How did you get your Yashica?

[themerinator]

I think it might be interesting to know how people acquired their Yashica. So tell a quick story about how you got yours.

 

[bmattock]

I got my Yashica 635 TLR in an interesting way. When I was in high school (circa 1977), I took a photography class. We were not financially well-off, so my dad bought me a used Canon FX (circa 1962) SLR and I used that. Four years later, I was in the service and my middle sister took the same course. My dad bought her a Yashica 635 TLR - she had to have a '35mm' camera, and it is that - with the adapter. She cried and said it made her look like a dork and didn't want to use it. I was home on leave and so I swapped her my Canon for her Yashica. Had it ever since. Love it. Pawnshop special, works like a champ.

I eventually got my Canon back from my sister as well - I think I stole it. Too long ago.

I got my next Yashica, an Electro GT, on eBoy when my Minolta X-9 froze up on me when I tried to use it (fried electronics, common problem). Well, it didn't work either, but it got me started on classic rangefinders. It was love.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[RicardoD]

Right here on RFF. Bought a Yahsica GS (since sold to another RFF member) and have a Yashica Mat 124G on the way from yet another RFF member. So sorry, not exotic story.

 

[Socke]

Got my Yashica Electro 35GX from a friends mother who wanted to throw it away since there are no batteries available anymore.

In return she got some pictures of here daughter shot with the Yashica thanks to some silver oxide batteries and lots of aluminium foil 🙂

 

[physiognomy]

My Electro GT came from ebay... It arrived in it's little kit suitcase with aux lenses & some filters (no mini tripod though - bummer!)... Anyway I was pumped because it was in such nice cosmetic condition! I soon found that there was a reason for that... The aperture ring was busted & had no response to a fresh battery... I got a quote from Mark Hama, but at the time just couldn't justify paying many times the initial cost for a repair. Months & months went buy... I lurked here on RFF & picked up a few FSU toys to keep me happy, but really wanted to try out an Electro. I ended up emailing greyhoundman to ask him what I could do to get the GT running... Off it went the next day to Ohio & I soon heard back that it was in a real mess. Someone had probably tried a dismantle, but the wiring was all 'torn' out inside the lens barrel... I wrote back to g'man & said that I understand if it takes time, & even not to worry himself if it was a PITA job... Nothing phased the guy... He said he pulled an all nighter (for fun I assume?) & had it all stiched back together the next day! Very soon after I had it back in my hands & it works beautifully! Definitely a camera I'm going to be keeping for a long time!

Cheers!

Peter

 

[JoeFriday]

I have two GSNs.. both procured off evilbay.. the first cost me a princely sum of $22.. the second came in a box with 29 other cameras for an average cost per camera of $4, including shipping.. among the other items in the box were 3 Canonets, 3 Minolta HiMatics, a Minox 35PL and a kickass Vivitar 35ES

 

[JimG]

From goodwill.com for $5. I was the only bidder. I gave it new battaries, light seals, and lens cleaning. Shot one roll of color film and sold it. Nice camera and nice 1.7 lens but too heavy to lug around all day.

 

[amateriat]

Peter,
That was one messed up GT. 🙂 I still shudder at all the wires I had to replace. 🙂

Oy...reminds me of my black GT (hope it wasn't the same one!) That also reminds me: I have a Konica S3 I'd like you to look at...that is, if you bother with Konicas at all. 😀

My first Yashica – my first 35mm camera, in fact – was a 5000E Lynx my dad got me in 1972 after sufficient pestering about wanting a "more serious" camera (really wanted an SLR, etc...you know how teenagers can be). Loved the thing, but it seized up on me three times, which drove me nuts. After the third breakdown, I begged for something different (I had the groveling thing down pretty good by this time). After much back-and-forth and nail-biting, along came an Electro 35 GTN, black, with the funky fitted case and auxiliary optics (which I used exactly three times, then promtly forgot...although I thought the aux. VF was cool). That worked fine for about a year, then the metering electronics got a bit haywire, and I impulsively took the top off to see if there was an easy fix; Big Mistake. (Man, I hope that's not the one G'man worked on...probably not – I didn't dare go any further than staring at all the scary-looking stuff just under the top plate.) 😱

Then, not more than a year and a half later, I got hold of some money of my own, and, like a sailor on shore leave, I woke up with a new Canon F-1. Took half a lifetime to find my way back to RFs.


- Barrett

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

My first Yashica was a Yashica A TLR from e-bay. Used it, then sold it for what I paid for it. Next was a Yashicamat from e-bay. Still have it, I like not having to look into a red window for a number when I advance the film after a shot.

