Brad Bireley
Well-known
Which has the better lens? The GSN or the LYNX-14E ?
P
pshinkaw
Guest
Except for the maximum aperture of the two lenses, I doubt that anyone could tell the difference between even very large enlargements made from negatives from those two lenses.
The real difference between the two cameras is the that the Lynx is much bigger and heavier and has a full range of shutter speeds even with a dead battery, while the GSN has fully automatic exposure.
-Paul
The real difference between the two cameras is the that the Lynx is much bigger and heavier and has a full range of shutter speeds even with a dead battery, while the GSN has fully automatic exposure.
-Paul
bmattock
Veteran
Brad Bireley said:
I also cannot see a difference in scans I have made, and I also have both. However, the GSN is a later lens, and could have better coating (some have claimed so). Both lenses are truly excellent. I only prefer the Lynx 14/14e for the faster 1.4 and the ability to set my shutter speeds. Otherwise, I'd take the GSN.
In both cases, lens quality is truly superb, even wide-open. There have been cases of devoted Nikonians and Leicaphiles admitting that a well-exposed and well-scanned Yashica Electro GSN neg beats nearly everything they have under some circumstances. I can't imagine someone not being happy with the lens quality of either. Nothing against Nikons or Leicas - just a comment on a really well-made lens on the Yashica GSN's.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
jon_flanders
Well-known
bmattock
Veteran
jon_flanders said:
You have an excellent point, and I should have thought to mention it. Yes, the Lynx especially, is subject to flare like a big dog. I have not noticed the problem with my Yashica GSN - could the coating be better?
I also was looking at Yashica-Guy's website. He says that the Electro GSN lens is made up of six elements in four groups - the Lynx is seven elements in five groups. I have no idea if that makes one 'better' than the other, but I agree with you that the Lynx does flare badly - I use a hood all the time, even indoors and at night.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
yossarian
Well-known
Just think about the level of optical quality being offered in the RFs from the '60s
and '70s. I think sample variations would account for more differences than anything
else would. Konica wasn't exaggerating with their copy line for the S2: "The Lens
Alone is Worth the Price". I believe most of these had better lenses than the contemporary crop of entry-level SLRs (Ricoh, Mamiya, Petri, Kowa, etc.).
These are the real sleepers--like a Dodge Coronet sedan with a hemi. Take those same lenses and multicoat them, they'd be top-tier by today's standards, too.
Fred
and '70s. I think sample variations would account for more differences than anything
else would. Konica wasn't exaggerating with their copy line for the S2: "The Lens
Alone is Worth the Price". I believe most of these had better lenses than the contemporary crop of entry-level SLRs (Ricoh, Mamiya, Petri, Kowa, etc.).
These are the real sleepers--like a Dodge Coronet sedan with a hemi. Take those same lenses and multicoat them, they'd be top-tier by today's standards, too.
Fred
bcs89
Contented Oly Owner
yossarian said:
Yeesh, I am so tired of you Mopar Maniacs going on and on about Hemi's - Hemi this Hemi that - blah blah blah. A 396 will cost you half as much and, tuned right, blow the doors off a Hemi.
Oh yeah - for the price, I would say pick up both of the Yashicas - you will love 'em both. (I do!)
Again, had both. Shot wide-open, both are "good enough". The Lynx I had was a little softer at F1.4 than the GT at F1.7. The GT is as sharp as the Konica 40/1.8 SLR lens that I have; and the Lynx is as sharp wide open as the Konica 57/1.4 lens.
I kept the Lynx.
I kept the Lynx.
bmattock
Veteran
bcs89 said:
In your dreams. A Chevy 396 wouldn't power a car to a high speed unless you dropped it out of a plane.
And I didn't need no stinkin' Hemi. A '69 Dodge Charger with a 440 and a single quad through a 727A Torqueflite to a Dana 60 with limited-slip was all I needed to chew them Chevies up and spit 'em out. Remember OCIR? I was there, baby.
Not bad advice, for a Chevy lover (ugh).
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
bcs89
Contented Oly Owner
bmattock said:
Oh give me a break! I've had little 327's hooked up to a 2 speed PowerGlide that would leave your 440 lookin' at my tailpipe - You guys are are all the same. Dreamers.
Brad, don't listen to anything this big Balooka says (unless it's about cameras)
bmattock
Veteran
bcs89 said:
Sure, sure. That's why all the cops were driving Chevy Novas with stone-stock 350's in them. Oh wait...they drove Fury III's with stock 440's. Turn the air cleaner cover over and cut low 14's on the 1/4 mile with regular gas - and never break anything.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
back alley
IMAGES
'In your dreams. A Chevy 396 wouldn't power a car to a high speed unless you dropped it out of a plane.'
oh crap, i just about lost my job! just started to laugh out loud in the middle of the office.
joe
oh crap, i just about lost my job! just started to laugh out loud in the middle of the office.
joe
bcs89
Contented Oly Owner
bmattock said:
Strictly a case of the cops not having the skill level to keep so much machine on the road - not enough time/resources to train 'em so instead they got "training wheels".
