Tell me about what I just bought: Yashica FX-2

[hipsterdufus]

Okay, so I've always wanted a Yashica SLR. Why? It's purely for stupid, sentimental reasons. I remember the first camera that began my affair with cameras/photography was my dad's Yashica TL Electro. I remember when I was a kid, sneaking into his closet to pull the camera out and play with all of the knobs and dials (probably contributing to its demise...). It was an object of great obsession for me and I always promised myself that some day I would own a Yashica SLR just for the sentimentality.

So, fast forward to last weekend, I win a working (according to the seller) Yashica FX-2 with the 50mm f1.9 and the YUS 28mm f2.8 and 135mm f2.8 lenses for $50 shipped on the 'bay. Holy cow, I can't believe how cheap this thing was. It's on its way now...

So, what can I expect when I get this camera? I've googled around, but I'm looking for a more RFF-oriented opinion of the camera and lenses. The results I've seen on flickr look pleasing, but I have a hard time sorting the wheat from the chaff on flickr to really see what type of performance to expect.

So, RFF'ers, what do you think of this kit? Any experience with it? Particularly looking for people who've shot portraits with this setup, as that is my main area of interest. Thanks!

 

[mbisc]

I don't have the exact model, but I am fairly sure that this one has the C/Y lens mount. As such, the camera might be cheap, but you can attach the whole line of Contax C/Y lenses -- which are simply outstanding.

I have a FX-3 2000, which I use whenever the conditions aren't suitable or risky for my Contax cameras (e.g. dusty backbacking trips, or anytime on a boat). At the end of the day, a body only needs to keep out the light, and have reasonable accurate shutter times -- the rest is all in the glass.

Enjoy!!!

 

[hipsterdufus]

Sounds great! One of the reasons I bought the camera was for the C/Y mount, in case I ever wanted some SLR Zeiss glass. From the little I've found out about the lenses I mentioned, they're of very good quality, so they'll have to underperform my expectations for me to start buying up the more expensive glass. Thanks for the info!

 

[mbisc]

Life is too short for cheap glass -- get yourself an f1.4/50 Planar (or at least an f1.7/50 Planar), and be ready to be amazed. They are not very expensive...

 

[Greyscale]

The FX2 is an interesting camera, it is a crossover between the earlier screw mount TL series, like you dad's TL Electro, and the Yashica FR series. It has pretty much the same body as the TL, but with a horizontal cloth shutter similar to the FR, as well as the Contax RTS. It is a good, solid, if unspectacular, fully-manual SLR with no bells and whistles.

They were often sold as a kit with the three lenses that you mentioned (the 50mm is a DSB 50/1.9, correct?). The 28 and the 50 are fairly ordinary lenses, but both can be prone to oily aperture blades if they have been stored for a long time, so keep your eyes open for that. A good, inexpensive upgrade for the 50, if you don't want to pay the premium price for the Planar, would be the Yashica ML 50/2, which is a very good and underrated lens. But the Yashica ML 50/1.7 and 50/1.4 are also excellent lenses, although a bit pricier. You can also buy an M42 to C/Y converter, and have a plethora of excellent glass available.

The YUS 135/2.8 is really a very nice lens, with good sharpness and very nice bokeh, it is the gem of the kit. Here is a set of pics that I took with one last summer:

YUS 135/2.8 on Yashica FX-D

 

[ronnies]

I'd agree about the DSB 50/1.9. Of all the 50mm lenses I have it's probably my least favourite.

Ronnie

 

[hipsterdufus]

Great info, Greyscale. I appreciate the link to photos; love the bokeh in the second shot down. I think I'll play around with the kit that comes with the camera for now to see how I like it. No sense in blowing money on different stuff if I don't have to. Of course, if I do end up getting something different, I see myself going with the Contax 50mm f1.4... I'm an all-or-nothing kind of guy.