Fujifilm Fujichrome Velvia film simulation and a 62-year-old Yashica lens…

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

Taken in deep shade during the late afternoon so it skews overly bluish which is actually how the scene looked. Nice true reds and again natural greens.

Out of the shadows and into the light the blue sky looks more natural against the deep greens of the trees.

I purposefully shot this high-contrast scene to see how my Yashikor lens handled it. Well, I believe.

I’m always pleasantly amazed by the quality of my images when shooting vintage lenses on a mirrorless digital camera. I believe I took this at f/11.

This is the first time in a very long time that I switched on the Velvia film simulation mode on my Fujifilm X-A10 mirrorless digital camera. I do enjoy shooting my classic film lenses on my camera – I used the Fotodiox L39 – FX adapter to mount the Yashikor lens to the modern camera. You can too… give it a try as it opens up a whole new world of photographic fun.

Let me add that none of these images were cropped in any way nor were they subject to endless post-production manipulation. These are about as straight from the camera as you can get.

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.

Yashica Flex AS-II from Yashima – 1954

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

Yashima Kogaku, later Yashica (1958) made this wonderful gem in 1954. It’s a great medium-format camera that shoots 120-roll films which are still widely available today and very popular. This camera features an attached exposure meter that was made by Sekonic. Photographed in the downtown Fernandina Beach Historic District post office ca. 1911.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Yashica’s Yashikor f/2.8 5cm Gem

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

A wonderful LTM lens from 1959 was likely made for Yashica by Tomioka Optical for use on their new Yashica YE 35mm Leica-inspired rangefinder camera. The YE was also known as the 35 YE and the 35 E type during its short run.

Here the lens is shown mounted to my Nicca 3-S.

It’s a handsome lens and it looks well-suited for this mid-1950s Nicca.

A test image from my Fujifilm X-A10 with Fotodiox adapter. I believe this was taken at f/11.

This one was taken late in the day in deep shade. The Fujifilm X-A10 was set to Velvia film simulation mode. Nice strong colors and sharp contrast.

If you’re interested in discovering more about this under-the-radar lens and Yashica camera might I suggest you stop by my good friend Paul Sokk’s site at http://www.yashicatlr.com/YE&YF.html#yashicaye

As always, thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Scaling back my mountain of Fuji cameras…

November 11, 2022November 11, 2022Chris and Carol 4 Comments

I’ve been collecting all sorts of interesting and fun-to-use cameras from the Fuji Photo Film Company for years. From the humble Fujipet 6×6 camera from the late 1950s to the incredible Fujicaflex TLR (their only TLR), to the amazing Fujica GW690 Professional rangefinder, and all of the little Fujifilm FinePix digital cameras of the 2000s. Not to leave out my brief ownership of a really nice Fujica ST701 35mm SLR and all of the Fujifilm Discovery point & shoot cameras and the other equally unique Fuji “Plastic Fantastics” that I still own.

The time has come to start the big sell-off as our plan is to move to a smaller place within the next three to five years and there just won’t be enough room to display everything. S with that said, here is just one of my “new old stock” Fujis – the Fuji K-28 “Construction Camera”.

A truly heavy-duty waterproof, dirtproof 35mm work site point & shoot camera from 1991.

A 4mm thick piece of fixed glass protects the sharp 28mm Fujinon lens.

Everything is sealed against water, dirt, and dust. How cool is that black and yellow striped sticker?

Because these were made to excel on the job site they weren’t typically purchased for a collection but this one obviously was.

It’s never had a roll of film through it in over thirty years!

If you’re interested in adding a unique camera to your collection I have this K-28 in my online camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com which is hosted by Etsy. It ships nearly worldwide and it’s even on sale at 10% off just in time for Christmas. Thanks for stopping by, Chris.

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Konica Super SR Film

November 9, 2022November 9, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

A recently discovered two pack of Konica color print film in its original retail packaging.

It’s expired but with a few adjustments while shooting could still produce interesting results.

And even a roll of out-of-date regular Kodak B&W film

Everything is on sale at 10% off – just in time for your Christmas gift shopping.

Expired 35mm film can be a joy to shoot or a frustrating experience. There are many photogs that absolutely love the look that vintage films can produce. I’ve added these to my online camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com if you’re interested. I had these on display with some of my classic cameras from that period. Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

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Fresh from the garden – Konica Tomato!

November 8, 2022November 8, 2022Chris and Carol 3 Comments

We love collecting cameras that we perceive as “fun” or unusual and this wonderful camera from Konica is that and more. A couple of other cameras that I’d put in this category are the Fuji Pet and the Konica Kanpai (Kanpa!). How could you not fall in love with this cute little Tomato at first sight?

