nukecoke
⚛Yashica
Useful features of Yashica T AF-D
Originally post on my tumblr:
http://poppelyang.tumblr.com/post/168147347738/useful-features-of-yashica-t-af-d
Today I’m going to write about this big, bulky and slightly ugly point and shoot camera Yashica T AF-D. After getting good results from the test roll, I think this made-in-the-80s thingy deserves a little talkabout. However I’m not gonna write a standard review, but only tell some useful feature/interesting facts of this camera, that people may have overlooked.
Dimensions: 124x73x47mm
Weight: 260g
Although smaller than most SLRs (why do i even write this?), this plastic bodied camera is on the larger side of P&S cameras kingdom. However, there are some features on this camera that are so outdated that you don’t find in many newer, flashier models, but might be well useful.
1.Auto-focus Distance Indicator: Remember those classical icons: Head, Group of people, Mountain, as you see on the lens barrel of pre-auto-focus scale focus cameras? Yashica T has the icons inside the viewfinder in LED form. Every time you auto-focus the camera, a corresponding icon would light up to tell you which distance range the camera has focused on. Head stands for 1-2 meter, Group stands for 2-4m and Mountain stands for 4m- Infinity. With this indicator, if the distance looked wrong (which rarely happens), you could simply refocus to see if you can get the correct focusing. This is a feature I really wish to have on my Olympus Mju II, since it occasionally miss-focuses.
2.Auto film winding is activated only after you lift your finger from the shutter release button after each shot. This is very heplful if you don’t want to make more noise to startle your subject. Shoot, hold the shutter release button, walk away and let them camera wind on.
3.Auto rewind is manually started by a switch at the bottom of the camera, and can be stopped anytime you like. Together with the film transport signal window ( the white-red twirly thingy), you can stop the rewinding right before the film lead goes into film canister, just stop rewinding as soon as the twirly thingy stops twirling.
4.Flash is OFF by default. Since you need to manually push the flash out a bit to the left of the camera to activate it, it will be very unlikely to have those embarrassing moments of photo taking with accidentally fired flash.
5. Quartzdata back supports as far as 2019-12-31.
6. ISO is manually set. So it’s Possible to have exposure compensation by fiddling with ISO setting.
7. You can change batteries in the middle of a roll and nothing would be ruined. It uses two AA batteries for shooting and a CR2025 button battery for the databack.
That’s most of it for now. I will add more content if I think of any.
Sample shots:
Fujicolor C200 in Tetenal C41
無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr
無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr
無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr
無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr
無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr
無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr
Originally post on my tumblr:
http://poppelyang.tumblr.com/post/168147347738/useful-features-of-yashica-t-af-d
Today I’m going to write about this big, bulky and slightly ugly point and shoot camera Yashica T AF-D. After getting good results from the test roll, I think this made-in-the-80s thingy deserves a little talkabout. However I’m not gonna write a standard review, but only tell some useful feature/interesting facts of this camera, that people may have overlooked.
Dimensions: 124x73x47mm
Weight: 260g
Although smaller than most SLRs (why do i even write this?), this plastic bodied camera is on the larger side of P&S cameras kingdom. However, there are some features on this camera that are so outdated that you don’t find in many newer, flashier models, but might be well useful.
1.Auto-focus Distance Indicator: Remember those classical icons: Head, Group of people, Mountain, as you see on the lens barrel of pre-auto-focus scale focus cameras? Yashica T has the icons inside the viewfinder in LED form. Every time you auto-focus the camera, a corresponding icon would light up to tell you which distance range the camera has focused on. Head stands for 1-2 meter, Group stands for 2-4m and Mountain stands for 4m- Infinity. With this indicator, if the distance looked wrong (which rarely happens), you could simply refocus to see if you can get the correct focusing. This is a feature I really wish to have on my Olympus Mju II, since it occasionally miss-focuses.
2.Auto film winding is activated only after you lift your finger from the shutter release button after each shot. This is very heplful if you don’t want to make more noise to startle your subject. Shoot, hold the shutter release button, walk away and let them camera wind on.
3.Auto rewind is manually started by a switch at the bottom of the camera, and can be stopped anytime you like. Together with the film transport signal window ( the white-red twirly thingy), you can stop the rewinding right before the film lead goes into film canister, just stop rewinding as soon as the twirly thingy stops twirling.
4.Flash is OFF by default. Since you need to manually push the flash out a bit to the left of the camera to activate it, it will be very unlikely to have those embarrassing moments of photo taking with accidentally fired flash.
5. Quartzdata back supports as far as 2019-12-31.
6. ISO is manually set. So it’s Possible to have exposure compensation by fiddling with ISO setting.
7. You can change batteries in the middle of a roll and nothing would be ruined. It uses two AA batteries for shooting and a CR2025 button battery for the databack.
That’s most of it for now. I will add more content if I think of any.
Sample shots:
Fujicolor C200 in Tetenal C41
無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr無標題 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr無標題 by X. Yang, 於 FlickrFixcinater
Never enough smoky peat
Nice review. I've grown fond of this camera, works great for sticking in my motorcycle luggage or jacket pocket. I can use it for trip documentation with low cost liability if something were to happen to it, and operate with motorcycle gloves with no issues.
Nice results which of course helps it's case for being used.
Nice results which of course helps it's case for being used.
nukecoke
⚛Yashica
Thanks!
I haven't had the luck to own or handle the much more hyped Yashica T3, T4, T5 , so I don't know the builds of those newer models. This T1 as the first model in the line feels a bit cheap. However, it has all the functions that most people need plus those features that gradually got lost in newer models, so at the same time it feels like a serious product, and the bulkiness actually help in this aspect, as well helps in handling.
