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!

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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

Happy SUNday!

May 27, 2018May 27, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

A couple of the advertising boys from Yashica

Could this be the camera that our Sailor Boy is holding? Yashica’s Auto Focus Motor 35 from 1981.

Since Yashica has never officially named their advertising doll, I’ve always referred to him as ‘Sailor Boy’ for obvious (to me) reasons. Sailor hat and blue sailor pants. The other boy – well that’s still up for discussion. I originally thought of him as being a party boy and then a Christmas elf and now back to party guy and now… Yashica’s take on the nursery rhyme, “Wee Willie Winkie”. Floppy hat with the little ball or tassels on the end, and pointy slippers. It appears that Yashica used him to “announce” the arrival of their new camera. A stretch but thanks to my friend Paul, a good stretch.

The camera that the boy is holding resembles the Yashica Auto Focus Motor which was released in the early 1980s. The brochure shows the camera on a table with party hats, presents and a cake with candles – a birthday cake?

Party hat? Christmas hat? Sleeping cap? It is missing a green decal on the front of the hat that says Yashica in katakana. The green decal and the white hat with red stars made me think that these were Christmas colors.

The Sailor Boy (far right) with his proper green decal on his cap. Pointy (elf?) shoes and what appears to be a Christmas ball hanging from the cap… or maybe not.

A true Christmas Sailor Boy – he’s a candle and so is his tree.

Could this be Yashica’s inspiration??? Hmmmm

Thanks for stopping by Y’all! Have a great day!

Chris and Carol

Blondie – ‘Heart of Glass’ – 1979

May 25, 2018May 25, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Recently discovered within our older collection of “neat stuff” from Japan (Carol and I lived in Yokohama in the late 1970s) is this almost new Blondie 45rpm record that was purchased at a nearby record shop – Hama Gakki.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Be sure to visit our online store at https://www.ccstudio2380.com for bunches of stuff!

Chris and Carol

Happy Earth Day 2018!

April 22, 2018April 22, 2018Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Celebrate the Earth and all of its creatures –

collage africa

collage mountains

collage coastline

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Do something nice for the Earth 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.

A Face in a Crowd – WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge

February 22, 2018February 22, 2018Chris and Carol 6 Comments

We went deep into our archives for these two images in response to this week’s challenge – A Face in a Crowd –

Taken along a typical busy shopping street in Sugita, Japan (just south of Yokohama) in the late 1970s. If you look closely you can see the faces of at least two women inside looking out.

One of our favorite images from our time living in Japan in the late 1970s. The face of the bus driver is clearly seen as he is busy checking me out in his rearview mirror.

Hope you enjoyed our contribution to this week’s challenge. Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to visit our online shop at https://www.ccstudio2380.com

C&C ^.^

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.

Dolls from Japan – 1978

February 13, 2018February 13, 2018Chris and Carol 2 Comments

These lovely dolls were handmade for us while we were living in Japan between 1977 and 1980. A wonderful artist came to our home and we helped “design” the dolls we wanted.

Specifically, we lived in a Western-style home in Honmoku, Naka-ku, Kanagawa Prefecture – just south of Yokohama City proper.

doll 2

doll 1

doll 3

The artistry and attention to detail are amazing.

Thanks for stopping by!

C&C ^.^

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 J-3 Sales Brochure – 1962

January 23, 2018January 23, 2018Chris and Carol 4 Comments

We don’t have an exact date on this brochure – we’re mainly basing it on the recognized release date in the United States. Since this is a Japanese brochure it could have been earlier or later.

Of interest, the first M42 screw mount camera made by Yashica was the Penta J which was also known in Japan as the “Jaguar”. The name Jaguar never appeared on the camera body, just in advertising. It is possible that the “J” in the J-3 could have been for Jaguar but the marketers from Yashica decided to shorten it to just “J” at the last minute.

Front and back covers for the first J-3 brochure.

These images (below) are from two different J-3 instruction booklets that we have in our collection. The one on the left appears to be from a rare early version of the book with the image on the right from the later and more common book. Of note, the camera in the left image does not have a name on the body while the camera in the book on the right shows J-3. It’s an entirely different picture of the J-3. Our guess is that the book on the left has either a prototype or pre-production camera before Yashica finalized the name for the camera. They may have still been up in the air about naming it J-3 or possibly Jaguar something.

The left camera appears without a name and very different (and rather odd looking) accessory shoe. The camera on the right carries the J-3 name and the “correct” accessory shoe that ended up in production.

2 j-3 collage

Same instruction booklet but with the “J-3” written in on the image. Look closely, notice how crude it is. Another clue that the camera was a pre-production or prototype camera.

Well, there you have a bit of Yashica controversy discovered 56 years after the fact! lol

Thanks for your visit!

Remember to stop by our store at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

C&C ^.^

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.

Hi! Mickey Mouse by Fujifilm – 1996

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

New arrival at our store! Straight from a collector in Japan – this cool little compact P&S from Fujifilm.

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These are nearly impossible to find outside of Japan as they were only licensed by the Walt Disney Company to Fuji Photo Co., Ltd. with the Fujifilm brand on it. This one was sold at the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo.

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More to come on this one soon – we have the original box and all papers and it’s never been used!

Thanks for your visit!

Be sure to stop by https://www.ccstudio2380.com

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.

Our House – Honmoku, Yokohama 1977

December 12, 2017December 25, 2017Chris and Carol 14 Comments

As a tie-in to a recent post by our friend Peggy at Camera Go Camera of our old neighborhood (US Navy Area 2 Military Base Housing) in Japan. Here’s a picture of our house at 283-D Area 2 after a rare light snowfall.

Our US Navy base house in Honmoku, Naka-Ku, Yokohama from May 1977 to February 1980. We were the last Navy family to live there as the US Navy was in the process of turning over control of the land to the Japanese Government.

US Navy housing Area 2 looking east towards the bay. This part of Yokohama was still very industrial in the late 1970s. Our house is the blue two-story in the middle left. This shot was taken on a nice and steamy hot August day.

Camera: Canon F-1 on Kodachrome 25 color slide film

Thanks for stopping by!

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.

‘Cheeky’ – Weekly Photo Challenge

December 9, 2017December 25, 2017Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Not a term I would normally use, but maybe this Yashica ‘Sailor Boy’ fits the bill as cheeky.

Yashica’s advertising figurine from 1962.

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.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Tag Japan

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.

Happy SUNday!

A couple of the advertising boys from Yashica

Blondie – ‘Heart of Glass’ – 1979

Recently discovered within our older collection of “neat stuff” from Japan (Carol and I lived in Yokohama in the late 1970s) is this almost new Blondie 45rpm record that was purchased at a nearby record shop – Hama Gakki.

Happy Earth Day 2018!

A Face in a Crowd – WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge

Dolls from Japan – 1978

Yashica J-3 Sales Brochure – 1962

We don’t have an exact date on this brochure – we’re mainly basing it on the recognized release date in the United States. Since this is a Japanese brochure it could have been earlier or later.

Hi! Mickey Mouse by Fujifilm – 1996

New arrival at our store! Straight from a collector in Japan – this cool little compact P&S from Fujifilm.

These are nearly impossible to find outside of Japan as they were only licensed by the Walt Disney Company to Fuji Photo Co., Ltd. with the Fujifilm brand on it. This one was sold at the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo.

Our House – Honmoku, Yokohama 1977

‘Cheeky’ – Weekly Photo Challenge