NickTrop
Veteran
These are the three Yashicas I own. Thought I might give my thoughts on each to kill some time over a cup of joe, and to give anyone considering one of these cameras some food for thought from a user who owns all three...
First off all three cameras are gems. You can't go wrong with any of them. However, I would rate them in the following order, based on my experience: 1. Lynx 14 (I have the IC version), 2. GSN (verrry close second), 3. CC.
Lynx 14 IC:
Unique. Fastest known lens on a fixed-lens rangefinder at f1.4. (Mamiya Super Deluxe is close at 1.5 but it's hard to find) Parallax corrected viewfinder. Quite/excellent shutter. ALL MANUAL CONTROLS. Solid construction.
What I like about this camera. It's the ONLY rangefinder that offers all these features. It is the only camera ever made (to my knowledge) that slaps a very good, very fast seven element double gauss f1.4 lens on a leaf shutter that has all manual control and a parralax corrected viewfinder. You can hand-hold this down to 1/30th, even 1/15th shutter speed (braced). Leicas can't even do that, nor can Leicas synch flash at all speeds, like this camera. It is outstanding in low-light situations, has terrific bokeh, and 3D-pop
However, it has some definate minuses: It's big. It's not a little "street shooter" type rangefinder like the Electro CC and later fixed lens models from Canon, Yashica, Minolta, Konica etc made in the mid-70's. (However, it's not heavy or unweildy as some say it is, imo. The body has the same dimensions as the GSN. It's the much bigger lens that adds weight. My SLR when the Jupiter 9 is mounted is heavier). The rangefinder patch is not as bright as the GSN or later models but it's certainly usable (mine was cleaned and serviced). The lens is flare-prone. With all the controls on the lens barrel, it is a busy affair. I prefer the meter controlled by the pressing the shutter release as opposed to a button on the camera body. Although I use the "IC", the "E" would likely be my first choice because the "E" has a match needle meter on the top plate, so you can pre-meter things without bringing the camera to your eye. More likely to need servicing than the GSN (in fact, count on it).
This is a camera one has to learn to use. I liken it to your first manual transmission vehicle. However, once things become second nature man, I love having that fast lens on a leaf shutter and full control over all parameters. You can really experiment, and have no fear of nearly any lighting situations.
GSN
Lots of information on this one, (and I'm already nearly done my first cup-o-joe) so I'm not going to prattle on about it. Another great low-light shooter. Probably the fastest camera in operation I've ever owned but its unique design allows for control over aperture, and therefore DOF. Taking the shutter speed out of the equation really speeds things up over the IC. The lens has better control of flare than the Lynx, and I like this camera better than the Lynx with color film. Has an amazing and unique ability to hold the shutter 10, 20, 30(?) seconds to properly expose objects in low-light situations - neat. It's lighter than the Lynx but only a little smaller, really. As quite as the shutter of the Lynx is, the GSN might have the quitest shutter ever designed. Barely audible. Over/Under lights on top plate allow for pre-metering, though the Lynx 14"e" has this too. Capable of truly outstanding results, that belie its low cost and availability, as is evident on this board and GSN users on Flickr.
Lynx 14 vs GSN
I like the Lynx 14 over the GSN by a hair because I weight its faster lens and full manual control over the advantages of the GSN and the Lynx's disadvantages. This has become my main camera but I stull use the GSN as well. Basically, I keep color film in the GSN and black and white in the Lynx. However, 60% (at least) of what I shoot is B&W.
The Electro CC
Very good street shooter with some annoying flaws. It's small, black and stealthy, very nicely finished with an infamous F1.8 35mm lens. However, this wide a lens on a leaf shutter resulted in a top shutter speed of 1/250. I've had situations where in very bright situations (a bright summer day) with 400 speed film, the "Over" light goes on, at all apertures and there's not much you can do about it. (The 1/250 top shutter speed seems to be an engineering constraint with this wide an optic on a leaf shutter, as the 2/35 Hexar AF that was made in the 90's also has a 1/250 top SS) Yashica did away with the Over/Under light on the top plate, and the camera is not capable of fill-flash/synch at all speeds since plugging in the flash automatically sets the shutter speed at 1/30th and there's nothing you can do about it. A weird feature Yashica thought was a "benefit" at the time but disabled one of my favorite advantages of leaf shutters - flash synch at all speeds/fill flash capability. Also, the top ASA setting is only 400, so you can't take advantage of the better/faster 800 speed films of today.
Still, it's a very capable street shooter with a rare (and expensive) lens spec of 35/1.8, which costs a bundle in Leica-ville. In fact, some dude in Japan hacks the lenses off the CC and makes them Leica mounts.
Despite its annoyances, the CC would be my "Street Shooter" if I didn't stumble upon a deal for a Konica Auto S3. This camera has a 1.8/38mm and the difference in field of view is impreceptable from a practical stand-point. It's top Shutter Speed is 1/650, I think the lens is a hair better than the CC, it's considerably smaller than the CC, you can meter up to 800 speed film, and it has a unique and useful fill/flash metering capability. About the only thing that keeps this from being a "perfect" camera is its lack of manual control (shutter priority only). Given these advantages the CC has taken a "back-up" role. The Konica is simply a better camera, imo.
