Satur-YAY!

September 13, 2025October 8, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Classic Gems!

The Canonflex was released in May 1959. It was Canon’s first 35mm SLR. The Yashica Pentamatic was Yashica’s first 35mm SLR, and it was released in March 1960. It was designed with the help of the recently acquired Nicca Camera Company in 1958. It’s safe to say that without Nicca’s help after the acquisition, the Pentamatic wouldn’t have come to market when it did.

Likely two cameras many have never seen.

As a collector of classic cameras, I appreciate these designs from the late 1950s.

What makes them different keeps them the same. Both cameras feature sharp standard f/1.8 lenses. The Canomatic lens is reportedly radioactive. No evidence that the Yashica lens is also radioactive. The lens on the Yashica was made by Tomioka Optical for Yashica. The Canon lens was made by Canon.

The Canon is a slightly larger camera than the Yashica.

The Pentamatic is slightly more compact compared to the Canonflex. Its all-metal construction puts its weight right there with the larger Canon.

Rear view. The serial number on the Canon indicates it was the 5,998th camera made. The Yashica was manufactured in August 1960 and was the 8,101st model produced up to that point in 1960.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on 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.

An elegant machine designed to capture light on film.

September 5, 2025September 5, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

From 1959. An Asahi Optical Company H2. Shown here with its North American market distributors’ engravings. No self-timer, accessory shoe, or light meter. A clean machine.

The Asahi Pentax ‘Original’ or just ‘AP’ as it came to be referred to. From 1957. Asahi’s first 35mm SLR with an eye-level pentaprism.

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A Yashica makes an appearance in a sci-fi movie, again.

July 14, 2025July 14, 2025Chris and Carol 3 Comments

Thanks to a tip I received from Mike Bowman, I was able to grab this snip from the 1961 sci-fi movie ‘The Phantom Planet’ of a Yashica YT-100 tape recorder! It was part of the dashboard of a spaceship control panel. If you want to see for yourself, it’s at time stamp 41:47 in the very campy movie.

Yashica Camera vs. Rodan!

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Fujifilm’s ‘JP’ Model X-T5

July 2, 2025July 2, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I know, the title looks like a mathematical equation. Fujifilm (USA) is now selling its most popular models made in Japan instead of China to avoid its US customers from paying the high tariffs imposed on China. Here is a snip from Fuji’s website this morning (July 2, 2025). The ‘JP’ designates that the camera is made in Japan.

That’s quite a difference in the price between a Chinese-made X-T5 and a made-in-Japan model. Currently, Fujifilm has the X-T5 (Silver Model) in stock. If you’re interested in this camera, I suggest you move quickly, as it’s likely to sell out.

I use the Fujifilm X-T2 and love it. Would I like to upgrade to the X-T5? Yes!

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Happy SUNday! – I take an old friend out for a photowalk.

June 29, 2025June 29, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

The Nikon L35AF was Nikon’s first 35mm autofocus camera. Its reputation is top-notch, which is the name it is known by in Japan – Picaichi. No swooping lines here, just a solidly built gem from the 1980s.

The Nikon features a super-sharp f/2.8 35mm lens.

Loaded with fresh Fujifilm 200. Not my favorite since Fuji dropped the better versions, but it’s still colorful and contrasty.

They came in two models. The first was an ISO 400, and the updated one was ISO 1000. This is the latter ISO 1000 one.

I just added this very nice, unused Canon CPS Think Tank camera bag to my Etsy camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Asahiflex IIa – one of the original 35mm SLRs

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

From Japan, released in 1955. The Asahiflex IIa was one of Japan’s first 35mm SLR cameras.

The Asahiflex IIa with a gorgeous Asahi-Kogaku Takumar f/3.5 50mm lens.

The Asahiflex had interchangeable screw-in lenses.

The Asahiflex IIa and a Nicca 3-S. The Nicca is from 1956.

This is a Leica IIIg from 1956. It was made in Germany and features a sharp Leica Summaron f/3.5 3.5cm lens.

It’s a great camera to add to any early 35mm camera collection, and there are plenty still available to collect.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Contax Classic – 137 MD Quartz

April 8, 2025April 8, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

50th Anniversary Edition (1932-1982). It will be in my camera shop soon.

It can be used as a fully automatic exposure camera (just focus and shoot).

It will include all of the original paperwork and, as a bonus, both the English and Japanese user’s manuals and sales brochures. Watch my shop.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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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

Friday Fotos! – Contax Crazy

April 4, 2025April 4, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My Contax RTS with a Contax RTW W-3 and Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 Macro Zoom lens.
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The Carl Zeiss lens is super sharp, and the zoom range is perfect for my type of photography.

It’s not complete without the appropriate Contax overdesigned and oversized lens hood.

The original Contax RTS (Real Time System) is a joy to use. If you are looking for a classic 35mm SLR to add to your collection, look no further than the RTS.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Canon’s amazing 35mm SLR, the EF (1973-1978)

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

In many ways, it’s better than the much more famous F-1.

It’s also known as the Canon Black Beauty. It’s built on the F-1’s frame but does not have interchangeable viewfinders or the ability to use a power winder or motor drive.

The EF was first released in 1973, just two years after the F-1. It was Canon’s first aperture-priority camera, well before the AE-1.

The standard lens is the Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C. shown here with its lens hood.

Here, a Canon EF and its cousin, the Canon F-1. The F-1 is shown in a limited-edition olive drab.

The Canon EF is a worthy camera for your collection. The ability to electronically time exposures from 1/2 to 30 seconds accurately makes it more versatile than the F-1 in its base form.