We love the glossy bright red finish and of course, the cute logo but the Tomato is more than just a pretty face. The store display card is a nice bonus and a reminder of just how much the camera set cost back in 1985 (about $99) and the case another $10.

If you’ve been a follower of our blog you undoubtedly know just how much we enjoy collecting cameras that come with their original boxes and have all of the goodies that came with them when new.

We’ve added the Fujicolor film for, well, color! The box looks like it came from the produce department of your local grocery store. Well done Konica!

It’s all there – a user’s guide, service guide, warranty/registration card, and a neat brochure on how to join the Sakura Film Club.

It comes with this super cool camera case that was an accessory when new.

Some specs. Features a fixed focus 35mm f/4 Konica lens (multicoated, 4 elements/4 groups) which I believe is glass. Selectable ISO settings of 100, 200, and 400, and on the left, a switch for using the flash when the subject is between 1.5 to 2 meters from the camera. The flash can be turned on and off which wasn’t a typical feature with compact point & shoot cameras during the 1980s.

The body of the camera is finished in a smooth glossy red and even though it’s plastic it’s a high grade of plastic that doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy in your hand. Another nice feature is the sliding lens cover that is also quite stout, unlike some other designs that feel like they’ll break after a few uses.

Auto Date – what’s up with that? Shown here with the time display (14:41 = 2:41 PM). The date display is accurate up to December 31, 2019. The date or time will be imprinted on your pictures unless you select “off”. According to the instructions, the date/time module is smart enough to know when it’s a leap year.

There’s a neat sticker inside reminding you to use either Sakura or Konica film. I installed a new CR2025 battery (far right) for the date/time feature. The camera uses a single AA battery that powers the flash and the underexposure warning light (just to the right of the viewfinder).

We consider the Konica Tomato a “Modern Classic” and part of our “Plastic Fantastic” collection. If you’re interested in purchasing this set, it’s available in our online camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com which is hosted by Etsy. Thanks for stopping by! Chris

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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

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Canon New FD 50mm f/1.8 Lens Test

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

Canon New FD 50mm f/1.8 Lens – ISO 200, 1/200 at about f/2.8

I enjoy shooting with my classic (vintage) lenses on my mirrorless cameras as it reminds me just how special these lenses were and still are. They almost have the same look as a film image. Here I mounted the Canon lens to my Fujifilm X-A10 mirrorless digital camera body using a Fotodiox Pro FD-FX adapter. The X-A10 is a 16.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor camera. I simply set the camera to aperture priority and make a few adjustments in the camera’s menu (manual focus) and start enjoying using your old glass again. If you own a Fujifilm mirrorless digital X-Series camera, here is a link that can get you started. I have no affiliation with Fotodiox other than I like using their adapters. https://fotodioxpro.com/collections/fujifilm-x-adapters?page=1

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

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Minolta Maxxum AF Zoom 70-210mm Lens Set

November 5, 2022November 5, 2022Chris and Carol 1 Comment

This is the more desirable constant aperture f/4 lens that will mount with all Sony Alpha digital bodies and of course, Minolta AF mount cameras.

Minolta Maxxum AF Zoom 70-210mm f/4 Lens
for 35mm Minolta SLR Cameras
and Sony Alpha Digital Cameras

– Minolta AF Lens Mount
– Fits Sony Alpha Mount Cameras
– SN 19104170
– 12 elements in 9 groups
– 55mm Filters
– Internal Focusing & Zoom
– Constant f/4
– Macro
– Known as the ‘Beercan’

* The lens can be adapted for use on digital cameras.
* This is a high-quality lens that is well-built.

*The condition is overall near mint with just a few very
minor paint wear areas on the lens barrel.

*The lens is super clean – no dirt anywhere and only
some minor specs of dust. No mold, no fungus
that I can see with a bright LED light.

*The lens functions perfectly. The aperture blades are clean
and snappy, the lens mounts securely, and the focus is smooth
and spot on.

*The set includes the original Minolta lens caps, a Minolta
lens hood, and a Toshiba 55mm screw-in Skylight (1A)
metal and glass filter with Toshiba plastic case.

It’s a one-owner lens that has never been
offered for sale before.
I believe the lens was built in 1985 in Japan.

Includes the lens, a Minolta lens hood, Minolta front and rear lens caps, and a Toshiba 55mm screw-in Skylight 1A filter.

This wonderful lens set is available in my online camera shop http://www.ccstudio2380.com which is hosted by Etsy. It mails nearly Worldwide so if you’re interested pop on over and check it out. Additional pics are listed with the lens.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai