Yashica 44 LM – 1960

November 16, 2017November 16, 2017Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Yashica’s “pint sized” twin-lens reflex 127 film camera from 1960. Instead of producing typical 6x6cm negatives from a full sized TLR on 120 film, the Yashica 44 LM produces negatives and slides in the 4x4cm format from 127 film. A smaller negative means a slightly smaller camera. This model comes with a built-in selenium photo cell light meter (also known as an exposure meter). It reads reflected light from the subject – no batteries needed! After 57 years, this camera’s meter works just fine and is accurate too!

Anyone who follows our blog on a regular basis knows that we’re a pushover when it comes to a pretty Yashica and if it’s in its original box – well so much the better. Fujifilm FinePix S9900W.

The boxes normally don’t hold up this well after nearly 6 decades – this one has been stored properly and looks pretty close to new. The colors are bright and the box is solid. The studio camera for this shot was my Fujifilm FinePix S9900W.

The star of the blog! The Yashica 44 LM from 1960. Mint new and in unused condition. Everything works just fine. The light meter is spot on and the shutter is accurate, The lenses are clean, clear and sharp. This shot was with our new Samsung Galaxy S8+ camera.

This camera is finished in dark gray on the metalwork and that contrasts nicely with the dove gray leatherette of the body.

Thanks for stopping by!

Be sure to check out our online store at https://www.ccstudio2380.com for some great Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers!

Some of our fine art images can also be found at https://society6.com/ccstudio2380

Our gallery can also be found at https://500px.com/yashicachris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text are property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

At the old courthouse – c1891

November 14, 2017November 14, 2017Chris and Carol 1 Comment

The Nassau County, Florida courthouse at Fernandina Beach.

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A must see on any trip to Amelia Island, Florida. The Historic District is one of America’s best!

The Nassau County Courthouse is still in operation today – many rooms have been put back to their original condition (1891 to 1920s).

Camera – Samsung Galaxy S8+

Chris and Carol

Please respect that all content, including photos and text are property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Annie’s Turkey Chili: Best Chili I’ve Ever Had!

November 14, 2017Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Looks like the perfect dish for when the weather turns a bit “chilly” and the family invades your hacienda for the holidays. ^.^
Be sure to check out A. JoAnn’s wonderful blog!

A. JoAnn

Feeding a crowd poses some challenges, but is also a lot of fun! Then, your 10 year-old nephew declares, “This is the best chili I ever had!” and you know that you’ve hit the jackpot (especially because his dad loves it, too.)

A beautiful serving bowl for the best chili, Uncommon Goods

My friend, Anne, taught me how to make this dish – right in the market, as she filled my cart with the ingredients I’d need.

unique serving pieces, Uncommon Goods

I doubled the recipe, since we had ten people visiting over the weekend. My husband and I also had a few bowls before company arrived. There was enough for everyone, plus a few bowls leftover. Easy and satisfying!

Annie’s “The Best Turkey Chili”

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean, ground turkey

1 – 15 oz. can chili beans, undrained

1 – 15 oz. can three-bean blend, drained

1 – 15…

View original post 159 more words

Happy SUNday!

November 12, 2017November 12, 2017Chris and Carol 5 Comments

Remembering my mom – summer 1939 (I think) – New York City. Ready for a Sunday outing.

Slight improvements made to the original. One of my mom’s typical photographic locations – rooftops.

Original photograph.

My mom, Mary.

Veteran’s Day 2017 – Reflections on our past

November 11, 2017November 11, 2017Chris and Carol 5 Comments

End all wars – the BEST way to honor our veterans.

I served in the United States Navy for 22 years – 1975 to 1997. The Cold War was in full bloom (1980s and the Reagan Navy) but our mission in the Navy then was NOT to provoke a war with the Soviets – oh we prepared everyday for one – mock attacks against Soviet assets on land, at sea and in the air. Our Admirals didn’t sail the globe bragging about our capabilities – we knew we would win any conflict and the Soviets knew it too.

There was always a U.S. attack sub up the ass of a Soviet sub – always. If you served on an aircraft carrier back then, and I served on 3 of the best, you always had a Soviet trawler, submarine, surface ship, satellite and aircraft trailing you like remora on a shark. But our talent was keeping an eye on them without starting WWIII.

Peace through power applied by sane commanders. I’m afraid that in today’s climate of constant saber rattling that the reasonable commanders have taken a back seat and have allowed the insane to command (to the highest levels). Our mission back then was to avoid nuclear war at all costs. There is no such thing as limited nuclear war.

We are our strongest when we are NOT at war.

So on this Veteran’s Day, I reflect on my past and the past of our Nation. The best way to honor a veteran? Stop making wars that are unwinnable (they all are after all).

Peace y’all… Chris

On the way up – 1984

On the way out – 1997

Yashima Flex – 1954

November 10, 2017November 10, 2017Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica’s first twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera to bear the company name – Yashica was Yashima at its founding. The Yashica name wasn’t adopted for the company until 1958.

This Yashima Flex is as close to its original condition as one could hope for. It’s fully functional and a joy to use.

