Sears Camera Catalog – 1952

November 24, 2018November 25, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

The back cover of the Sears Camera Catalog – 1952

Of interest, the box that’s depicted for the Tower Type-3 rangefinder (far left, bottom) is not what the box looked like in 1950 and 1951 so I’d guess that it was changed sometime in 1952.

Here’s an example of a “modern” Tower blue box. (Detail from a larger web image)

It’s a wonderful catalog filled with great references and illustrations of the cameras and accessories available in 1952. The full front cover pictured below.

The Tower Type-3 was made by Nicca for Sears and in the catalog, it’s known simply as the Tower 35.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

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.

New reflex mirror in my Rolleicord Ia Type 3 from 1938

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

After 80 years of use, the original mirror had lost most of its reflectivity and the view available in the viewing hood was greatly diminished.

I ordered a replacement mirror from hugostudio.com and I couldn’t be happier with the service and the quality of the product.

With the viewing hood and focusing screen removed the view internally shows an abundance of the dirt and grime from 80 years of use. It’s pretty nasty in there!

There are only 4 screws to remove to be able to access the mirror chamber. The mirror essentially slides out from the 4 tabs that hold it in.

Old and new mirrors side-by-side.

The mirror chamber with the original mirror removed. A quick dusting and it was ready for the new mirror installation.

Before and after. What a difference the new mirror makes.

I highly recommend that you change out the original reflex mirror in your TLR if it shows signs of significant deterioration – the view in the focusing hood will be made much brighter and that will lead to more accurate focusing on your part. Most mirrors can be had for around $10 and there are a few sellers on eBay to choose from. The key is the accuracy of the cut as there’s little room for error. If in doubt trace the outline of the mirror that you are replacing and send that (or just the measurements) to the seller.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your project! – Chris

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.

Yashica 35 YL – 1959 Rangefinder

November 12, 2018November 12, 2018Chris and Carol 2 Comments

A classic 35mm rangefinder film camera from Yashica. This one was built in November 1959. I like the feel of this camera – it’s a tad heavy at just over 700 grams with no film loaded and it feels “heavy” in your hands. It’s “chunky” design with the prominent black top plate is either a love it or hate it feature. I will say this, the view through the large viewfinder is outstanding. Bright and clear with an easy to focus double image focusing spot.

I kinda like the feel of the odd and different black plastic rectanglar shutter release button – it has a nice touch. The film advance lever is silky smooth and it’s easy to load a film cartridge – lots of space in there for chunky fingers.

If you’re looking to get into using a late 1950s Japanese made rangefinder I highly recommend the YL or its similar cousin the Yashica 35 YK.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

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.

Fujicarex II by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.

August 6, 2018August 30, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Unique – Odd – Quirky – Ugly – Gorgeous – Cool – Modern – Sexy – Sophisticated – Clunky – a failure?

Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. – Tokyo

Fuji’s first 35mm SLR

Originally released as the Fujicarex in 1962 and sold only in Japan (it listed for ¥25,000). An updated model was released in the United States in July 1964 (in Chicago) as the Fujicarex SLR 35 and for other overseas markets as the Fujicarex II. It listed for around $150 USD without a case. It came with a Fujinon-S f/1.9 5cm lens with an additional f/4 35mm wide angle lens and a f/2.8 80mm portrait lens available.

Billed (advertised) as the “World’s easiest-to-use SLR 35mm camera” – Electric Eye with Cluster Control!

What do you think of its design?

According to a very reliable Japanese source, the Fujicarex II was available in Japan as a replacement to the original model and that the model II was destined for other overseas markets beyond the U.S. (like Europe). This would lead one to believe that the Fujicarex SLR 35 was only available in America. I haven’t been able to verify that as I’ve never seen the “plain” Fujicarex logo.

So was it a failure? Well, it got Fuji Photo moving in the right direction but I think overall it was just overdesigned and a bit hard to use. A bit like the Yashica Pentamatics – neat cameras that didn’t catch on. From what I understand it was only sold for about three years or so. The next 35mm SLR from Fuji didn’t appear until 1971.

No matter what, this unique camera is seldom seen in today’s collector marketplaces. It would make a wonderful addition to any vintage Japanese SLR collection since it was Fuji’s first SLR. Thanks for stopping by!

Chris

I’m thinking that this is the original Fujicarex logo (close to the cold shoe).

This should be the U.S. Fujicarex SLR 35 as there isn’t the “II” under the “Fujicarex”.

Yashica’s L AF – good things come from plastic rectangles

July 29, 2018July 29, 2018Chris and Carol 3 Comments

A true plastic fantastic from Kyocera-Yashica. Released around 1986, this little gem is a modern classic. It gives much better-known (and much more expensive) point & shoots a run for the money.

