Yashica’s most successful SLR… the TL Electro X set the standard for pioneering electronics in photography.
This nice example is from 1971.
Hybrid Camera: Fujifilm X-A10 with Canon FD 24mm f2.8 lens
Chris
Tag Made in Japan
Studio Sunday – Fujifilm X-Series
We recently found a slightly used Fujifilm X-A10 mirrorless camera with the APS-C sensor (without lens) on eBay for a very good price. Our goal was to use it, with an adapter, with some of our vintage Canon FD lenses in the studio.
We couldn’t be happier with the results – the adapter (FotodioX PRO) is solidly built and fits both the Canon lenses and the Fuji body nicely.
Our favorite lens in the studio at the moment is our Canon FD 24mm f2.8 SSC lens that we purchased in Japan in 1978. It is our “go-to” lens for film photography and it stands to reason that it would work out in the studio as well. With the APS-C sensor on the Fujifilm X-A10, the 24mm focal length is a 36mm equivalent so we get the nice wide view close-up we love.
f16
f2.8
In the two images above, the difference in the depth-of-field between f16 and f2.8 is dramatic – in the lower image the DOF is about 2 inches! The front of the lens is in sharp focus while the camera body is out of focus. Focussing is critical.
f5.6
The Yashica is the rather rare (outside of Japan) model A-III in gray on gray from 1959.
If you can find the X-A10 (body only) it makes the perfect poor man’s mirrorless set-up. 16.3 MP and the APS-C sensor is well suited for general photography and works extremely well in the studio.
Thanks for your visit and Happy SUNday y’all.
Chris
Yashica FR II by Camera Go Camera!
I have been exchanging emails with the owner of a great website about Yashicas. As I live in Japan I sometimes see hard to find models and have sent him a few. He wanted to do something in return, so I suggested he send me a camera in return. He did, and this is the […]
via Yashica FR II — Camera Go Camera
A must visit blog with great camera reviews and excellent photography! Check out her wonderful posts! Chris ^.^
Yashica Penta J and the J-P
Yashica’s first 35mm single-lens reflex camera with the Praktica-thread (M42) mount lenses was the Yashica Penta J… at least here in the United States and in Japan. Elsewhere (most of the world) the camera was known as either the Yashica Reflex 35 or Reflex J (Australia and possibly the U.K.). As best we can tell, they were all the same cameras with different top plates to accommodate the different names (logos).
Part of the demise (lack of sales success) of the well-built Pentamatic series of cameras that preceded the Penta J, was that Yashica decided to go with a Pentamatic exclusive bayonet mount lens system. Sturdy and well designed to be sure, but being unique limited the available lenses that could be swapped between cameras. The Praktica design M42 screw thread mounting system was in widespread use at the time and Yashica’s bayonet design just went against the flow.
Now fast forward to 1965 ish… Yashica introduces the new J-5 AND the J-P! In between those years Yashica had introduced the J-3 and J-4. Why would Yashica go back in time and bring out another 35mm SLR in 1965 that was the cousin to the 1961 Penta J? Notice we say cousins… not brothers. They shared the same platform with one another but as you can see in the image below the top plates were of a different design.
Stay tuned… more to come on these Yashica classics.
Many thanks, Chris and Carol
Yashica Penta J – the Pentamatic that wasn’t!
Clean design and simple controls. A stunning camera.
Released in 1962, the Penta J (Reflex 35 J in other markets) was Yashica’s first 35mm SLR designed to accept the popular M42 screw mount lenses vice Yashica’s exclusive Pentamatic bayonet mount that preceded it. The Penta J shared more body parts and took its design cues from the Pentamatic S (1961-62). Interestingly the Penta J lost the self-timer lever that the Pentamatic S fought so hard to get.
The Penta J was designed to accept a clip-on exposure meter that coupled to the shutter speed dial. No TTL metering – that was a long way off!
The ASA/DIN dial was not coupled to anything. It was a reminder to the photographer as to what the speed was of the film that was loaded in the camera.
The standard lens for the Penta J was the semi-automatic Yashinon 5cm f2 lens.
The Yashica Pentamatic S (below)… the Penta J’s cousin.
The Pentamatic S pictured with the standard lens for the Pentamatic II.