I really think the focus distance indicator should be built in all those intermediate (slighter better than cheapest consumer cameras but far from premium) P&S cameras - I haven't had a single miss-focused shot out of whole 36 or 37 frames with this camera, unlike with my Oly Mju 1 and Mju2 (the worse one), which are smarter products.
I haven't had the luck to own or handle the much more hyped Yashica T3, T4, T5 , so I don't know the builds of those newer models. This T1 as the first model in the line feels a bit cheap. However, it has all the functions that most people need plus those features that gradually got lost in newer models, so at the same time it feels like a serious product, and the bulkiness actually help in this aspect, as well helps in handling.
I really think the focus distance indicator should be built in all those intermediate (slighter better than cheapest consumer cameras but far from premium) P&S cameras - I haven't had a single miss-focused shot out of whole 36 or 37 frames with this camera, unlike with my Oly Mju 1 and Mju2 (the worse one), which are smarter products.
farlymac
PF McFarland
I've got a T4 Super D, and most of the improvement has been in the styling of the body.
1)Yes, the viewfinder focus icons are gone, but then it is supposed to be focusing on the area indicated by the brackets in the finder, and you get a Focus Confirm light that you can see without taking your eye from the finder (plus a Flash Ready indicator).
2)The winder is much quieter than most P&S cameras, but there is no hold on when it happens. But then you are immediately ready for the next shot.
3)You can start Rewind anytime you want, but you can't stop it, and its run time is slightly longer than the minimum for a 36 exposure roll. You can start it with the camera control switch in the OFF position.
4)Flash is ON by default, but there are four modes to select from. As long as the camera is on, it will stay in the mode you select, but resets when the camera is turned off.
5)Data Back goes to 19-12-31, and has five Modes (..-..-../18-1-15/1-15-18/15-1-18/15 23:12).
6)DX ISO setting only, but I think a non-DX canister will bring up ISO 100 as the default. You can also manipulate the code on the canister if you want to.
7)Changing the battery in mid-roll will not affect things as long as you do it quickly. If you take too long, the Data Back will reset, but the frame count stays the same.
And, it has that funky "Super Scope" 90° finder on top.
PF
1)Yes, the viewfinder focus icons are gone, but then it is supposed to be focusing on the area indicated by the brackets in the finder, and you get a Focus Confirm light that you can see without taking your eye from the finder (plus a Flash Ready indicator).
2)The winder is much quieter than most P&S cameras, but there is no hold on when it happens. But then you are immediately ready for the next shot.
3)You can start Rewind anytime you want, but you can't stop it, and its run time is slightly longer than the minimum for a 36 exposure roll. You can start it with the camera control switch in the OFF position.
4)Flash is ON by default, but there are four modes to select from. As long as the camera is on, it will stay in the mode you select, but resets when the camera is turned off.
5)Data Back goes to 19-12-31, and has five Modes (..-..-../18-1-15/1-15-18/15-1-18/15 23:12).
6)DX ISO setting only, but I think a non-DX canister will bring up ISO 100 as the default. You can also manipulate the code on the canister if you want to.
7)Changing the battery in mid-roll will not affect things as long as you do it quickly. If you take too long, the Data Back will reset, but the frame count stays the same.
And, it has that funky "Super Scope" 90° finder on top.
PF
f16sunshine
Moderator
Bringing back some memories with the picture of that little T.
I had one years ago. Gave it to a friend when she did a trip to AU 10 years ago.
She's probably still using it.
Kycera/Yashica/Contax had a lot of really great cameras in all areas of the market.
From this little T all the way to the Contax 645.... great stuff.
I had one years ago. Gave it to a friend when she did a trip to AU 10 years ago.
She's probably still using it.
Kycera/Yashica/Contax had a lot of really great cameras in all areas of the market.
From this little T all the way to the Contax 645.... great stuff.
Spavinaw
Well-known
Just like the Yashica, the Leica Mini first model did not wind on until after you lifted your finger, but the later models did. Similar design philosophies of the times or just a coincidence?
farlymac
PF McFarland
Somewhere on here is a post showing the interiors of four P&S cams, exposing the similarity (well, sameness actually) in design, and one of those was the Leica Mini. I don't think Kyocera ever made a camera that they didn't market it under at least three different brand names.
PF
David Hughes
David Hughes
I posted this some time ago:-
It was part of a series showing the inside of 4 or 5 cameras. They all looked different on the outside but...
Anyway, the entire thread is here:-
idrh.smugmug.com/Photography/The-Leica-Mini-and-Friends/
My 2d worth is that they all came off the same production line or else a lot of parts were bought in for several production lines, as there are a lot of similarities and some minor differences. F'instance not all the lenses have exactly the same focal length but vary between 32 and 34/35mm.
Regards, David
It was part of a series showing the inside of 4 or 5 cameras. They all looked different on the outside but...
Anyway, the entire thread is here:-
idrh.smugmug.com/Photography/The-Leica-Mini-and-Friends/
My 2d worth is that they all came off the same production line or else a lot of parts were bought in for several production lines, as there are a lot of similarities and some minor differences. F'instance not all the lenses have exactly the same focal length but vary between 32 and 34/35mm.
Regards, David
Fauxtographer
Member
Great review! After sticking in medium format forever, i have recently waded back into the convenience (and fun) of carrying a 35mm point-n-shoot just about everywhere I go. While I have quite a few to choose from, my usual camera has been my Olympus XA3. However, I recently snagged a Yashica T3 Super and it should be arriving this week. I cannot wait to drop film in that beast and go have fun!
Keep on shooting!
Keep on shooting!