Tested my Canonet against my Yashica GSN..

R

Rob

Guest
I have some Canonet GIII cameras and some Yashica GSN cameras so I wanted to shoot them with the same subject
on the same film to see which I liked better.
I used Fuji print film 200 speed, 12 frames in the Canonet
then pulled it out and shot the last 12 in the Yashica.
Both cameras I have cleaned the Rfinder and installed new
seals. lets talk ease of use first...
Loading a battery is easier in the Canonet.
The Canonet could be carried in a large pocket.
The Yashica could not.
The viewfinder is brighter in the Canonet.
focusing is about the same on both.
The Quickload in the Canonet is fantastic.
in bright sunlight the over/underexposure arrows
look like they are both on due to the arrows that
let light in on the top of the Yashica. Black tape
would fix that.
The Canolite D flash works very well! I shot some
things in front of a huge glass door in bright daylight
which would have fooled most TTL type flashes into
underexposure. Canolite was perfect in all shots.
I shot the same subjects with both cameras in the
same light. I think the Yashica was just a hair sharper
in one photo with small writing on it, but the other pictures
I could not tell any difference, same color cast also.
I like the size and the other features of the Canonet
better than the Yashicas so I guess I will keep two
Canonets and two Yashicas. I got a couple Canonet GIII's
Canonet 28 and another Yashica GSN that need some work
if anyone wants some for parts or to get working again
contact me.
 
Rob,
I find the Yashica gives me a slightly warmer color where the G-III has a slight blue bias using Kodak Hi-Definition print film. I think the bokeh is "creamier" on the Yashica as well but not by much. As far as size and build quality, I love the feel of the Canon vs. the Yashica, I also prefer the 40mm to the 45mm. All of this is subjective as I have not done any testing, just shooting. Changing film midroll is a good idea, I'll try that.

Todd
 
Rob

Interesting observations and conclusions. In my not too scientific tests, I am coming to the conclusion that the Canon GIII lens, is a bit softer than the Vivitar ES and Oly RC lenses. I love the Canon GIII viewfinder and focusing patch. I really don't care for the Oly RC focusing patch, but otherwise, it's a beautifully designed camera. And I really like the Vivitar ES. It's becoming my "go to" rig for B/W street shooting. After I glass the negs, I'll submit my findings to the group.

Kiron Kid
 
I think I will shoot B&W film in my rangefinders. I do not care
for color print film at all. I am used to shooting slides which
are so much more colorful. Now I should decide if I should
set up my darkroom again or sell it and get some kind of
scanner either film or flatbed. I see there is a digital darkroom
forum, is there a film based darkroom forum?
 
Rob

My rangefinders are almost exclusively B/W film cameras. On a rare occasion, I'll slap some color neg in there for one of those boring, yet mandatory family gatherings. The family always gives me a funny look, when I show up with one of these "toy" cameras, instead of an SLR, zoom and flash. However, they always love the quality of the pictures. I really love them for street shooting with B/W. Neopan 400 @ 320, through a deep yellow (#15) filter, yields the most beautiful negatives. The tonality, grain and flesh tones are amazing!
Give it a try.

Russ
 
The only darkroom equipment I own now is a changing bag, JOBO developing tank, a couple reels and chemicals. Once negs are developed I scan 'em. You gotta get a scanner, this is too much fun.
 
I use an flatbed epson 2450 only because I enjoy milking the best quality out of poor scans.........not really. I use it because it's what I have, I would love to have a dedicated film scanner but the budget/priorities aren't there yet.
I have used vuescan but always come back to epsons twain software that comes with the scanner, vuescan has too many options and I find it takes me 3 times as long to fiddle with them.
The 2450 and all the succesors are pretty good for 35mm, but they really do well on med. to large format negs especially when you compare prices of film scanners for them.

Todd
 
My very first rangefinder was my Canonet G-III QL17 (I prefer to spell it all out to avoid confusion), and my second one, the legendary Yashica GS.

Well, I sold that one and kept the Canonet.

