Interesting read about the Japanese lens maker, Zunow.

March 7, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Vintage lens makers – Zunow (Japan)

The Original 35mm SLR from Asahi Pentax

March 1, 2025March 1, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Asahi Pentax

The original Asahi Pentax 35mm SLR (1957-1958), equipped with a Takumar 58mm f/2 lens and an Asahi 46mm UV filter.

It’s a fully functional gem.

The camera was in Australia, and the lens was in Japan; now, they are together in the U.S.

I’m happy to add them to my collection.

It’s credited as being the first modern 35mm SLR camera. It doesn’t look much different from later SLRs from other manufacturers. It was preceded by the Asahiflex pictured below.

The Asahiflex IIa was the first ‘modern’ 35mm SLR from 1955. It featured a pop-up viewing hood instead of an eye-level pentaprism like the later Asahi Pentax original from 1957.

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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.

Asahiflex IIa – 1955

February 15, 2025February 15, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Asahi Optical Company, Asahiflex IIa with a Takumar f3.5 50mm lens. Japan’s first 35mm SLR film camera. Notice the film-like look of this image using a vintage lens.

The Asahiflex IIa (first image above) was photographed with a 1959 Auto-Takumar f/3.5 35mm lens mounted via an adapter on my Fujifilm X-T2.

On the left, Nicca 3-S 35mm rangefinder camera (1954) and on the right, the Asahiflex IIa (1955). Note the similarity between the two. Both used interchangeable lenses, but the Asahiflex allowed for direct through-the-lens viewing via the pop-up viewing hood.

The Asahiflex uses 37mm screw-in lenses, and the Nicca uses 39mm screw-in lenses, just like a Leica camera from the same period.

Expensive for the mid-1950s but not overly so.

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Canon AE-1 Olympic Set

January 23, 2025January 23, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

From the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Classic Canon AE-1 35mm SLR film camera.

Shown with a sharp Canon New FD 50mm f/1.8 lens.

My set will include everything pictured (minus the display stand).

This is the last AE-1 in my extensive Canon camera collection.

This beautiful set is now available in my Etsy camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com. It’s been professionally serviced and returned to factory specifications, including a new battery. Just add the film!

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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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Petri Penta V – a classic or ugly duckling?

January 18, 2025January 18, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I know Petri has made several different camera models over the years, some of which I absolutely love and others, like this one, that I dislike. Is it a classic, or has it not aged well? It was released in 1969, so at that time, early SLRs weren’t especially stunners compared to the more refined models of the later 1960s. That said, I think the Asahi Pentax H2 from 1959 is one of the best-designed cameras from that era. The Nikon F is a stunning camera, but I dislike removing the base plate to load and unload film.

I admit, it would look better with a lens. Without a lens, it looks like a plumbing fixture.

A previous owner added the leatherette on the pentaprism, hiding the serial number. Does this add to or subtract from the camera’s appearance?

The tripod mount screw is moved forward under the lens mount; otherwise, it’s a simple base plate.

Here are my Asahi Pentax H2 from 1959 and my Yashica Pentamatic ’35’ from 1960 as a comparison.

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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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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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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.