Yashica’s Model A TLR – a camera you should collect

April 12, 2022April 12, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hi all… if you’re looking to get into medium-format film photography may I suggest you look for the Yashica Model A as a good starting point. The camera is super simple to operate and is very affordable compared to other Yashica models. The better price doesn’t get you an inferior camera though as the Model A uses high-quality Yashica lenses made by Tomioka Optical of Tokyo. Here’s an example of a Model A. This one was made in 1966 and is in mint condition.

Here’s a link to the instruction booklet. http://www.yashicatlr.com/PDFs%20User%20Manuals%20(new)/Yashica%20A%20(LoRes).pdf

The right side has a large focusing knob in feet and meters and a smaller film advance knob (upper left).

This camera’s left side features an accessory shoe.

A red viewing window indicates which exposure you’re on.

Film loading is simple as is unloading. The camera uses easy to find 120 roll film. I like using film from Fujifilm.

Both the viewing lens (top) and the taking lens are Yashikor f3.5 80mm made by Tomioka Optical. The shutter is made by Copal and features speeds from B (Bulb) to 1/300. The shutter is cocked by moving the lever (with a green dot) downward after advancing the film. The shutter release is the silver button on the lower left of the faceplate. The aperture is set by the silver lever to the right of the taking lens.

Instruction booklet from the first version of the camera (1956).

Why I love the Yashica-A. It’s simple to use and simple to operate and with less fussy features it’s likely to operate for decades to come and it’s easy to chase down on the online auction and buying sites (eBay, Etsy, Mercari). What’s the downside? Like any camera that’s over five decades old, fungus and mold on the lenses are the biggest issues. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to get at the lenses and give them a good cleaning as long as the fungus hasn’t etched the glass lens elements. I find my Yashica-A’s lens is just as good a picture taker as my much more feature-laden Yashica-Mat EM with a Yashinon lens. For much more on everything related to Yashica TLRs, stop by my good friend Paul Sokk’s site at http://www.yashicatlr.com – Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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.

Happy SUNday! – Vintage Cameras –

September 16, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashicaflex Rookie 1956

All of our ‘Rookie Stuff’ together for this display. As a Japanese domestic market only camera, the Rookie is a rather unique find outside of Japan.

Wonderfully fun camera to use… always gets strange looks whenever it’s out and about.

1959 gray Yashica-A and 1956 Yashicaflex Rookie. Two wonderfully simple twin-lens reflex (TLR) cameras from Yashima-Yashica. These two have held up very nicely over these many years.

Probably one of the oddest names for a camera from Yashica (and they’ve had a bunch). If we use our western definition of the word “rookie” it would appear that Yashica was naming a simple to use camera that first-time photographers would be comfortable with. The Rookie was not available outside of Japan.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to see what we’ve added to our online store at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Chris

Yashica-A: Collecting 101*

June 8, 2017June 8, 2017Chris and Carol 4 Comments

*Or how to run out of space for it all real quick!

As much as Carol and I would love to go on collecting camera sets, the cameras will eventually win out! Even when we narrow our collecting to let’s say only twin-lens reflex cameras made in the mid 1950s, and only made by Yashima-Yashica, we’d still run out of space and money. There were just too many made (obviously) to be able to collect all the different models and all the different variations. Yashima-Yashica was, by far, the most prolific TLR maker – ever! I believe they finally stopped by 1986 which was long after TLRs fell from favor!

So we’ve reached the point they sing about in that Disney movie – “Let it Go”!

Collecting Yashima-Yashica cameras is a very satisfying endeavor. We’ve been at it for decades, we know. There’s enough of them around so the choices are plenty – but since Yashicas were built well but built for the masses, they weren’t collected when they were new. Most that are available are well used. They’re still very functional, but well used nonetheless. So if you’re trying to collect complete sets just as they came from the factory, and you want them to work and be in mint (or near mint) condition, good luck! It’s not like collecting Leicas, Nikons, Canons or Rolleis where when you google “nikon mint box” you end up with hundreds to pick from from all across the web. Google “mint yashica box” and you’ll see maybe a dozen of Yashica’s last TLR – the Mat 124G. A great camera but it’s common. The early stuff from Yashima-Yashica, well that’s a whole different ballgame, and that ballgame is fun!