Reasons:
-I could handle and figure out the Canonet's AE system.
-The Canonet size was a lot more manageable.
-The Yashica didn't let me know a thing about shutterspeed
-It's easy, very easy to forget the lens cap with the Yashica... 🙁
-Loading the Canonet didn't require much; I could do it in the dark (only once, I had to).
-The Yashica had a noisy shutter.

In sum, I wasn't too crazy about it. But I sold it to someone who will appreciate its quirks. I only shot three rolls with it.
 
Russ said:
Rob
Neopan 400 @ 320, through a deep yellow (#15) filter, yields the most beautiful negatives. The tonality, grain and flesh tones are amazing!
Russ
Click to expand...

BTW and off-topic: which developer do you use with neopan? I tried in rodinal and x-tol - both gave me better results with trix...

best regards, Rami.
 
Neopan 400 @ 320

Neopan 400 @ 320

Russ,

Could you expend on that? I am new to RF cameras and new to film. I have been reading the Rangefinder book by Hicks and Schultz and they also talk about "down rating" film by 1/3 or 2/3 of a stop. So in essence you are under exposing each picture by 1/3 stop, right?

Thanks.

Michel

Russ said:
Rob

My rangefinders are almost exclusively B/W film cameras. On a rare occasion, I'll slap some color neg in there for one of those boring, yet mandatory family gatherings. The family always gives me a funny look, when I show up with one of these "toy" cameras, instead of an SLR, zoom and flash. However, they always love the quality of the pictures. I really love them for street shooting with B/W. Neopan 400 @ 320, through a deep yellow (#15) filter, yields the most beautiful negatives. The tonality, grain and flesh tones are amazing!
Give it a try.

Russ
Click to expand...
 
mich8261 said:
Russ,

Could you expend on that? I am new to RF cameras and new to film. I have been reading the Rangefinder book by Hicks and Schultz and they also talk about "down rating" film by 1/3 or 2/3 of a stop. So in essence you are under exposing each picture by 1/3 stop, right?

Thanks.

Michel
Click to expand...
over-exposing. The meter thinks the film is less sensitive than its rated speed so gives it more light than it would if set to that rated speed.

...Mike
 
Hmmm, Yashica vs Canonet ? How it happened only now I see it ? Nevermind at these minutes it is for me the most attractive question at RFF, so I will throw some esotheric thoughts. Leave now before you get bored.

A GSN vs a GIII is very much comparing apples to oranges. Different focal lenghts, full override in one but not in the other, different sizes and weight, etc. So we are left with very few aspects to compare.

1) Which has better glass ?

2) which has better AE ?

3) which is more silent ?

4) which is more elegant ?

Interestingly I do have two Electros and a GX. Bill58 will excuss me as I have put aside the GX for a while, due to the Electros being more shutter quiet.

But latter I had put the Electros aside for daily companions on behalf of the Canonet, for their compactness and manual override, leaving all the abovementioned questions unsolved. Convenience is the unlawfull mother of Evil.

Now I do have a problem with the Canonets that I do not have with the black Electros. Kindly don't take offense, but I find the Canonet as an aestheticaly non-attractive camera. I do not find it ugly at all, let's be clear, just not positively attractive shaped. Nevertheless, this is what I am actually using. Therefore, Canonent fans, see it as a compliment.

Lastly I am not opposed to comparing apples to oranges. As a matter of fact some times we want to eat an apple and other times an orange. So let's the match continue and hear other voices.

I think one day we should have a thread about the GIII against an Oly RD and the likes.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ruben said:
I think one day we should have a thread about the GIII against an Oly RD and the likes.

Cheers,
Ruben
Click to expand...
Ruben, in my mind this one is settled, the RD would kick the Canonet's butt. I know, I have the "dumb" (= auto-exposure) version of the RD (same lens) and the pictures from my Canonet are flat compared to the ones from the DC.

The Yashica Electro against the Olympus 35 SP in auto-mode, now that's an even match.
 
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