Poor man’s T* Series with Zeiss lenses (I’m pretty sure these lenses are Zeiss without the coating).

Not much control over this camera – it was designed to take pictures without much fuss – and do it well.

It says Yashica lens but I’m sure it’s a Zeiss – why wouldn’t it? By the way, the 32mm f/3.5 lens is as fast as the other T* Series lenses – with the exception of the Kyocera T Scope (Japanese market T3) which is f/2.8

Good condition Yashica L AF’s are not common on online auction sites but nice ones still go for less than $40 or so. This nearly mint one went for $20!

Sharp contrasty lens – quick but not super quick AF but excellent auto exposure – perfect pics nearly every shot!

78690020

78690013

Images were taken on Fujicolor Superia color negative film. No post-production on any of these outside pics.

Headed our way from Japan!

Thanks for stopping by!

Chris

In the Studio – Kodak Retina Reflex IV

June 30, 2018June 30, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I had a chance to get some new images in the studio of my latest acquisition – this beautiful Kodak 35mm SLR from 1965. I purchased it from a retired Kodak executive who obviously took very good care of it. It’s completely working, even the selenium cell exposure meter! The lens optics are crystal clear and the shutter fires like new.

Taken with my Fujifilm X-A10 with Canon FD 24mm f2.8 wide angle lens.

Taken with my Fujifilm FinePix S9900W.

This Kodak is now available in our online store at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Chris

Happy SUNday! Vintage Camera Edition

May 20, 2018May 20, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Happy SUNday y’all! Two new offerings in our online store – from our collection to yours!

Nikon Nikkormat FT3 – as clean as new – it’s been fully tested and is ready to roll! Check it out in our online store for a super deal on the wonderful classic from Nikon.

Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP model – early first version of this super popular camera. I’ve replaced the light seals and mirror pad and it’s been detailed inside and out. 100% fully working and a joy to use. Available in our online store at a great price.

Visit our store at https://www.ccstudio2380.com for more pictures and a complete detailing of the specifications of each camera set. These are from our personal collection of classic film cameras and have never been offered for sale before. Our home is smoke and pet free and we always store and maintain our cameras and lenses properly.

Thanks for stopping by!

Chris and Carol

The Curious Case of the Yashica ‘Olympic’* Camera

April 16, 2018April 16, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

No, not those* Olympics.

New to us, this neat little Yashica L AF 35mm compact point and shoot film camera is from 1986 and sports an Olympic theme. In all the years that Carol and I have collected Yashica cameras we’ve never run across a Yashica that featured a logo not directly related to Yashica – until now.

We’re big fans of the L AF and we’ve reviewed it before. Field Test of the L AF

We haven’t been able to find anything that relates to this logo – no other Yashica-Kyocera camera has one. And what exactly is “Camera America”? It looks like (somewhat) an official Olympic logo but without the 5 rings. Did Yashica-Kyocera invent it purely for a marketing campaign? The timing is off as the previous Olympics were held in Los Angeles in 1984 and the next wasn’t scheduled until 1988. Releasing an Olympic camera in 1986 just doesn’t make sense.

The colors and fonts match in our opinion (see below) – the reds and golds match so it most likely was applied by the factory. As was typical with Yashica and Kyocera, no documentation exists for a “Camera America” version of anything nevermind an “Olympic Edition”.

As we’ve said before the Yashica-Kyocera L AF is a low priced version of the more recognizable T* series of 35mm compacts and is a great camera for the money. If you run across one in working condition, by all means, give it a try.

This one is a tad beat up and it hasn’t been tested yet but we expect it to do well. Once we squeeze some time out of our busy schedule we’ll have a go at it.

By the way, here’s a clip from the instruction booklet for the L AF – more than likely the date depicted matches the release date of the camera (or pretty close to it).

yashica l af booklet

A sticky 1986 Yashica-Kyocera case for the L AF

Our first Yashica-Kyocera L AF

The image was taken with the L AF on Fujicolor film

The much more expensive version

Thanks for your visit. Have you ever seen an Olympic Yashica? Please share your comments if you have!

Chris and Carol ^.^

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.

Nikon One Touch Zoom 90s QD – Available for Purchase

December 19, 2017December 25, 2017Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Beautiful Nikon point and shoot 35mm compact film camera set – mint new in its original box – never used.

It’s getting harder to find these “plastic fantastic” 35mm film cameras from the late 1990s and early 2000s in new, unused condition. These cameras produce excellent images with a minimum of fussing – they make great street photography cameras as they are small and can easily shoot from the hip.

