Minolta AL-F, Konica Auto S3, Yashica 35CC

[lrochfort]

Hello all,

Over the past couple of years I've owned a Minola 7SII and an Olumpus XA2 in an effort to find a compact camera.

Unfortunately, I don't like the results I get from those lenses. I found them to be too contrasty and "harsh" for want of a better word. I've also decided I don't like zone focus cameras.

I think I've come to the realisation that I prefer Zeiss and Leitz lenses, but often don't care for the Japanese lenses I've tried.

I've been looking for alternative ~35mm focal length, fixed-lens rangefinders with built-in meters, and have narrowed it down to the cameras in the title, based on little more than perusing flickr.

Now, I know they're Japanese, but from looking at flickr I thought the lenses were closer to what I'm looking for. I suspect the Yashica might be less so though.

Could those with those cameras post pictures and their thoughts on them? Any tips/tricks for getting the best out of them, potential gotchas, and musings on the images they produce would be much appreciated.

 

[farlymac]

With the Yashica Electro 35 CC, there really aren't any 'gotchas', unless you count the fact it is aperture priority only.

The meter system works very well, and since Yashica placed the meter cell in the lens body, you no longer have to bother with filter factor equations.

It's good for landscape

Tinker Mountain by P F McFarland, on Flickr

As well as closer subjects

Barracuda! by P F McFarland, on Flickr

Very compact, great lens, easy to use.

PF

 

[NickTrop]

I've had the Yash CC and a Konica Auto S3. The Yashica, for some reason, only metered to 400. It also didn't have a hotshoe. Very weird given it was the last of the Electro line. These factors eventually became an annoyance but what a nice lens and what a great looking, sleek camera, with top-notch build quality. But some kinda weird decisions from Yashica. Though I've never owned, many Electroheads (of which I was one for many years) swear by the GX. Perhaps that's one you might consider.

Of the two, I prefered the Konica Auto S3. Definitely one to consider. Razor sharp lens -- perhaps the best of the fixed lens rangefinders in terms of sharpness. And I liked its unique flash system. However, it is not the most rugged of cameras from a build quality standpoint. The Yash blew it away in this regard.

Currently I use the Oly XA. I concluded that with these types of cameras and this type of photography, quietness and stealthiness trumps lens resolution and lens speed -- and the XA lens is no slouch. Its receded lens also adds much to its stealty nature over all other fixed lens RFs. That was the "killer app" along with its whisper quiet shutter and dimutive form factor. They don't come any quieter or stealthier, or faster to operate, really, than the XA. They are also very "findable" and affordable. I had to hunt down the CC and the S3 for many months. I can go on the big auction site and get an XA for reasonable dosh tomorrow.

 

[splitimageview]

I couldn't get on with the CC, but wanted to. Hard to go wrong with the S3, it's a great camera, lightweight, there are other semi-clones of it, including the Vivitar 35ES, Minolta 7S II. These days I prefer the Canon QL17 GIII due to superior parallax corrected VF. The Oly 35RD is also a favorite. 🙂

 

[Greyscale]

Here is one from the CC


Yashica Electro 35 CC, Kodax Tri-X by Mike Novak, on Flickr

And from the Vivitar 35ES, a virtual clone of the S3


035_3 by Mike Novak, on Flickr

 

[btgc]

Probably Yashica Lynx 5000 is another candidate if size/weight matches requirements. It's bigger and more heavy than questioned cameras but lens is older and not so biting. Virtually tons of similar cameras from that era.

 

[Lobo]

The Minolta AL-F is a great,but big.neavy camera. Battery dependent shutterpriority AE. It feels very high quality.With mechanical parallax correction! But i gave it away to a friend befor testing the imagequality.

 

[jorisvanhoute]

http://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/2890025-minolta-al-f-1967

you can always try this one 🙂