Rant over, coffee consumed : ) Hope somebody looking at Japanese rangefinders finds this perspective useful.
First off all three cameras are gems. You can't go wrong with any of them. However, I would rate them in the following order, based on my experience: 1. Lynx 14 (I have the IC version), 2. GSN (verrry close second), 3. CC.
Lynx 14 IC:
Unique. Fastest known lens on a fixed-lens rangefinder at f1.4. (Mamiya Super Deluxe is close at 1.5 but it's hard to find) Parallax corrected viewfinder. Quite/excellent shutter. ALL MANUAL CONTROLS. Solid construction.
What I like about this camera. It's the ONLY rangefinder that offers all these features. It is the only camera ever made (to my knowledge) that slaps a very good, very fast seven element double gauss f1.4 lens on a leaf shutter that has all manual control and a parralax corrected viewfinder. You can hand-hold this down to 1/30th, even 1/15th shutter speed (braced). Leicas can't even do that, nor can Leicas synch flash at all speeds, like this camera. It is outstanding in low-light situations, has terrific bokeh, and 3D-pop
However, it has some definate minuses: It's big. It's not a little "street shooter" type rangefinder like the Electro CC and later fixed lens models from Canon, Yashica, Minolta, Konica etc made in the mid-70's. (However, it's not heavy or unweildy as some say it is, imo. The body has the same dimensions as the GSN. It's the much bigger lens that adds weight. My SLR when the Jupiter 9 is mounted is heavier). The rangefinder patch is not as bright as the GSN or later models but it's certainly usable (mine was cleaned and serviced). The lens is flare-prone. With all the controls on the lens barrel, it is a busy affair. I prefer the meter controlled by the pressing the shutter release as opposed to a button on the camera body. Although I use the "IC", the "E" would likely be my first choice because the "E" has a match needle meter on the top plate, so you can pre-meter things without bringing the camera to your eye. More likely to need servicing than the GSN (in fact, count on it).
This is a camera one has to learn to use. I liken it to your first manual transmission vehicle. However, once things become second nature man, I love having that fast lens on a leaf shutter and full control over all parameters. You can really experiment, and have no fear of nearly any lighting situations.
GSN
Lots of information on this one, (and I'm already nearly done my first cup-o-joe) so I'm not going to prattle on about it. Another great low-light shooter. Probably the fastest camera in operation I've ever owned but its unique design allows for control over aperture, and therefore DOF. Taking the shutter speed out of the equation really speeds things up over the IC. The lens has better control of flare than the Lynx, and I like this camera better than the Lynx with color film. Has an amazing and unique ability to hold the shutter 10, 20, 30(?) seconds to properly expose objects in low-light situations - neat. It's lighter than the Lynx but only a little smaller, really. As quite as the shutter of the Lynx is, the GSN might have the quitest shutter ever designed. Barely audible. Over/Under lights on top plate allow for pre-metering, though the Lynx 14"e" has this too. Capable of truly outstanding results, that belie its low cost and availability, as is evident on this board and GSN users on Flickr.
Lynx 14 vs GSN
I like the Lynx 14 over the GSN by a hair because I weight its faster lens and full manual control over the advantages of the GSN and the Lynx's disadvantages. This has become my main camera but I stull use the GSN as well. Basically, I keep color film in the GSN and black and white in the Lynx. However, 60% (at least) of what I shoot is B&W.
The Electro CC
Very good street shooter with some annoying flaws. It's small, black and stealthy, very nicely finished with an infamous F1.8 35mm lens. However, this wide a lens on a leaf shutter resulted in a top shutter speed of 1/250. I've had situations where in very bright situations (a bright summer day) with 400 speed film, the "Over" light goes on, at all apertures and there's not much you can do about it. (The 1/250 top shutter speed seems to be an engineering constraint with this wide an optic on a leaf shutter, as the 2/35 Hexar AF that was made in the 90's also has a 1/250 top SS) Yashica did away with the Over/Under light on the top plate, and the camera is not capable of fill-flash/synch at all speeds since plugging in the flash automatically sets the shutter speed at 1/30th and there's nothing you can do about it. A weird feature Yashica thought was a "benefit" at the time but disabled one of my favorite advantages of leaf shutters - flash synch at all speeds/fill flash capability. Also, the top ASA setting is only 400, so you can't take advantage of the better/faster 800 speed films of today.
Still, it's a very capable street shooter with a rare (and expensive) lens spec of 35/1.8, which costs a bundle in Leica-ville. In fact, some dude in Japan hacks the lenses off the CC and makes them Leica mounts.
Despite its annoyances, the CC would be my "Street Shooter" if I didn't stumble upon a deal for a Konica Auto S3. This camera has a 1.8/38mm and the difference in field of view is impreceptable from a practical stand-point. It's top Shutter Speed is 1/650, I think the lens is a hair better than the CC, it's considerably smaller than the CC, you can meter up to 800 speed film, and it has a unique and useful fill/flash metering capability. About the only thing that keeps this from being a "perfect" camera is its lack of manual control (shutter priority only). Given these advantages the CC has taken a "back-up" role. The Konica is simply a better camera, imo.
Rant over, coffee consumed : ) Hope somebody looking at Japanese rangefinders finds this perspective useful.
