Yashica TL Electro X ITS – Integrated Technology System

December 27, 2019December 27, 2019Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Have you ever wondered what the ‘ITS’ stood for? For most people, probably not – but if you’re a Yashica Fanatic probably yes.

Yashica TL Electro X ITS from 1973

Undated sales brochure for the TL Electro X ITS. By the way, the marketing people had the name ‘Tomioka’ removed from this cover image of the lens – it’s the big empty space on the left side of the lens ring.

After years (yes, years) of searching almost everything Yashica published I’ve come to the conclusion that the intent of the marketing behind this camera was to promote Yashica’s first real system 35mm SLR. No, it doesn’t have an interchangeable back or viewfinder like the Canon F-1 and the Nikon F, but it did have a host of quality lenses and accessories. Oh, and no motor drive.

So ‘ITS’ most likely means ‘Integrated Technology System’ since the TL Electro X was advertised as having a brain – a built-in IC brain with an electronically controlled focal-plane shutter and electronic LED exposure control.

Mint set from September 1973 with the later Yashica (Tomioka) Auto Yashinon-DS 50mm f1.4 lens. Take note of the writing on the box about electronic photography.

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In later years when Yashica teamed up with Contax and Zeiss to develop the Contax RTS – ‘Real Time System’.

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.

Fast Glass from Canon & Yashica

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

A couple of true heavyweights from Canon and Yashica-Tomioka.

Canon F-1 from 1978 and the Yashica TL Electro X ITS from 1973

The Canon FD 55mm f 1.2 lens is from 1972 which makes it a rather early FD lens. It lacks the S.C. or S.S.C. markings indicating that it’s not coated or at least the marketing people decided not to promote that feature. The Tomioka Optical made lens is an Auto Yashinon 55mm f 1.2 model from very early in the production run. Its serial number puts it about 1968 and it was the 769th made.

The Canon lens weighs 551 grams vs the Yashica’s 332 grams.

There’s a big difference in weight between the two lenses yet they are both equals in maximum aperture. The Canon takes a 58mm filter and the Yashica uses a 55mm filter.

I hope to be able to do a side by side test of these two lenses using Fotodiox adapters on my Fujifilm X-Series mirrorless digital camera. Stay tuned and thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Studio Camera: Fujifilm X-A10

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.

Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 Lens

December 19, 2019December 19, 2019Chris and Carol 3 Comments

A truly exceptional lens mated to my Canon F-1 from 1978.

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Monster glass on a beast.

Canon F-1 with Canon 55mm f/1.2 chrome nosed lens and Canon MF motor drive.
BTW, the lens weighs 551 grams by itself and this entire set comes in at 2,209 grams! Add 10 AA batteries and film and you’ve earned a trip to the doctor.

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.

Happy SUNday! – Aloha Fujica

December 15, 2019December 15, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

One of our favorites – this stunning all-red Fuji Fujica DL-20 (Auto Mate) from our collection of neat Fuji compact 35mm cameras.

This one is still new in its original box from 1983. It was Fuji’s first drop-in loading camera (pretty neat back then). It’s built like a tank and features a super sharp 38mm Fujinon 3 element lens. Easy zone focussing and built-in flash.

We’ve added this hard to find Fujica to our online shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com. With its bright red finish and colorful box, it makes a perfect Christmas gift for your photo bug or collector. It’s been tested with fresh batteries and everything works as it should.

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It’s available at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

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It’s a cool little piece of history – a modern classic as we like to call them. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – 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.

Rare Tower Type-3 35mm Rangefinder Camera made by Nicca

December 12, 2019December 15, 2019Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Made by Nicca for the Sears, Roebuck and Company for sale in the United States and Canada under the Tower brand. This beautiful camera set is from 1951.

Collectors “Dream Set”.

The Tower Type-3 is a 35mm rangefinder camera made by Nicca in 1951. The design is based on the original camera from Leica Many people call these types of cameras “Leica Clones or Leica Copies” but I like to refer to them as Leica inspired as many of the cameras made by Nicca were equal to if not superior to the Leica.