So there you have it. The Yashica Penta J and the Pentamatic S. Cousins in the Yashica family.
Comments? Please feel free to share what you know and what we may have missed. Thanks
Studio Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S9900W
Chris
Yashinon Lenses – 1962*
That date* might be a bit misleading as the sales brochure this was scanned from is undated (as is most Yashica marketing stuff). Our only clue as to the date is that it (the brochure) features the newly released J-3 and doesn’t include any other Yashica SLR. No Penta J or Reflex 35 (same camera different markets) and no J-5.
We like it because it features the Yashinon lenses available at that time. If you look closely at the mounts of the lenses, you’ll see the M42 screw-in mount. Yashica does state in the brochure that all of these lenses are available in both the Yashica Pentamatic bayonet mount and the M42 mount. My friend Paul, see An Interview with Paul Sokk – Site Author of the popular YashicaTLR.com , has proposed that Yashica may have distributed these lenses to dealers (market dependent) with both mounts – meaning that they were shipped with the “new to Yashica” M42 mounts but could be converted easily at the dealer level to bayonet mounts for the Pentamatic. Sounds very possible. At this time, Yashica also sold adapter rings for mounting their M42 lenses to Exakta mount bodies and for mounting Praktica mount (M42) lenses to their Pentamatics. Confusing? Yes. Yashica guessed incorrectly when they choose to design their own bayonet mount for the Pentamatic back in 1959. Was it Yashica or was it Tomioka’s designers? How about the ex Nicca and Zunow designers? We may never know but it doomed the Pentamatic right out of the gate.
Excellent snapshot of the lenses that were available at the time. The dual mounts (bayonet and M42) reflects Yashica’s indecision as to which mount to embrace.
Cover of the sales brochure that was included with our Yashica J-3 when new.
It is generally believed that all of these lenses were made by Tomioka Optical of Tokyo.
While some early Pentamatic bayonet mount lenses bear the Tomioka and sometimes Tominon names, most only carry Yashica and Yashinon. The same applies to the M42 mount lenses. Some can be found with Tominon but most simply have Yashinon. We don’t have positive proof that some lenses (both types) may have been made by another lens manufacturer. But whom? Taiho Optical (which was the former Nicca Camera hidden away in Suwa) but was really Yashica, or or or. We just don’t know. Pure speculation to think that another company did, but then again, no proof that there wasn’t another maker.
Thanks so much for your visit! If you made it this far you just may be a “Yashicaphile” or just Yashica junkies like us. Do you have something to contribute??? We’d love to hear from you and would love to include your info in our blog. Thanks! ^.^
Chris & Carol
Yashica FR II – the camera that made me buy the Canon F-1
I know – the FR II and the F-1 are miles apart in features (and price). I purchased my first Yashica, a TL Electro-X in 1971 and used it faithfully through much of the 1970s. Being a young (and married) US Navy Sailor and money deprived, the TL suited me just fine – until I was transferred to Japan in 1977. If you were ever stationed in Yokosuka then you know what Building A33 means. It was the Navy Exchange camera and stereo heaven!!! Reps from all of the major camera manufacturers were present and demonstrated their latest gear to the now cash flush Sailors. Upstairs was a branch of Navy Federal Credit Union… if you couldn’t afford it, finance it! Pure bliss.
I’m so easily distracted.
So it was time for me to upgrade my trusty TL Electro-X, so naturally I looked at what Yashica had to offer. The FR was out but it didn’t do it for me and quite frankly, the Contax RTS didn’t either. So I waited and saved some money and started reading the Navy Exchange catalog every day (and night). The Canon F-1 looked promising but was expensive. The TL needed to hold me over as I was diverted to purchasing stereo equipment. Sansui pre and power amps, Teac reel to reel, Dual turntable and some killer Kenwood speakers. A small fortune so a camera upgrade would have to wait.
Now it’s the summer of 1978. My ship was inport (finally) long enough for Carol and I to spend some quality time together and to focus our attention on replacing the Yashica. Another visit to A33 and another visit with the Yashica rep. Now the FR II was the camera of the day (and he was still pushing the RTS too). No way. The friendly Canon rep was all too happy to take my money and hand me a bright new F-1 with 55mm f/ 1.4 lens and Canon 80-200mm zoom. The Yashica was sold off to a friend and that was it for Yashica (for the next couple of decades).