Accurate autofocus and auto exposure with a 2.4x Nikon zoom lens from 38-90mm at f/4.8 to f/10.5. This one has macro focusing down to 12 inches (30cm). The quartz date (QD) function goes up to 2049! It takes the still easy to find 3v CR2 lithium battery (new, included) and standard 35mm film, both black and white and color with ISO DX coding.

This stunning camera set is available for purchase from our online shop at https://www.ccstudio2380.com – please feel free to check it out.

Mention code “Fanatic” when you order and I’ll take 10% off your entire purchase!!! Get it for a special someone (you) by Christmas!

DSCF6707

DSCF6709

DSCF6711

DSCF6715

DSCF6718

DSCF6719

So pop on over to https://www.ccstudio2380.com and shop today!

Thanks, Chris and Carol ^.^

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.

Rare Yashica Pentamatic S Box – c1961

November 3, 2017November 3, 2017Chris and Carol 2 Comments

The Yashica Pentamatic S was the last camera in the Pentamatic series of Yashica’s first ever 35mm SLR. We believe that the S model was first produced (by serial number) in April 1961. Approximately 3,200 units later, Yashica stopped producing the S in March 1962.

The Pentamatic S was sold in the US as we have a sales brochure (in English) that features the model S along with the Yashica Penta J and Yashica J-3 (Yashica’s first m42 mount bodies). We’ve never seen an advertisement for the model S in any of the major camera magazines of the period. We aren’t aware of any sales brochures in Japanese either for the model S and we’re not sure that it was available in Japan. No solid proof one way or another yet.

So with all of that said, the Yashica Pentamatic S was produced for an extremely short period of time in very limited quantities (about 3,200 total worldwide). That alone makes finding the original box for the model S quite a rare find. So here it is –

It’s also one of the few Yashica camera boxes that feature a photograph of the camera on the box.

pentamaticsbox3

Back of the box specs for the model S.

Another interesting item (to us) is the lens that’s pictured on the box. By serial number, it was made by Tomioka Optical for Yashica in October 1959 and it would have been first used on the original Pentamatic ’35’. The model S went back to using the original lens on its newest model – all part of the general confusion at Yashica during an extremely busy period in the history of the company.

If you have anything relating to the Yashica Pentamatic S, please feel free to share it with us. In addition to being Yashica researchers we’re buyers of almost anything relating to Yashica. Contact us here or at chriscarol@ccstudio2380.com

Thanks for your visit! 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.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Tag Film Cameras

Sears Camera Catalog – 1952

The back cover of the Sears Camera Catalog – 1952

New reflex mirror in my Rolleicord Ia Type 3 from 1938

After 80 years of use, the original mirror had lost most of its reflectivity and the view available in the viewing hood was greatly diminished.

Yashica 35 YL – 1959 Rangefinder

Fujicarex II by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.

Unique – Odd – Quirky – Ugly – Gorgeous – Cool – Modern – Sexy – Sophisticated – Clunky – a failure?

Yashica’s L AF – good things come from plastic rectangles

A true plastic fantastic from Kyocera-Yashica. Released around 1986, this little gem is a modern classic. It gives much better-known (and much more expensive) point & shoots a run for the money.

In the Studio – Kodak Retina Reflex IV

Happy SUNday! Vintage Camera Edition

Happy SUNday y’all! Two new offerings in our online store – from our collection to yours!

The Curious Case of the Yashica ‘Olympic’* Camera

No, not those* Olympics.

Nikon One Touch Zoom 90s QD – Available for Purchase

Beautiful Nikon point and shoot 35mm compact film camera set – mint new in its original box – never used.

This stunning camera set is available for purchase from our online shop at https://www.ccstudio2380.com – please feel free to check it out.

Rare Yashica Pentamatic S Box – c1961

The back cover of the Sears Camera Catalog – 1952

After 80 years of use, the original mirror had lost most of its reflectivity and the view available in the viewing hood was greatly diminished.

Unique – Odd – Quirky – Ugly – Gorgeous – Cool – Modern – Sexy – Sophisticated – Clunky – a failure?

A true plastic fantastic from Kyocera-Yashica. Released around 1986, this little gem is a modern classic. It gives much better-known (and much more expensive) point & shoots a run for the money.

Happy SUNday y’all! Two new offerings in our online store – from our collection to yours!

*No, not those Olympics.

Beautiful Nikon point and shoot 35mm compact film camera set – mint new in its original box – never used.

This stunning camera set is available for purchase from our online shop at https://www.ccstudio2380.com – please feel free to check it out.

No, not those* Olympics.