The camera is fully working at all speeds and the rangefinder is bright and accurate. There’s no dents, no marks, and no corrosion. It’s nearly perfect even after all these years.

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The camera body accepts all M39 / L39 screw-in mount lenses. This camera is fitted with its original Nikkor-H.C f/ 2 5cm lens made by Nippon Kogaku.

The camera features a clean simple design on the top plate. The shutter’s top speed is 1/500th of a second.

Cameras made in Japan prior to April 1952 were required to be marked “Made In Occupied Japan” somewhere on the baseplate. This camera is properly marked.

Not many presentation boxes from the early 1950s still exist and few exist in such good condition as this one. A nice find and its the proper box for the camera.

Below is another amazing survivor from the early 1950s – the original leather camera case and strap. I can’t begin to explain just how rare it is to find an intact leather case from Japan made over 65 years ago. Usually, they come apart at the stitching and the leather separates at the joints. This case looks as though it was just made. A beauty.

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The original instruction booklet and guarantee-registration card are included with this amazing set.

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The aperture blades look great – they function smoothly and show little wear. The optics are also free of distracting marks such as scratches or cleaning marks. The rear element does have some whitish fungus which means the lens would need to be cleaned in order to use it fully.

Below is a test picture that I took using the lens on my Fujifilm mirrorless digital camera. You can clearly see the “haze” from the fungus but you can see that it’s not a total loss either. I believe the fungus can be cleaned if you know how to service these types of lenses or if a professional camera repair facility does the work.

Test image taken with the Nikkor lens mounted on my Fujifilm X-A10 mirrorless digital camera.

Thanks for stopping by! If you’re interested in my set it’s available in my online camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com which is hosted by Etsy. – 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.

Rare Shinano Pigeon 35 Model IIA

December 9, 2019December 9, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Made by the Shinano Camera Company and distributed by Endo Photo Supplies Company of Tokyo in late 1952 or early 1953. First off, this camera is a survivor when you factor in just how old it is and the fact that this type of camera was never made in vast quantities.

It’s a 35mm viewfinder camera with an NKS shutter with speeds from bulb to 1/200 of a second plus a built-in self-timer. The 4.5cm Tri-Lausar lens is made by Tomioka Optical Company of Tokyo and has a maximum aperture of f/ 3.5

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When these types of cameras were made in the early 1950s they were never intended to be collector cameras in the future and they were up against stiff competition in a crowded marketplace. They were built well and they were designed to be affordable cameras for the masses.

A beautiful top plate that is free of dents, dings, and corrosion.

I like the way Pigeon is embossed into the covering.

Removing the entire back and bottom plate makes loading film super easy and fast.

The film pressure plate is in excellent condition with very little wear. Once again, the camera is free of corrosion and rust. Japan’s climate is very hot and humid during the long Summer months followed by intense cold Winters – with little indoor climate control it’s hard to find cameras from this era in such good condition.

Another remarkable aspect of this set is that the original leather case is also in nearly perfect condition.

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If you enjoy collecting vintage cameras from Japan then this Pigeon would make a wonderful addition to any collection. I haven’t tested it with film lately but the shutter operates at all speeds and sounds accurate, the aperture blades are clean and oil-free and with the exception of some dust specs in the lens I see no fungus or mold and it’s free of distracting cleaning marks or scratches. Optically the Tomioka lens is clean and clear. This is not a coupled rangefinder camera so you focus based on distance and you meter separately as there is no built-in exposure meter. Basic film photography just as it was intended.

If you’re interested this camera is available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Thanks, 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.

Fujica ST 701 35mm SLR Set – 1971

December 7, 2019December 7, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

We’ve recently added this beautiful camera set to our online camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com.

We love to collect classic film cameras that are still in their “factory fresh” condition and this totally unused Fujica was a joy to display in our collection.