Oh happy day! July 1978 – my new Canon F-1 and Canon FD 80-200mm f/ 4 zoom lens.
Present day now and I’m finally an owner of a Yashica FR II.
I picked up this beauty recently because it looked to be in near perfect condition and I figured, why not. Well I gotta say that I’m impressed. Not impressed enough to regret my F-1 purchase back in 1978, but impressed.
The camera feels good in my hands – well balanced and the viewfinder is super bright. What a big difference over the Yashica TL Electro-X. The Contax/Yashica lens is crisp, clear and focusses easily (split-image). The meter is simple (this is a aperture priority camera) so you’re only messing with the f stops.
With the power winder attached it’s a tad on the heavy side but would be useful as a weapon (or anchor).
Simple lines and layout. The meter switch (upper right) is a bit awkward but the meter is accurate and that’s all that matters.
Uses all of the C/Y bayonet mount lenses which can be had for a song today. Here is a 135mm, f/ 2.8 lens that came with it in basically unused condition.
We have so many cameras in the queue right now I have no idea when we’ll get a chance to run a roll through it.
Verdict. I’ve waited nearly 40 years to shoot with it so I’m excited to see how it does out in the field. If you find a nice one for sale (mint condition) then give it a try. Stay away from the ones that look rough – these don’t hold up well with abuse. Prices are all over the place – you may be able to strike a nice deal with a seller who’s ready to part ways. Best of luck!
Studio Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S9900W
Chris
Yashica Arrivals – Pentamatic S & 635
As if the collection needed more Yashica anything – but collections are dynamic things and as such, something “new” arrives which paves the way for a duplicate(s) to go.
Although we have some very nice Pentamatic-S models in the family, this one is close to mint new and is in fully working condition (including the “no name” exposure meter). So we’ll take a hard look at the others and decide which will be listed for sale in our online store.
The Yashica-635 is another story.
The first one we acquired (about a year ago) looked perfect – new in fact – but it had a fatal flaw – the shutter was jammed because the “M-X” lever was in the wrong position when someone tried to use the self-timer. That one was sold for parts. This one came to us from England and was likely purchased new in Singapore in the late 1950s. A guess on our part but there’s a cleaning cloth with it from a camera store in Changi Village, Singapore which was located right outside the gates of the RAF Changi airbase. This 635 is super clean and works! It even came with the hard to find large Yashica-635 carry case in excellent condition. We can’t wait to try the 35mm feature on it.
The Yashica-635 is a dual format TLR which was released in 1958 (this model) and the Yashica Pentamatic-S came out in early 1961 – possibly January (this one September 1961).
Much more to come on the Yashica-635. We hope to restore the large leather carry case that came with it and we’ll do a complete feature on the dual formats. The ability to shoot 12 6x6cm negatives with 120 roll film and with a few easy change outs inside, switch to shooting a roll of 35mm film with the same camera. Cool.
Thanks for stopping by!
Studio Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S9900W
Chris
Modern Classic – Fujifilm Zoom Date 140
Released around late 1999 or early 2000 – another of Fujifilm’s high zoom 35mm autofocus compact cameras.
It’s a good looking camera that fits well in my hand. Not too small but not overly big either. Still handles like a quality point and shoot camera from the 1990s. Features a nice Fujinon zoom lens so it handles a wide range of shooting situations. Of course when it extends the lens it looks a bit goofy at 140mm but at least the motor is kinda quiet.
The Fujinon lens features 5 components, 5 elements, 38-140mm zoom f/ 7 to 13 with closest AF focusing from 0.9 meters to infinity.
Quality materials used throughout – solid construction.
Nice bright viewfinder – recessed on/off button and an easy to use zoom lever (gray thingy) for zipping through the different focal ranges.
Easy to set date modes and of course an easy to see and read LCD. Big shutter button feels good under your finger.
Easy to load and has some what looks like glass over the rear element. Nice touch.
Of course it has a self timer, auto film advance and rewind, autofocus, autoflash with red-eye reduction and DX coding from ISO 50-3200. Uses the still easy to find CR123A lithium battery. Weighs 240 grams without the battery.