A beauty from the craftspeople at Yashima – Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Thanks for stopping by! If you’re interested in purchasing classic cameras, please visit our e-commerce store at https://www.ccstudio2380.com

You can visit our gallery of photographs at https://500px.com/yashicachris

Some of our art prints can be found at https://society6.com/ccstudio2380

We’re also active buyers of classic photogear – contact us at chriscarol@ccstudio2380.com

Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text are property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Yashima-Yashica Rookie – 1956

November 9, 2017Chris and Carol Leave a comment

A rather rare camera from Yashica that deserves another look.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

We were finally able to assemble our Yashicaflex Rookie ‘stuff’ for some studio shots. We’re still missing some items to make the set complete but so far the collection is looking good.

014 The outer box (or shipping box) for the camera and its leather case is on the left. Of course the camera is in the center with the Rookie leather case to its right. The Rookie instruction booklet is in the lower right of this image and a colorful Rookie sales brochure is just below the lens cap. A warranty (service certificate) card identifying that this camera is a Yashicaflex Model R is just below the box and finally another sales brochure that features the Rookie is on top of the box.

018 Original 1956 sales brochure.

015 Sales brochure from 1956.

017 Certainly an entry level twin-lens reflex camera with some nice features.

016 The Rookie could take standard 6×6 cm images…

View original post 81 more words

Weekly Photo Challenge – Temporary

November 8, 2017Chris and Carol 7 Comments

Daydreaming that this is all only “temporary” and that he’ll resign at any moment.

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“Click your heels together three times and say ‘There’s no place like home’ and you’ll be there.”

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I couldn’t resist… it’s the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw that the challenge was “Temporary”.

Chris

The Yashica Penta J – aka Yashica Jaguar

November 8, 2017November 16, 2017Chris and Carol 3 Comments

To us, a super find!

To others, a big “oh, okay”. The Yashica Penta J was Yashica’s first 35mm SLR camera to use the common m42 screw-in lens mount. Released around September (?) 1961, it was basically a continuation of the Pentamatic series but with the different lens mount. The Penta J appears to have at least 3 versions – Version 1 (image below) retains the closest design to the Pentamatic S (minus the self timer lever below the shutter release button, the small lens release button and the neck strap lugs discussed below).

Yashica Penta J version 1.

Please note as to where the neck strap lugs are on this version of the Penta J (pictured above). The strap lugs are on the sides of the camera vice on the front as in later Yashica SLRs. Notice where the strap lugs have been moved to on the Pentamatic S (pictured below).

The strap lugs have been moved to the front of the top plate on the Pentamatic S. This was a departure from the first two Pentamatic models (pictured below).

The original Pentamatic ’35’ (left) and its Japanese market only cousin the Pentamatic II. Note that the strap lugs are just like the first version of the Penta J.

One of the things that’s been troubling us about the Penta J, is where did Yashica come up with the “J”? Were they following a progression of the alphabet? Did they just like the sound and look of the “J”? We can guess that the “Penta” was lifted from the camera it was replacing, the Pentamatic. As it turns out, the answer as to what the “J” stands for has been in a Japanese ad that we’ve had for years (image below) and never noticed until now!

We think this is one of the first ads for the Penta J anywhere. We don’t know if the camera pictured in the ad has the “filled-in J” like the Penta J version 1 camera above. The clue as to what the “J” stands for is circled in red and underlined in green.

If you look closely at the Japanese characters that I’ve circled in red, ジャガー they represent the word “jaguar”. If you then go to either Google Japan or Yahoo Japan and search for “Yashica Jaguar”, you’ll see at least 3 different blogs that refer to the Penta J as the “Jaguar”.

With that mystery (to us) solved, I believe that the Penta J fits in nicely to another camera that Yashica released in the summer of 1960 – the Yashica Lynx-1000 which is a 35mm fixed lens rangefinder camera (image below).

The Yashica Lynx. Released about a year before the Penta J = Jaguar.

The ad states that the camera goes by the nickname of the “wildcat” hence the name “Lynx” and that it “catches the moving body agility like its name”.

So there you have it – a minor mystery solved… and the answer was staring us right in the face!

Thanks for your visit! Remember to check out our e-commerce store at https://www.ccstudio2380.com

Some of our art prints are available at https://society6.com/ccstudio2380

A gallery of some of our photography can be found at https://500px.com/yashicachris

Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text are property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Yashica’s Penta J and the J-P

November 8, 2017November 8, 2017Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Some minor updates… November 8, 2017

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica’s first 35mm single-lens reflex camera with the Praktica-thread (M42) mount lenses was the Yashica Penta J… at least here in the United States and in Japan. Elsewhere (most of the world) the camera was known as either the Yashica Reflex 35 or Reflex J (Australia and possibly the U.K.). As best we can tell, they were all the same cameras with different top plates to accommodate the different names (logos).

Part of the demise (lack of sales success) of the well-built Pentamatic series of cameras that preceded the Penta J, was that Yashica decided to go with a Pentamatic exclusive bayonet mount lens system. Sturdy and well designed to be sure, but being unique limited the available lenses that could be swapped between cameras. The Praktica design M42 screw thread mounting system was in widespread use at the time and Yashica’s bayonet design just went against the flow.

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