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A test image made with the Fujinon 55mm f/1.8 lens mounted on my Fujifilm X-A10 mirrorless digital camera body via a Fotodiox M42-NX adapter.

I love the look these vintage lenses produce – they’re far from razor-sharp but soft is nice too in this digital age.

The silky-smooth surfaces on this Fujica are stunning.

Fuji Photo Film Company built a wonderful camera when they released the ST 701. I love its clean lines and uncluttered design.

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This Fujica uses M42 screw mount lenses from a wide range of manufacturers such as Tomioka, Yashica, Asahi Pentax, and others. If you’re interested, pop on over to http://www.ccstudio2380.com for the complete details and additional pictures.

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.

(almost) wordless wednesday

December 4, 2019December 4, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

yashica a cam and box

From 1964 – Yashica model A twin-lens reflex film camera still new in its original factory wrapper (and box).

*I know, pretty wordy for a Wordless Wednesday.

It’s available for purchase in my camera shop at http://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.

Another Yashica Sailor Boy

November 27, 2019November 27, 2019Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Those of you who follow this blog know that our main collecting passion lies with most everything from Yashica. The Yashica TL Electro X was my first 35mm SLR and since then my collection of all things Yashica has grown substantially.

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On the left is the original Yashica Sailor Boy (1962) – to the right is the Wee Willie Winkie version from around 1966 or so. Yashica has never officially named these guys so we’re assigning them names just to make identification easier.

Recently this version popped up for sale in Japan and although we didn’t purchase him I’d like to at least show another side of this collectible figurine.

YSB 35

All three of these versions were made in Japan by Modern Plastics during the 1960s. The football guy wearing number 35 was more than likely promoting Yashica’s line of 35mm cameras but little else is know about him. He is the same height as the other two at around 4 inches.

Here’s the dealer display version. He’s about 10 inches tall.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

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.

Nicca Type 33 Brochure – 1958

November 26, 2019November 26, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

One of the last cameras made by Nicca just before the takeover by Yashica was this simple 35mm rangefinder camera – the Nicca Type 33

The Nicca Type 33. Released around May 1958 just as Yashica was taking over the company. As best as I can tell, Yashica had no part in the design of this camera or the first-ever Nicca lens.

Although the top plate isn’t engraved “Type 33” there are markings inside on the bottom plate that identifies it as the Type 33. If you look closely at the lens pictured it’s marked as a Nicca f/2.8 50mm lens with an interesting serial number of No. 8002. The first-ever Nicca branded lens of any type. Origins of this lens are not known as Nicca had never produced a lens on their own.

The front and back covers of this rather rare brochure.

The inside of the brochure showing the available accessories.

The Nicca Type 33 is a worthy addition to any collection that features Japanese made 35mm rangefinder cameras – it’s not often available for sale outside of Japan and it can be rather hard to find (in good condition) on Japanese online auctions. Finding one in collector condition and with its original Nicca lens and box would be an interesting challenge and would test your collecting skills.

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.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Tag Made in Japan

Yashica TL Electro X ITS – Integrated Technology System

Have you ever wondered what the ‘ITS’ stood for? For most people, probably not – but if you’re a Yashica Fanatic probably yes.

Fast Glass from Canon & Yashica

A couple of true heavyweights from Canon and Yashica-Tomioka.

Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 Lens

Happy SUNday! – Aloha Fujica

One of our favorites – this stunning all-red Fuji Fujica DL-20 (Auto Mate) from our collection of neat Fuji compact 35mm cameras.

Rare Tower Type-3 35mm Rangefinder Camera made by Nicca

Rare Shinano Pigeon 35 Model IIA

Fujica ST 701 35mm SLR Set – 1971

(almost) wordless wednesday

Another Yashica Sailor Boy

Nicca Type 33 Brochure – 1958

One of the last cameras made by Nicca just before the takeover by Yashica was this simple 35mm rangefinder camera – the Nicca Type 33