to 0.235 meters. Filter size is 58mm and of course it has the versatile M42 screw-in mount (Praktica).

003 Macro Yashinon 60mm f/ 2.8 lens built by Tomioka Optical for…

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Yashica-Tomioka Brothers

June 11, 2023June 14, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Same lens. On the left is the specially made all-black Auto Yashinon 5cm f/2 lens for Yashica’s first black SLR the J-3. On the right is a Tominon C. 5cm f/2 lens specifically for the Wards SLR 500 and 600 cameras from 1964 and 1965. Both cameras were made by Yashica. The lens was only produced for use on the Wards branded cameras and was produced in rather limited numbers. Of course, Yashica had a close business relationship with Tomioka Optical throughout the 1950s and 1960s (as did other camera manufacturers) finally acquiring it in 1968.

Beautifully sharp lenses from the early 1960s. Thanks, Yashica and Tomioka.

The all-black J-3 just doesn’t look right with the silver aluminum lens barrel.

The Yashica certainly looks elegant compared to its Tomioka brother.

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

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Category Yashica Collectibles

Yashica TL-Super 1966

Happy SUNday! – Yashica Sailor Boy

Early Yashica Zoom Lens – like new!

3 little Yashicas from the 1960s

Yashica Electro 35 – 1966

Yashica-Tomioka Macro Lens

Yashica-Tomioka Brothers

Yashica 35 M

Yashica 44 – Yashica’s first mini-TLR

Rare Black Yashica J-3 Set – available!