camperbc
Established
Hi all,
I have just acquired a truly lovely Yashica 635 after a lengthy and exhausting search for one in pristine condition. I have noticed however, that the dial knobs (aperture/shutter control wheels) don't appear to be original. I believe they are genuine Yashica, just not the right ones for this model; is this correct? Perhaps someone can shed some light on this... were these black plastic radials ever standard equipment on a 635? If they are not original, how difficult would it be to find the correct knobs? Silver ones would look sooooo much nicer! Or would I in fact have to buy another 635 to swap the parts? (Yikes!) Perhaps someone on this fine forum has extra knobs they might consider selling?
I am assuming that a lens hood is quite essential. Are the generic (ie Ebay) plastic ones a fairly suitable substitute, or am I better to pay a rather princely sum to get the real deal? (keeping in mind the fact that my fixed disability pension prevents me from being in the same league as Thurston Howell III)
This camera did not come with a case, and after pricing some online, I am admittedly getting a bit worried. My gosh, I saw some cases for over $200! Any and all advice/tips/suggestions regarding my beautiful new camera would be very much appreciated. This is all very new to me. If there are sources out there for things like dial knobs, cases, filters, hoods, etc, perhaps some of you can pass this info on to me.
As you can well imagine, I am very anxious to start shooting with this gem of a camera. As it is not yet even in my possession, I can only hope that it is mechanically as pristine as its appearance. (I have been assured that yes, it is indeed mechanically mint... though we all know that this may be wishful thinking) I should have it in my hands within a week or so, and I'll report back with my findings. In the meantime, any things in particular that I need to look for?
Finally, I wonder what is considered a fair price for a camera like this. Assuming that it is mechanically fine, what would one generally expect to pay for this? (I paid about $100; included was a complete 35mm kit, hand grip, manuals, original lens cap, cable release, and some other odds and ends)
Thanks,
Glen
I have just acquired a truly lovely Yashica 635 after a lengthy and exhausting search for one in pristine condition. I have noticed however, that the dial knobs (aperture/shutter control wheels) don't appear to be original. I believe they are genuine Yashica, just not the right ones for this model; is this correct? Perhaps someone can shed some light on this... were these black plastic radials ever standard equipment on a 635? If they are not original, how difficult would it be to find the correct knobs? Silver ones would look sooooo much nicer! Or would I in fact have to buy another 635 to swap the parts? (Yikes!) Perhaps someone on this fine forum has extra knobs they might consider selling?
I am assuming that a lens hood is quite essential. Are the generic (ie Ebay) plastic ones a fairly suitable substitute, or am I better to pay a rather princely sum to get the real deal? (keeping in mind the fact that my fixed disability pension prevents me from being in the same league as Thurston Howell III)
This camera did not come with a case, and after pricing some online, I am admittedly getting a bit worried. My gosh, I saw some cases for over $200! Any and all advice/tips/suggestions regarding my beautiful new camera would be very much appreciated. This is all very new to me. If there are sources out there for things like dial knobs, cases, filters, hoods, etc, perhaps some of you can pass this info on to me.
As you can well imagine, I am very anxious to start shooting with this gem of a camera. As it is not yet even in my possession, I can only hope that it is mechanically as pristine as its appearance. (I have been assured that yes, it is indeed mechanically mint... though we all know that this may be wishful thinking) I should have it in my hands within a week or so, and I'll report back with my findings. In the meantime, any things in particular that I need to look for?
Finally, I wonder what is considered a fair price for a camera like this. Assuming that it is mechanically fine, what would one generally expect to pay for this? (I paid about $100; included was a complete 35mm kit, hand grip, manuals, original lens cap, cable release, and some other odds and ends)
Thanks,
Glen
Dan Daniel
Well-known
Changing the knobs is not a simple operation. I would get used to what is on there, for now at least. See if the rest of the camera is working before finessing cosmetics?
I have a couple of silver disks from an older Yashica that I would be happy to send you. PM me an address. The disks are slightly convex so attachment will be a bit tricky maybe.
The plastic ones are fine. They do not allow using a filter at the same time since they use the sdame bayonet as the filters. That is the only advantage of the fancier ones- they attach to the outer bayonet, leaving the filter bayonet free.
I discovered an interesting trick with the plastic ones. If you lightly scrape out the center area, a Series V (five) filter will slip in and stay. I use this system with a yellow filter for B&W all the time. Best price on Ebay-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Lens-Ho...136?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ef3096f38
Another good thing to do with Yashicas is to flock the interior. Thier balck paint creates lots of internal contrast-killing haze. Here's a Flickr thread disussing this-
http://www.flickr.com/groups/yashica_tlr/discuss/72157622734630140/
I have a bunch of flocking material if you want some.
I do not use the leather case. I carry the camera in a cheap Tenba or Tamrac bag, and have it around my neck or in hand when actually shooting. Most straps will fit through the strap openings on the lugs. I like Op-Tech straps. The 'pro-loop' drops away from the hood nicely. And often I remove the central padded section and clip the two short ends together and use it as a wrist strap/safety strap only. The 635 is light enough to carry this way.