Comes with a roll of Fujicolor Superia film – expired in 2002.
Should you collect these plastic fantastic P&S compact 35mm cameras from the 2000s? Yes of course – if you can find one still new in the box, why not? They don’t make them anymore and if you’re looking to find a good 35mm film camera as a user, this one has enough features and a quality zoom to handle most demanding shooting situations.
This set can be viewed at our online store, CC’s Studio Twenty-3 Eighty at http://www.ccstudio2380.com if you’re interested.
Thanks a bunch for your visit and as always, Carol and I appreciate your comments and likes.
E.P Marked Photo Gear. Is it really worth more?
Photo gear made in Japan will sometimes carry a strange marking <E.P>
In the above example, the <E.P> mark is engraved on the rewind knob of this Nicca camera. This camera is from the 1955 to 1957 period.
In the example above, this Nikkor 13.5cm lens has the <E.P> mark engraved on a small lever near the base of the lens. On the lens case below, the <E.P> mark is stamped into the leather just below the JAPAN stamp. The case belongs with the lens pictured above.
First time we’ve seen the mark on a lens case. To us that implies that the case was mated with that lens from the factory (or wherever the mark was applied).
So what’s up with the <E.P> mark anyway?
As we understand it, the Japanese government needed a way to identify which pieces of photo gear were sold through military facilities and duty free shops in Japan. We feel that the mark means “Exempt Product” – cameras or electronic gear purchased without paying taxes to the government of Japan and purchased by authorized personnel (military members and their families, tourists and by diplomatic members and their families). We’ve seen alternate meanings as “Post Exchange” (military base stores) but U.S. Navy stores are called “Navy Exchange – NEX” and U.S. Army/Air Force stores are “BX/PX or Base Exchange/Post Exchange”. It’s hard to make “NEX or BX” into “EP”. Other explanations of <E.P> include: Export Permitted (or Export Permit), Exchange Program and Export Production.
The “Black Market”.
The majority of the photo gear we have in our collection that bears the <E.P> mark, was in fact purchased through military facilities and not at duty free shops. Another cause for concern after the War, and we know this first hand from having lived in Japan in the late 1970s, was the so called black market that may have existed (it did) in Japan. The difference between what a service member could buy a camera for at the Navy Exchange (reduced cost and no taxes) and what that same item sold for at a Japanese camera store was just too great not to tempt some selling on the black market. The military stores kept tabs on the amount of tobacco and liquor that a family could purchase and big ticket items (cameras and stereo equipment) included a statement on the receipt that the service member would check and then sign that the item was for their personal use. A direct reminder that you were not to resell the item to unauthorized individuals. Our guess would be that if a Japanese citizen had a camera in their possession with the <E.P> mark it would be easy to question where it was purchased. However, the <E.P> marks were normally on parts of the camera that could be removed and replaced with non marked parts. No system is perfect so if there’s a will they’ll be a way.
The <EP> mark on a Yashica-Mat from 1960.
So, does the mark make my photo gear more valuable? Yes. Collectible? Yes. Desirable? Yes. But to whom?
Like anything that’s collected, if someone wants it just because of the mark (in this case), then the <E.P> mark makes your item more desirable. In the real world, the gear is no different except for the mark. But – and it’s a big but – there are fewer of them out there. In the case of the nice Yashica-Mat pictured above, let’s say that Yashica sold 1,000 of them in 1960 throughout Japan. Maybe 5% were marked <E.P> (and that may be way high). So if you want to collect a mint condition Yashica-Mat made in 1960, there may be, let’s say only 10 available worldwide at any one time, and if one of those has the mark, well that adds a nice bonus of rarity to the mix. Another way to look at the mark is that the gear was less likely purchased by a professional photographer and therefore may have been better taken care of by its owner. Lots of exceptions to that line of thinking but it does have some merits.
So there you have it. Something of an explanation. If you have photo gear from the 1950s, 1960s and sometimes from as late as the early 1970s and you have the mark, well now you know a bit more about it. If you’d like us to appraise it for you we will be more than happy to. Just contact us here on the blog and we can get something going for you.
Studio Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S9900W
Chris
Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris 