Yashica Model LM 44

October 14, 2022October 14, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

A beautiful example of this interesting camera from Yashica.

With its original box and still looking like new.

The LM 44 had a built-in light meter (LM) and used 127-roll film.

Produced from 1959 to 1965. It was much smaller than a 120-roll film TLR.

If you’re interested in these collectible twin-lens cameras (TLR) from Yashica remember that they use the now discontinued 127-roll film vice the common 120-roll film. I understand that there are ways to re-spool 120 films on 127 film rolls. 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.

twosday 2 fer – Random Yashica

October 11, 2022October 11, 2022Chris and Carol 2 Comments

A couple of images were recently “discovered” in my image files.

The Yashica Pentamatic ’35’ was Yashica’s first 35mm SLR. Designed with the assistance of Nicca camera which Yashica acquired in 1958.

The Yashica Flex S was the first TLR (twin-lens reflex) to have an attached but uncoupled exposure meter attached. The Minicam flash was a very popular flash unit in the mid-1950s.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Yashica’s Yashica-Mat TLR

May 3, 2022May 3, 2022Chris and Carol 1 Comment

This one is from 1968. It features an 80mm f3.5 Yashinon taking lens (bottom) and an 80mm f3.2 viewing lens (top) with a Copal MXV shutter. This was Yashima-Yashica’s first crank film advance TLR introduced in 1957.

An early sales brochure from 1957 or 1958.

For more about this amazing camera please visit my friend Paul Sokk’s site at http://www.yashicatlr.com/66ModelsPage5.html#yashicamat

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow me on Instagram @ccphotographyai – Chris

Yashica’s Model A TLR – a camera you should collect

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

Hi all… if you’re looking to get into medium-format film photography may I suggest you look for the Yashica Model A as a good starting point. The camera is super simple to operate and is very affordable compared to other Yashica models. The better price doesn’t get you an inferior camera though as the Model A uses high-quality Yashica lenses made by Tomioka Optical of Tokyo. Here’s an example of a Model A. This one was made in 1966 and is in mint condition.

Here’s a link to the instruction booklet. http://www.yashicatlr.com/PDFs%20User%20Manuals%20(new)/Yashica%20A%20(LoRes).pdf

The right side has a large focusing knob in feet and meters and a smaller film advance knob (upper left).

This camera’s left side features an accessory shoe.

A red viewing window indicates which exposure you’re on.

Film loading is simple as is unloading. The camera uses easy to find 120 roll film. I like using film from Fujifilm.

Both the viewing lens (top) and the taking lens are Yashikor f3.5 80mm made by Tomioka Optical. The shutter is made by Copal and features speeds from B (Bulb) to 1/300. The shutter is cocked by moving the lever (with a green dot) downward after advancing the film. The shutter release is the silver button on the lower left of the faceplate. The aperture is set by the silver lever to the right of the taking lens.

Instruction booklet from the first version of the camera (1956).

Why I love the Yashica-A. It’s simple to use and simple to operate and with less fussy features it’s likely to operate for decades to come and it’s easy to chase down on the online auction and buying sites (eBay, Etsy, Mercari). What’s the downside? Like any camera that’s over five decades old, fungus and mold on the lenses are the biggest issues. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to get at the lenses and give them a good cleaning as long as the fungus hasn’t etched the glass lens elements. I find my Yashica-A’s lens is just as good a picture taker as my much more feature-laden Yashica-Mat EM with a Yashinon lens. For much more on everything related to Yashica TLRs, stop by my good friend Paul Sokk’s site at http://www.yashicatlr.com – Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Yashica LM – a different view

April 1, 2022April 1, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My Yashica LM as seen on my Burke & James Press 4 x 5 camera’s focusing screen.

The Yashica LM has a “built-in” exposure meter that’s attached to the camera’s left side. It’s a selenium cell meter so no batteries are required but after 60 years most have stopped working. This one still works! For more about all Yashica TLRs, visit my good friend Paul Sokk’s site at http://www.yashicatlr.com/66ModelsPage4.html#yashicalm

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

throwback Thursday – Yashica Classics

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica-635 twin-lens reflex, dual-format film camera from 1958 and the Yashica Pentamatic-S (with no model number exposure meter) from 1961.

Both were groundbreaking cameras for Yashica in the late 1950s and early 1960s as Yashica made steps to broaden its offerings.

Yashima Flex – 1954

February 5, 2022February 5, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Before they were known as Yashica they were Yashima and this is one of the first cameras to feature their original name. This is one of the nicest TLRs in my collection and I was thrilled to find it many years ago on an auction site in Japan. The original lenses were marked Tomioka Tri-Lausar and later just Yashinon. Tomioka Optical eventually became part of the Yashica Company.

This is an incredibly difficult camera to find for sale anywhere but a few do show up from time to time. Your best bet is to keep an eye out for one on Buyee (Yahoo Japan Auction) in Japan. 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

Fernandina Public School No. 1

February 1, 2022February 1, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Public School No. 1 building, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida. This grand building is home to the county office for the Nassau County School Board.

The image above was taken with my Canon EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera and Canon EF 16-35mm zoom lens late in the afternoon. In the image below taken about mid-day, I used my ca.1964 Yashica Mat EM twin-lens reflex film camera which shoots a 6x6cm square image on 120 roll film.

I enjoy photographing the many historic buildings in and around the Fernandina Beach Historic District using different cameras and formats. Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

More Yashica – Yashica Flex S – 1954

January 22, 2022January 22, 2022Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Also known as the Yashica Flex S. I’ve put together a nice complete set of this hard-to-find early TLR from Yashima-Yashica. As you can see on the box, at this point in time the company that would change its name in 1958 to Yashica was still Yashima Kogaku Seiki Company. The instruction book is in English as the camera was marketed by the Miura Trading Company and not directly marketed by Yashima. The Model S was the first TLR with a “built-in exposure meter”. The meter was simply a light meter made for Yashima by Sekonic and attached to the camera’s left side. The selenium cells for the meter are located under the nameplate which is a flap that swings upwards.

If you would like to know more about this landmark camera then I invite you to visit my good friend Paul Sokk’s Yashica TLR site at http://www.yashicatlr.com/66ModelsPage2.html

Paul’s work on the Yashica TLR family of cameras is second to none. He’s also included a wonderful addition to his pages with additional pages dedicated to Leica, Nicca, Leotax, Minolta, and others. Give his site a read and tell him Chris sent you!

wordless (almost) wednesday

October 20, 2021October 20, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica Flex AS-II made in November 1954

Thanks for stopping by and have a classic day!

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.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Category Yashica TLRs