Baffles.

[seany65]

I'm just wondering if anyone knows whether the Baffles that are just in front of the film plane in some Yashica TLR's made any difference to flare resistance etc?

If they did, why did Yashica remove them from their D's and 635's etc?

If they didn't, why did Yashica put them into their 12's, 24's and 124's etc?

 

[seany65]

Please don't ask me why I didn't put the previous post in the TLR forum.

Well if you all must keep going on about it, I'll tell you: It's because I forgot there was a TLR forum.

Lol. :-z

 

[ddutchison2]

I would answer if I knew, but I confess I am equally baffled.

 

[Pál_K]

Maybe baffles are for interchangeable lens TLR’s, to protect the film from light when lenses are being changed. I’m not familiar with Yashica though.

Rollei TLRs don’t have baffles.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I'm just wondering if anyone knows whether the Baffles that are just in front of the film plane in some Yashica TLR's made any difference to flare resistance etc?

If they did, why did Yashica remove them from their D's and 635's etc?

If they didn't, why did Yashica put them into their 12's, 24's and 124's etc?

(Also- moved to the TLR Forum)

If I remember correctly- The D series, and others had a Triplet lens- A Yashikor F3.5 80mm, looking at Ebay.

The 124 and higher end cameras had a Yashinon, a Tessar formula lens. "Perhaps" the image circle was larger and the Baffles were required to attenuate reflections.

I note that an I26M Tessar formula lens 52mm F2.8 does not have baffles, but the I61LD, also a Tessar 52mm F2.8 does have baffles. The optics in the latter sit out farter from the back of the mount and the baffle is required. However- installing the same in the I26M reduced some reflections coming in from light at sharp angles.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

(Also- moved to the TLR Forum)

If I remember correctly- The D series, and others had a Triplet lens- A Yashikor F3.5 80mm, looking at Ebay.

The 124 and higher end cameras had a Yashinon, a Tessar formula lens. "Perhaps" the image circle was larger and the Baffles were required to attenuate reflections.

I note that an I26M Tessar formula lens 52mm F2.8 does not have baffles, but the I61LD, also a Tessar 52mm F2.8 does have baffles. The optics in the latter sit out farter from the back of the mount and the baffle is required. However- installing the same in the I26M reduced some reflections coming in from light at sharp angles.

The Yashica D can also be found (rarely) with the four-element Yashinon (and it's one heck of a lens!). Mine is loaded right now so I can't open it to check for baffles.

 

[seany65]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I don't get the impression that Triplet/Tessar or fixed lens/interchangeable lens had anything to do with it, as it seems the earliest D's and 635's (triplet) had them and then the baffles were removed. This website ( Bodies & Trim, an amazing website with a huge amount of soemtimes confusing detail ) if you scroll to the bottom, seems to think that it could have been originally a Japanese market thing which expanded with the latest models.

I'm surprised that Rollei's don't have them. I'd probably put them "just in case".

 

[Sonnar Brian]

My experience with Light Baffles was learned the hard way, converting a Pentax 50/1.4 Super-Tak to RF coupled M-Mount. Horrible reflections, putting in baffles solved the problem.

 

[seany65]

Thanks for the idea, Brian.

I wonder if it's possible to put baffles into a later version yashica D tlr from an old version yashica D tlr that's for spares? Or if the baffles themselves are available as spares?

 

[KoNickon]

Just to make sure I understand what you mean by "baffles," you're referring to the ribbed protrusions inside the film chamber that are presumably intended to reduce flare? (As opposed to the flap on the Mamiya TLRs that enables you to change lenses without fogging the film)

If my understanding above is correct, I don't know that baffles are inherently better than no baffles. To me, the critical thing is to prevent spurious reflections inside the film chamber. Making sure those interior surfaces are properly coated in a flat black finish is the key. And I can see a situation where one of the baffle ribs gets scratched inadvertently (like if work is being done on the rear lens element and you scrape off the paint on a baffle edge).

 

[Sonnar Brian]

These days- not many people shooting Infrared Film. Many "Black" paints are not black in IR, and baffles perform better.
Lesson learned with the Pentax conversion: It does not take much of a reflection to corrupt the image. The baffle did better than paint alone.

 

[seany65]

Nick, Hmmm, "ribbed protrusions in the film chamber", maybe, if the "film chamber" is were the bit off film waiting and ready to be exposed is. You could also think of them as an extra "frame" at some point between the film plane and the lens that is attached to the inside of the camera and the frame's edges. This to me would seem like the best sort of "baffle".

 

[KoNickon]

I think we are talking about the same thing. The baffles' shape follows the proportion of the film gate, getting progressively larger as they get closer to the film plane, rounded at the corners. There are maybe three of the baffles typically.

 

[seany65]

Yep, that's them. I still don't know why Yashica would remove them or Rollei didn't have them.