If you do get a leather case, BEWARE of the leather strap. Old straps will be dry and can break, sending the camera to the sidewalk or rocks and beach meters below....
DO NOT USE THE SELF TIMER!!!! Ok, you can use it but the flash sync MUST be set to X. If you try the self timer when the sync is set to M, it will jam the shutter. Best to simply NOT USE IT!!!!
Try some shots with the lens wide open. The Yashikor is similar to the Triotar on some Rolleis, and can give a great swirling look to things. Stop it down to f8 and you'll get nice sharp images.
$100 is a very good price. Enjoy! I saw it over on FLickr. Hope the mechanics match the looks
pauls52
Established
Lens hoods are essential equipment with Yashicas, even some of the user manuals tell you that! Dan is quite right about the plastic hoods - get one straight away. Then if you want a metal one for the convenience of using the outer bayonet, be prepared to wait, maybe for quite a while. There are some ridiculous prices being asked but bargains do come up. After waiting a couple of years, I did get a bargain Yashica branded one in a leather pouch from the UK that looks like new. Off brands like Kenko and Walz are usually cheaper. Dan has good advice about the case too, don't waste your money. They are a pain to use, are hard to get off to change film and pulling them apart to do that causes wear. The 50 year old stitching is a weak point and you never know when its going to start to let go.
Now the control wheels. Don't believe the guy on Flickr who thought that they were off a Yashica Mat-124G - they're not. The radial control wheels were found for a short period around 1959 on Yashica Ds, Yashica Autos, Yashica-Mats and Yashica Mat-LMs. I have always expected to also find them on some 635s from the same period but never have. When I saw your post, I got excited but I have to say that I am not completely convinced that everything is original. The hood logo on your camera is the first type, with that, the control wheels probably should have the black leatherette ring inserts. On the other cameras, the black radial wheels were usually found with the narrow "Y" hood logo on gold or blue backgrounds. However, there could have been some overlap (there were with Mats).
If you post your camera and lens serial numbers, just the first three digits plus "x"s for the other digits would do, I could pobably tell you more. Or if you want, you can browse my website, www.yashicatlr.com, to check for yourself. Also, I cannot tell from the Flickr photo whether the pair of parallel bars on the back of the hood are silver or black?
The camera looks like a very nice example at a very good price. Whilst the history of a camera is interesting to know, you bought it to use, don't get sidetracked by trim issues. That's the sort of things collectors worry about as they handle them with white cotton gloves.
Now the control wheels. Don't believe the guy on Flickr who thought that they were off a Yashica Mat-124G - they're not. The radial control wheels were found for a short period around 1959 on Yashica Ds, Yashica Autos, Yashica-Mats and Yashica Mat-LMs. I have always expected to also find them on some 635s from the same period but never have. When I saw your post, I got excited but I have to say that I am not completely convinced that everything is original. The hood logo on your camera is the first type, with that, the control wheels probably should have the black leatherette ring inserts. On the other cameras, the black radial wheels were usually found with the narrow "Y" hood logo on gold or blue backgrounds. However, there could have been some overlap (there were with Mats).
If you post your camera and lens serial numbers, just the first three digits plus "x"s for the other digits would do, I could pobably tell you more. Or if you want, you can browse my website, www.yashicatlr.com, to check for yourself. Also, I cannot tell from the Flickr photo whether the pair of parallel bars on the back of the hood are silver or black?
The camera looks like a very nice example at a very good price. Whilst the history of a camera is interesting to know, you bought it to use, don't get sidetracked by trim issues. That's the sort of things collectors worry about as they handle them with white cotton gloves.
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camperbc
Established
Thanks so much Dan and Paul for the great info; much appreciated! I'm deathly sick with the flu at the moment, but just wanted to give you the serial number you asked for, Paul. I do not yet have the lens #, but the camera's serial is [FONT=arial,sans-serif]393xxxx. [/FONT]I have been informed that the old fellow who originally purchased the camera new did not make any modifications to it; makes me wonder if the control wheels just may indeed be the originals? Not sure if the ser# will shed any light, but looking forward to your reply, nonetheless.
Glen
Glen
f16sunshine
Moderator
I have an extra Yashicamat case. It fits my LM and 124G. It must fit the 635 also. You can have it if you want. As others suggest i would get a hood strait away. You can use your hands while shooting to block stray light as well but, a hood is useful in more than just shading. Send me a PM regarding the case if you want.
Cheers!
Cheers!
camperbc
Established
Oops, I forgot to add that it has the split parallel bars on the back of the hood, and it's difficult to tell from the photo I'm looking at, but the bars appear to be silver. Hope this helps.
Glen
Glen
Dan Daniel
Well-known
Very nice offer, but the Yashica-Mat cases don't fit 635s. The focus knob of the 635 is on the wind side of the 'Mats.
pauls52
Established
That serial number puts it in the middle of 635 examples with the black ring inserts. However, the serial number patterns in the 1958 to 1960 period are the hardest of all to follow with 8 digit numbers coming before 7 and other weird things. Most of the 635s are from a little later with the ST and SX prefixes and "normal" progression. If you have the word of the original buyer that there were no changes made, I would believe that. As mentioned previously by another poster, changing over wheels is a big job, not something that you would easily forget about.