This one is from 1957, made by Yashima Optical – the Yashica-A

Solidly built and well maintained.

All the factory goodies.

“Fall out of bed” easy to operate – shoot 6x6cm negatives or color slide film soon after loading it. Great optics, accurate shutter and bright viewing screen.

Yashimar f/ 3.5, 80mm lenses made by Tomioka Optical.

The Yashica-A is a great medium format camera. Simple to use and produces super sharp, large images that you’ll be amazed came from your hands. Why is the A the best? This one is 6 decades old and works perfectly. Why? Virtually nothing on it to break or jam. Simple winding knob, no self-timer and black yarn light seals that never fail. No built-in light meter (use a phone app) or use a vintage hand held meter or guess at the exposure or learn the “Sunny-16” rule. You almost have to try to make a bad image with a camera like this. Worried about the reversed image in the viewing hood? You’ll get over it quickly and you’ll soon love composing and shooting in the square format (6 x 6).

This model A (remember, “Let it Go”) is available for purchase. If you have an interest, contact us at chriscarol@ccstudio2380.com or visit us at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

If there’s something that you’re looking for maybe we have it or can find one for you. You never know!

Thanks for stopping by!

Studio Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S9900W

Chris

More ‘Found Film’

December 8, 2016Chris and Carol 2 Comments

We recently posted a short article about the good and bad sides of ‘found film’. It’s always exciting whenever we acquire a new camera and find film from the previous owner. We enjoy trying to figure out what year the film may be from. In this case, the 120 roll is Kodak Ektachrome-X – color slide film or reversal film if you prefer. It was found in a Yashica-A twin-lens reflex (TLR) medium format camera.

Yashica-A TLR and some ‘found film’. In this case some Kodak Ektachrome-X color slide film.

The camera (Yashica-A) is from October 1959. Its general appearance would indicate that it saw limited use as the camera is in near mint condition with only a few small detracting marks. It works perfectly and the optics are sharp and clear. The shutter is accurate and it’s ready to shoot with again. It always amazes me how many cameras we find with half used rolls of film.

Nice little addition to our vintage film collection.

We’re not going to get this roll developed. Our experience with the most recent roll was basically a waste of money – and a bit scary as you never know if the previous photographer shot something bad. We’ll let this one alone.

If anyone can give us an idea as to when this style of film was in use we would love to know.

Many thanks for your visit!

Chris

You can visit us on flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/127540935@N08/

A Couple of ‘New’ Yashicas

April 28, 2016December 30, 2016Chris and Carol 3 Comments

ヤシカ… A couple of new Yashicas have caught our fancy. From 1986 and during Yashica’s ‘dark period’ when they were taken over by Kyocera, this super nice (and truly new) Yashica MF-2 Super DX. To be sure it’s a very plastic camera but it’s filled with some nice high tech features… DX coding of the film speed, automatic exposure and built in flash. No focus needed as the lens can focus from about 3 feet to infinity (and beyond!!!).

The other member of the Yashica family is this nice almost 100% mint Yashica-A with gray leather and silky black metalwork. It’s from 1959 and works perfectly… shutter speeds are spot on and the aperture blades are snappy. No self timer on these basic models from Yashica, but they hit a great price point with buyers and had a long production run.

Yashica-A in gray with the original gray leather case. From 1959.

Yashica-A in gray leather and black metal. The Kodak film is close to the correct era (late 1950s).

Low key effect photograph. It gives the camera a bit of an edgy look.

Interesting lens serial numbers on this camera. The taking lens SN (pictured) is only 19 numbers less than the viewing lens. Almost spot on (haven’t seen that yet). Of course these lenses were made by Tomioka Optical of Tokyo for Yashica.

Brand new and never used (isn’t that the same?) Yashica MF-2 Super DX 35mm rangefinder camera from 1986. Parts made in Japan and assembled in Hong Kong.