A timeless classic from Yashica.

January 19, 2025January 19, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica 35

Yashica’s first 35mm camera was made from April 1958 to December 1960.
New evidence indicates that the Yashica 35 had a longer run than previously reported. The first units rolled off the line in April 1958, and the last in December 1960. This camera may be one of the last made – its serial number shows it to be a December 1960 model, which was the 1,150th of that month.
The lens is a Tomioka-made f/1.9, 4.5cm, with a Copal MKV-SV shutter. The build quality and sharpness of the lens are exceptional.

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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 © 2015-2025 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

twosday 2 fer

January 14, 2025January 14, 2025Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Yashica’s first rangefinder camera is on the left, and Yashica’s first SLR is on the right.

The Canon EF is a close cousin to the F-1. The EF was released in 1973, and the original F-1 in 1971. This OD F-1 (olive drab) is the only Canon F-1 in a color other than black.

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More Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok 1978

January 13, 2025January 13, 2025Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Standing guard at Wat Phra Kaew.

Mid-December in Thailand. With Kodachrome 25 loaded in my Canon F-1.

Canon FD 24mm f/2.8 SSC wide angle lens.

A super wide-angle lens is the only way to capture the wonder that is this temple.

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single frame – Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

January 13, 2025January 13, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

At Wat Phra Kaew. December 1978.
Kodachrome 25 and my Canon F-1 and Canon FD 24mm f/2.8 SSC lens.

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Canon and Nikon Classics

January 11, 2025January 11, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Which camp are you?

Can the Canon be considered a compact camera?

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Friday Fotos! Canon and Fujifilm

January 10, 2025January 10, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon NFD 24mm f/2.8 lens. I should have used a yellow or orange filter.

My 1978 Canon F-1 loaded and ready to go on a photo walk.

I got better results using the meter in the F-1 when using a 1.35v Wein Cell.

Canon NFD 24mm f/2.8 lens. A slightly better exposure.

The World-famous Palace Saloon, Fernandina Beach Historic District.

Processing and scans were done by The Darkroom at medium resolution. The images below I used a 625A 1.5v battery which, on average made the camera’s meter two stops off.

In the tight confines of the historic district, a 50mm lens isn’t my favorite lens to shoot with. I’m a wide-angle lens guy.

Canon OD F-1 with a Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 SSC lens (my original lens from 1978).

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Yashica Pentamatic Lenses

January 9, 2025January 9, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica Pentamatic ’35’

We recently acquired this lens for our Yashica Pentamatic collection. Why is it important? It’s a great find because it’s the first time we’ve encountered a lens with a lower serial number than one pictured in an advertisement (in this case, the first-ever ad for the Pentamatic, June 1960). We know it is total nerd stuff, but that’s what makes collecting fun.

The lens was made for Yashica by Tomioka Optical, which at the time made about 90% of all their lenses (TLR, SLR, RF, and Cine).

The lens serial number decodes 59 = 1959, 10 = OCT, and 0092, the 92nd lens made since production started.

In the second image, the other lens was made in December and was the 1,630th made. Tomioka was busy producing these lenses long before Yashica released the Pentamatic in March 1960. The first Pentamatic bodies were made in January.

The third image shows an early Yashica Tominon Super Yashinon-R f/2.8 3.5cm wide-angle lens SN 350246. The date code was dropped in favor of a simpler code: 35 = 35 mm, and 0246 is the sequence number since the start of production.

The ad shows a lens with a higher production number than the lens we own. 92 indicates it was made in the first batch of 100 lenses.

The October lens is on the left and the December lens is on the right. No November lenses were made.

From an early batch of wide-angle lenses from Tomioka Optical. This one is number 246.

A fast lens from Tomioka. The f/1.2 55mm lens which was made much later in the M42 screw mount.

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single frame – Kowloon, Hong Kong

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon F-1 with Canon FD 80-200mm f/4 SSC Lens on Kodachrome 64.

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camera porn – sexy stuff

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

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A reminder, never leave batteries in your photo gear.

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Here is a new flash in its original box, Canon Speedlite 244T, that I received from a recent purchase on eBay. The seller has since refunded me, but this serves as a reminder to never leave batteries, especially AA batteries, in your cameras and other accessories. This “new” flash had these Philips batteries installed at some point, but the owner forgot about them. What a shame that an otherwise neat collectible is now ruined.