As I said earlier, all the other models in production in 1959 with control wheels got the radial type for a while so it is quite likely that there are other 635s like yours, its just not common. When you get the camera, it would be helpful to also know the lens serial numbers and whether the focus knob has a single scale in feet or metres or whether it has dual scales already. Those will maybe help refine exactly where the camera should sit in relation to the other cameras regardless of the body serial numbers. Sorry, I can't be any more specific than that.
As I said earlier, all the other models in production in 1959 with control wheels got the radial type for a while so it is quite likely that there are other 635s like yours, its just not common. When you get the camera, it would be helpful to also know the lens serial numbers and whether the focus knob has a single scale in feet or metres or whether it has dual scales already. Those will maybe help refine exactly where the camera should sit in relation to the other cameras regardless of the body serial numbers. Sorry, I can't be any more specific than that.
camperbc
Established
Well, it took quite awhile to get here, but I'm happy to report that my Yashica 635 with the unusual black control knobs finally arrived in today's mail! It was packaged very well, and is in absolutely perfect condition. It really is flawless; both lenses, screen, leatherette, chrome, everything looks just like new. The dials, focus, everything is so silky-smooth; not so much as a speck of dust, haze or cleaning marks in the lens. I have tested all shutter speeds and find them accurate. It really is a gorgeous camera.
Unfortunately, it could be another week or two before my film arrives from the USA. (I have to date been unsuccessful in finding affordable 120 here in Canada) I have a lovely new hand-stitched leather strap on order, and once my film arrives I'll be using this beauty to capture my Fogo Island (Newfoundland) landscapes.
As this is indeed my very first Yashica TLR, you can imagine my excitement when I opened the parcel to discover that it truly is as perfect as the seller had described! I want to thank everyone for your interest in my camera, and Paul, for offering to help with the mystery of the unusual control knobs. Seems some forum members like the idea of it having the rare control wheels. The camera was not even yet in my hands, but I was getting offers right and left to buy it, including someone who offered far more than I paid, while another simply said "name your price"! But I think I will be keeping it for a long time!
Thanks again,
Glen
Unfortunately, it could be another week or two before my film arrives from the USA. (I have to date been unsuccessful in finding affordable 120 here in Canada) I have a lovely new hand-stitched leather strap on order, and once my film arrives I'll be using this beauty to capture my Fogo Island (Newfoundland) landscapes.
As this is indeed my very first Yashica TLR, you can imagine my excitement when I opened the parcel to discover that it truly is as perfect as the seller had described! I want to thank everyone for your interest in my camera, and Paul, for offering to help with the mystery of the unusual control knobs. Seems some forum members like the idea of it having the rare control wheels. The camera was not even yet in my hands, but I was getting offers right and left to buy it, including someone who offered far more than I paid, while another simply said "name your price"! But I think I will be keeping it for a long time!
Thanks again,
Glen
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Wow, a Yashica 635 "bubble"! Very amusing! Looking very much forward to your pictures with it.
And be sure to post pictures of the camera itself, with those rare control wheels....
And be sure to post pictures of the camera itself, with those rare control wheels....
camperbc
Established
Nick, here's a photo of my 635, taken by the seller. Tomorrow I'll take some better pics of it.
Glen
Glen
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Yes, those are old style wheels, alright. I once had an older D, grey, with those wheels. If yours were a Leica it'd be called a "panda," I'm sure.
I think you'll be very happy with it -- I have several different Yashica TLRs, but not one of these. You need a shade, as you know. But one thing at a time -- can't do anything without film!
I think you'll be very happy with it -- I have several different Yashica TLRs, but not one of these. You need a shade, as you know. But one thing at a time -- can't do anything without film!
camperbc
Established
Hi Nick,
I already have the hood for it, (came last week) and a beautiful hand-stitched leather strap is on the way. I was originally planning to get a case, but I've been talked out of it. Once the film arrives, I'm good to go!
Glen
I already have the hood for it, (came last week) and a beautiful hand-stitched leather strap is on the way. I was originally planning to get a case, but I've been talked out of it. Once the film arrives, I'm good to go!
Glen
Acidic_Lemon
Established
Congrats on the 635!!! Yours looks like a dream. I have an older one (serial: #31XXXXX) and I simply enjoy taking pics with it (just need to get used to using it). I am sure you're not going to be disappointed with it.
smiling gecko
pure dumb luck, my friend
congratulations on your 635...it is a beauty!!!
i hope you thoroughly enjoy it and look forward to seeing your results with it...this makes me want to load up my yashica D or my rolleicord and get out there...
thank you for sharing your cheery good news..had a miserable day at work and this brightens my day.
breathe, relax and enjoy.
smiling gecko, aka kenneth
i hope you thoroughly enjoy it and look forward to seeing your results with it...this makes me want to load up my yashica D or my rolleicord and get out there...
thank you for sharing your cheery good news..had a miserable day at work and this brightens my day.
breathe, relax and enjoy.
smiling gecko, aka kenneth
camperbc
Established
Thanks everyone! Here are a few nicer photos of it, taken last night.
Glen
Glen