My first GSN I bought out of the local camera shop's junk box for $2.00. They told me batteries were no longer available (Ha!). My two GT's I bought from goodwill.com. I think I paid $41.50 for the first one, but it had a 38mm Zuiko lens for Olympus Pen F with it which I wanted. GS, and several more GSN's and three MG-1's have since joined my collection some I have bought at garage sales and some in box lots of cameras.

Nothing very unique in my stories. Here is what can happen when you are always carrying a camera: Yashica GT with Kodak 400 UC.

I was wishing for my 21mm Biogon to get both ends of the rainbow. I raced to the house, grabbed my Contax IIa and took off the 50mm lens placed the 21mm on it. Pulled the B&W film out and slapped a roll of color slide film in it, raced out side and the sun and rainbow were both gone 🙁

Wayne

 

[amateriat]

Great story, and pictures, Wayne. (Chasing rainbows...there's a metaphor for all of us!)

 

[ruben]

I too have no exotic story to tell, but to thank the RFF for introducing me to the Yashica stuff. Without the RFF the Yashica world would have passed by, without me noticing it.

A GSN at home. Three Lynx in transit, two of them 1000, and 14 the third.
A GTN on my list, as we aren't to leave the GSN there alone.


PS:
I am very sorry Greyhoundman your ad about your Lynx 1000, appeared afterwards, as I am sure I lost a great opportunity.

 

[themerinator]

Thank you for all of your speedy responses (one of the many bonuses of such a wonderful website). And to those of you who say you don't have exotic stories, life isn't about crazy stories it's about all the little ones pieced together. So keep 'em coming!

 

[picturetaker]

Electro 35 from a thrift store for $5 and an Electro 35 GS from another member - works great.

 

[Austintatious]

Well from the time I was little, my Dad used his Yashicamat to photograph me,(That's Dad & the mat in my Avatar.) When my child was born, Dad gave me a Yashica FX 3 2000 SLR kit. I still have it and it is "minty"! I asked my Dad what ever happened to the Yashicamat, and he told me he sold it a few years back. My brother then told me he bought a 124-G new in the early 1980's. He has gone totally digital now and "gave" it to me. Then I got the rangefinder bug and got a nice GS on eboy. Then I wanted a Lynx14. Also eboy, but it needed the Greyhoundman's magic touch. Now I am hunting for a Yashica T4 !!! Is there no end to the madness ?!!

Charles

 

[tkluck]

Ebay.
Very nice 635.
Lynx 14 with the usual bent diaphragm tab.
GSN with no pad-of death. (You mean it's supposed to go thunk?)
Got 'em cheap and by the awsume power of dumb luck and Google fixed 'em.

 

[schow]

I got my GSN by playing russian roulette on the 'bay and losing. Thank goodness that it actually works pretty well!

 

[bcs89]

My first Yashica (Electro 35 GSN), sat in a box for about 15 years - just an old, out of date camera left to me by my Dad. Then I got my "Dream" camera, a Yashica 12, in "NIB" condition...or so I was told. Actually, it was, but due to 30 odd years of sitting around it needed a CLA - so I sent it off locally. While waiting, (far longer than expected - or quoted) I pulled the GSN out and had a look. Cool camera. I found this site through John Goodman - via light seals for the GSN - I now own 14 RF's (including a Lynx 14e, and a Lynx 1000), 1 SLR (a gift), 2 Digi's, and of course my Yashica 12 (which has yet to have film run through it!).


Gotta love this place....

Too bad the # of cameras one owns has no correlation with ability to use them... (in my case at least :bang: )

Help!,
scott

 

[amateriat]

I got my GSN by playing russian roulette on the 'bay and losing. Thank goodness that it actually works pretty well!

And you've clearly put it to good use. Always loved this photograph.


- Barrett

 

[ErnestoJL]

Simple and not exotic history.

First Yashica in my hands was a 635 with the adapter for 35 mm which I sold many years ago. A nice camera I deeply regret having parted with.

Bought an MG1 during april 2005 and loved it but the lens was too slow for what I´ve been looking for. Meanwhile a friend gave me his GT (bought at garage sale for USD 6).
This camera was a collection of faults, so it become to be a donor camera for the future.

A bit later I found a nice Lynx 14, which I keep but don´t use too much (it´s too front heavy and the RF -even cleaned- is a pain).

Later, in august 2005 came the GSN which had a POD problem fixed some days later.
I decided to take parts from the GT (top and bottom cover) and replaced them in the GSN, plus one light baffle which improved dramatically the GSNs VF. Now I have a GS(T)N and it´s the most often used camera I have.

There is another one, a half frame Yashica Mimy which is mechanically not repairable, but it´s lens (28 mm f 2.8) is in good shape, so perhaps it´ll be used for something in the future.

Ernesto

 

[schow]

And you've clearly put it to good use. Always loved this photograph.


- Barrett

Much appreciated!
🙂