At least they caught their mistake.

February 15, 2022February 15, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

This errata sheet was included with the Yashica brochure (pictured below) from 1974.

Yashica’s “Infallible” System needed to be corrected.

There aren’t too many of these sales brochures still floating around so I ended up buying one that is a bit rough condition-wise (but complete). It even has some prices written on the cover as a bonus.

The date code (lower right corner) is **E074** which I take to be July 1974. It’s one of the few brochures from this period that both the English and Japanese versions use the same images inside.

The sales brochures for the Yashica Electro AX and FFT cameras are pretty hard to find online here in the US on eBay and Etsy or through the Japanese auction sites. The owner’s manuals are even harder to find!

Here’s the back cover of the Japanese sales brochure. It uses the same date code ***074***.

Small stuff I know but I’m trying to document as much as I can on these last two models (AX & FFT) from Yashica in their M42 screw-in mount camera line (1972-1974). 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.

Yashica’s ‘Stealth’ Camera

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I know, sounds like clickbait. By stealth, I’m referring to a camera that few have heard of so it flew under the radar and avoided potential buyers back in 1972, 1973, and 1974. I don’t know how many Yashica sold but I do know it’s a difficult camera to find in working condition that isn’t beat to heck. So, if you’re looking for a challenging chase may I add this camera to your list.

It looks as though the first cameras rolled out in March 1972 and ended around February 1974.

The Yashica Electro AX. It’s a hard one to chase down and still get a working model that isn’t beat to heck.

It’s the same model but pictured with three different lenses. It’s also the only M42 lens mount body with the two leatherette patches on either side of the pentaprism.

The date code on this brochure is either 1974 or July (07) 1974 (lower right numbers).

My Electro AX was made in November 1973. Takes M42 screw-in lenses.

Here’s an earlier post I wrote about this camera https://yashicasailorboy.com/2020/01/31/yashica-electro-ax-yashicas-goofy-automatic-exposure-slr/

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Happy SUNday! – Recent Arrivals

February 2, 2020February 2, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Some new additions to our already crowded Yashica family of cameras.

Our all-time favorite Yashica SLR.

*** Yashica TL Electro X ***

This one is from April 1973 and was made in the newly opened factory in Hong Kong.

Hard to find Yashica Electro AX – second to the last M42 screw mount lens bodies.

This is the only early Yashica SLR with a leatherette insert on the pentaprism. This one was made in November 1973.

Yashica D TLR from late 1966.

Some of these will be appearing in our shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com in the coming weeks as well as some other arrivals.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful 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.

Interesting Portrait – 1974

January 1, 2020January 4, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Unknown models and photographer. Scanned from a Yashica sales brochure.

IMG_20191229_0007

Scanned from a Yashica Electro AX sales brochure dated 1974. The translated caption is “Auto Yashinon-DS super wide-angle 20mm aperture f 11 automatic exposure”. The lens has a maximum aperture of f/ 3.5
The photographer and models are not credited. A quality image in an excellent brochure.

IMG_20191229_0002

The Yashica Electro AX. The last M42 screw mount lens camera made by Yashica (starting in 1973 and ending in early 1974).

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.

Yashica’s TL Series of 35mm SLRs

September 23, 2019September 23, 2019Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica’s evolution during the 1960s and beyond started with their first TTL (Thru-the-Lens) exposure metered cameras – the much loved TL Series which were introduced right after the successful J Series (Penta J, Reflex 35, J-3, J-5, J-P, J-4, J-7).

It began with the exceptional TL-Super in April 1966. The chronology is as follows based on serial numbers and not based on advertised or previously known release dates.

TL-Super Apr 1966
TL Nov 1967
TL Electro-X Oct 1968 Type 1
TL-E Jun 1969
TL Electro X Jul 1969 Type 2
ITS Dec 1970
Electro AX Mar 1972
TL-Electro Apr 1972
FFT Jul 1973

The TL Series ended in 1978 with the last TL-Electro made. All of these Yashicas used the M42 screw-in lenses which were made by a variety of lens makers.

It’s easy to decode your camera’s serial number as Yashica used a 3 or 4 digit date code at the beginning of the serial number. As an example, here’s a serial number on a TL-E (90607952) 9 = 1969, 06 = Jun, 07952 = 7,952nd made that month in sequence from 00001.

Here’s a TL (2816946) 2 = Feb, 8 = 1968, 16946 = 16,946th made that month in sequence.

If you’ve got a serial number that you can’t quite decode send it to me at ccphotographyai@gmail.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.