Classic Yashica!

September 30, 2024Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica macro photography gear in the 1960s

Happy SUNday! – Yashica’s Transistor Radio

March 3, 2024March 3, 2024Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Even the leather case is in perfect condition after 64 years.

It’s available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (hosted by Etsy).

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

Yashica’s Strange Dental Camera

January 20, 2024January 20, 2024Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica Dental-Eye III… is it worth another look?

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

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

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.