'New to me' Mat 124

Kenj8246

Kenj8246

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Apr 23, 2011
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Just got this last week and am in love already. The meter even works.

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Mat 124 FTW.

Kenny
 
FTW?

You will love it (oh wait, you said you already do!). One question -- looks like some flare off the radiator in the second picture. Is the lens clear?
 
KoNickon said:
FTW?

You will love it (oh wait, you said you already do!). One question -- looks like some flare off the radiator in the second picture. Is the lens clear?
Click to expand...

I honestly haven't done much inspection. Will have to give it a thorough look shortly though.
 
The Yashica MAT 124 G is a great camera, I use mine a lot and love it... but it does flare quite easily in difficult lighting situations. Apparently it's due to internal reflections inside the main chamber.

A friend of mine 'flocked' his Yashicas according to the instructions in the following link:

http://www.usedcameradb.com/blog/2010/02/flocking-a-yashica-mat-124/

I've yet to try it but he swears it improved his beloved 124G A LOT.

cheers!
 
How do you feel after realizing that you paid probably around $150 for a camera that delivers prints that are better than you could ever get from a $10,000 Leica setup?
 
Bob Michaels said:
How do you feel after realizing that you paid probably around $150 for a camera that delivers prints that are better than you could ever get from a $10,000 Leica setup?
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Well, Bob, when I do finally print something, I'll probaby feel like all those fireworks. :)

Kenny
 
stratcat said:
The Yashica MAT 124 G is a great camera, I use mine a lot and love it... but it does flare quite easily in difficult lighting situations. Apparently it's due to internal reflections inside the main chamber.

A friend of mine 'flocked' his Yashicas according to the instructions in the following link:

http://www.usedcameradb.com/blog/2010/02/flocking-a-yashica-mat-124/

I've yet to try it but he swears it improved his beloved 124G A LOT.

cheers!
Click to expand...

Ages ago I had a 124G that has long since gone to my daughter. As I recall -- someone please confirm or correct me on this -- the 124G added film chamber baffling to reduce internal reflection and increase contrast, whereas the earlier models such as the 124 lack baffling. If so, that would make flocking of the 124G somewhat less relevant, and also perhaps more of a hassle to install.
 
I had a G model many moons ago, when they were brand new. Sold it to a shipmate, and missed it ever since. Nice and light, great finder, and a built in meter, too. I used a flash handle grip on mine, and it really improved on the ergonomics.

PF
 
A followup: had a look at the lens last nite and it does, indeed have some haze/mild fungus. Looks like it's off to Essex Camera for a CLA. Something I had intended to do anyway.

Kenny
 
Great fireworks shot!

If the haze is on the lens surface right behind the shutter and aperture, you can remove the rear lens group with a lens spanner (a long one). Should clean up nicely, and no need to send it out, for that reason anyway.
 
KoNickon said:
Great fireworks shot!

If the haze is on the lens surface right behind the shutter and aperture, you can remove the rear lens group with a lens spanner (a long one). Should clean up nicely, and no need to send it out, for that reason anyway.
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I just cleaned that surface of my Yashica-Mat 66, I did not have a spanner that fit, so I went in from the front and with the aperture wide open, and holding the shutter open on bulb, managed to clean the crud off the lens. That was a nice way to make an easy job hard. Stop gap repair as the camera really needs a good CLA, but I am going to wait until I can get new leatherette to do that.
 
Wow looks Great !!!

Ut oh...caught the Bug Too
Me thinks this is a Good & inexpensive way to Delve into MF

Any suggestions where to get One
And what to Look out for ?????
 
helenhill said:
Wow looks Great !!!

Ut of ...caught the Bug Too
Me thinks this is a Good & inexpensive way to Delve into MF

Any suggestions where to get One
And what to Look out for ?????
Click to expand...

At any given time there are plenty on eBay. Depending on the condition expect to pay in the range of $100 - $150. Mine was 115 Euros on a camera fair, but needed a CLA, the shutter was way off.

The normal rules apply, shine a torch through the lens and check for dirt and scratches. The lens elements are fairly easy to remove and clean as a DIY job. Check if the shutter runs ok, especially the 1 second speed.

It is lightweight and not nearly as well built as a Hasselblad, but also much easier to handhold and to take with you. What really makes it outstanding is the lens. A simple four element Tessar clone it may be, but in mine it is absolutely jawdroppingly good.
 
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