Rejoining the Yashica club! (and a couple GSN questions)

[scottgee1]

Yesterday I attended a local 'Photorama'. It consists of a bunch of dealers in a hotel conference room selling all manner of gear off of tables.

My goal was to sell of a few items I'm no longer using and maybe pick up a couple small items.

While talking with one of the dealers (Larry Adler), I noticed a number of nice old RFs. Turns out he's a repairman and sells units he has fixed. I tried a few and found myself very intrigued by an Electro 35 GSN that was in excellent condition. Larry had overhauled it completely and it seemed very nice. Of course it's now setting on my desk, waiting for a battery.

I have been running it with a dummy roll of film in the meantime and have a question -- do they all have distinct click, bordering on a pop when the advance lever starts its travel?

I had a similar model decades ago and don't remember it doing that. But then I don't remember what I had for supper last night so . . . 😱

Also, I assume the battery substitution described on Karen Nakmura's page works well. Interestingly enough, there is already a spring in the battery chamber; is that standard issue?


TIA!/ScottGee1

 

[flashover]

yep all the one I owned made the clunk sound.

 

[flashover]

just checked my GTN and makes a clunk as you wind the advance.

 

[scottgee1]

OK, so "clunk" it is!

Interesting contrast to the sound of the shutter which is rather quiet.

The battery remains a bit of puzzle. I suspect the spring that's already in there is for the original battery size as it's quite deep into the body and the PX32A is rather large.

Thanks!/ScottGee1

 

[sbart]

The spring you see in the battery chamber is original.

You can't go wrong with a "Yashica Guy" battery adapter -- I have one and it works great. www.yashica-guy.com

There's also useful information on that site about the "clunk" sound during winding and what it means. It's normal.

- Stephen

 

[davidbivins]

Use a PX28A alkaline battery - you can find them at drugstores. It's shorter and thinner than the original. It's also a slightly higher voltage (6 vs 5.6) but supposedly there is a voltage compensation circuit in the camera that can handle that difference without the need to adjust the meter or set a different ASA.

Cut a piece of cardboard from the back of a paper pad or a cereal box and wrap it around the battery to make it more closely match the circumference of the battery chamber. Wad up a piece of foil and drop it on the spring, then drop in the shimmed battery, then put the cover back on.

The battery adapters are a more refined version of this. Incidentally, I think they're worth it because they're more precise and reliable, but if you want to quit pretending to take pictures and actually use it before you get an adapter, there you go!

Have fun - it's a great camera!

David.