HU: Strange Collectible Camera

[photodog]

It's Frankencamera!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Yashica-YF-came...2QQihZ011QQcategoryZ67378QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[xayraa33]

the YF was a Nicca 5L rebadged.
Yashica bought out Nicca in 1958.
the YF was a very nice camera for the price, with projected framelines in the VF.
only the Leica M's and the Nikon SP had this feature in the late 1950s.
that Nikkor lens looks very desirable also.

 

[dexdog]

Actually, there is a pretty nice camera under all that other stuff. The Yashica YF is fairly rare, and oftern sells for well over $1000 on eBay. I don't know about the attachments, although the 85/1.5 nikkor is rare.

This will sell for lots of money

 

[dexdog]

the YF was a Nicca 5L rebadged.

I don't think that the YF was a rebadged Nicca 5L, although the YF does show a family resemblence. Styling is very different between the two. The 5L has the classic leica look, while the YF has more distinctive styling that always made me think of 1950s american cars with big tail fins.

 

[physiognomy]

Here's a cool page about the Yashica YF (click)

Peter

 

[xayraa33]

I don't think that the YF was a rebadged Nicca 5L, although the YF does show a family resemblence. Styling is very different between the two. The 5L has the classic leica look, while the YF has more distinctive styling that always made me think of 1950s american cars with big tail fins.

yup , you are right , I ment the Nicca 3L (IIIL) became the Yashica YF.
the Nicca 33 became the Yashica YE
I have the Nicca 5L on my mind as these were sold as the Sears Tower 45 and 46 and both came with Nikkor 50s, the 46 with the rare black aperture scale 50/1.4 and is on my wish list. 😀

 

[dexdog]

yup , you are right , I ment the Nicca 3L (IIIL) became the Yashica YF.
the Nicca 33 became the Yashica YE
I have the Nicca 5L on my mind as these were sold as the Sears Tower 45 and 46 and both came with Nikkor 50s, the 46 with the rare black aperture scale 50/1.4 and is on my wish list. 😀

I would love to find a Tower 45 or 46. I saw a Tower 45 with nikkor 50/2 last month on eBay with a 600 USD starting bid. I don't think the camera received any bids. Nice cameras, with rear doors similar to leica M cameras.

 

[xayraa33]

I would love to find a Tower 45 or 46. I saw a Tower 45 with nikkor 50/2 last month on eBay with a 600 USD starting bid. I don't think the camera received any bids. Nice cameras, with rear doors similar to leica M cameras.

If it was a Tower 46 with the black ring 50/1.4 Nikkor ,and all was in good nick, 600 USD would have been a terrific price IMHO.

 

[dexdog]

The auction ended up at 1814 USD. I was actually surprised that it did not break 2000, given the rarity of the camera and the Nikon 85/1.5. Of course, condition of the item was impossible to judge from the photo supplied.

I have no idea what the other items bundled with the thing usually sell for, but they would have to worth something to collectors.

 

[Jester_rm]

Thanks for that link, I had been wondering whether attachments like the visoflex would fit my YF (not that I have money for one, but it's nice to know)!

 

[matt fury]

I think it was still a bargain. I did some googling, and figure the Nikon was worth $2000-2500? Figure $500 for the YF, which is likely on the low end, $150 for the Visoflex III, and whatever the Leica-Contax adapter and the other adapters are worth.

 

[dll927]

I came in late - it says the bidding is over on that one. From the description, it's sure a hodge-podge.

I'm not familiar with the Yashica-Nicca, have only seen the Niccas once in a while on evil-bay. But the thread seems to indicate it was a pretty decent machine. If it's any thing at all in the quality line of the Yashicamat 124, it should do rather well. I have one of those, and I'm not about to part with it.