Oh yeah, Brad - as mentioned before don't forget the hood for the Lynx.
bmattock
Veteran
back alley said:
And I thought my job was rough! You can get fired for laughing out loud? If you worked at a funeral parlor I could see it, perhaps...
If they made me stop laughing, my head would explode.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
Some shots with the Lynx, mostly wide-open, are in this thread.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=403&highlight=lynx
And I'd put my brothers Ford 427 with twin Quads dropped into the '67 Cougar where he drilled holes through the firewall to change the sparkplugs it was so tight...4-speed, Hurst shifter, 4.11 rear.
Those shots were with the Lynx 14 that i sold a while ago, replaced with a Lynx 14e.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=403&highlight=lynx
And I'd put my brothers Ford 427 with twin Quads dropped into the '67 Cougar where he drilled holes through the firewall to change the sparkplugs it was so tight...4-speed, Hurst shifter, 4.11 rear.
Those shots were with the Lynx 14 that i sold a while ago, replaced with a Lynx 14e.
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b1bmsgt
Yeah, I still use film...
68 Charger with a 383. Bought it used in '73...first time I really stepped on it I thought I was going to end up in the back seat!! Scary...
Most impressive thing I ever saw was a guy with a brand new 69 Road Runner...locked up the brakes and slowly gave it the gas...the rear tires broke loose and started rotating very slowly (maybe 20-30 rpm)while the car just sat there. My jaw must have hit the pavement! Been a Mopar guy ever since.
As long as we're on the subject...
Russ
Most impressive thing I ever saw was a guy with a brand new 69 Road Runner...locked up the brakes and slowly gave it the gas...the rear tires broke loose and started rotating very slowly (maybe 20-30 rpm)while the car just sat there. My jaw must have hit the pavement! Been a Mopar guy ever since.
As long as we're on the subject...
Russ
bmattock
Veteran
Brian Sweeney said:
I have both the 14 and 14e. I took the 14 with me to NYC last weekend, because I had shot with it before and trusted it. However, the 14e appears to be slightly better shape. Question - do you think the 14e has a different/better lens than the 14? I believe they were made some years apart, so I wondered if the lens coatings, etc might have gotten better.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
bcs89
Contented Oly Owner
Brad, sorry if I got your post a bit off track - but you came to the right place for info - these guys know what they are talking about.
So far as the cars go - actually, they were all great. I had the pleasure of owning several "fast" cars growing up - of many different flavors, and they were all a blast. There is just something about a '60s, early 70's rear wheel drive V8 that unless you have driven it can't be explained. I have had the pleasure (I mean that) to drive a couple of "hot" new cars - mostly imports - and while its true you don't need as much raw power to go fast (really fast) now as you used to, it's a totally different feel. I'm not trying to knock the new generation of fast cars by any means, just pointing out that it is comparing apples to oranges. I have even had the pleasure of checking out one of the new Hemis - It was Sweet! But different, it had the power of course - and was a blast to "nail it" so to speak, it's just that it also had the modern suspension, computer controlled shift points, fuel injection, modern tires - I could go on and on. It was damn nice. And very fast. It was just different. Remember going down the street, say 30 or so mph and just tromping on it? That 1/2 second lag as the four barrel opened up and you could literally HEAR the engine sucking in air - than WHAM! and you were doing all you could to keep yourself from sliding up over your seat into the back - and at the same time counter steering like crazy because the rear end of the car had decided it should lead the way... Man that was great! Anyway, just wanted to throw this in here and say thanks to Bill (ya big Balooka), et al for a bit of fun, regardless what we drove it sure was a blast, eh?
So far as the cars go - actually, they were all great. I had the pleasure of owning several "fast" cars growing up - of many different flavors, and they were all a blast. There is just something about a '60s, early 70's rear wheel drive V8 that unless you have driven it can't be explained. I have had the pleasure (I mean that) to drive a couple of "hot" new cars - mostly imports - and while its true you don't need as much raw power to go fast (really fast) now as you used to, it's a totally different feel. I'm not trying to knock the new generation of fast cars by any means, just pointing out that it is comparing apples to oranges. I have even had the pleasure of checking out one of the new Hemis - It was Sweet! But different, it had the power of course - and was a blast to "nail it" so to speak, it's just that it also had the modern suspension, computer controlled shift points, fuel injection, modern tires - I could go on and on. It was damn nice. And very fast. It was just different. Remember going down the street, say 30 or so mph and just tromping on it? That 1/2 second lag as the four barrel opened up and you could literally HEAR the engine sucking in air - than WHAM! and you were doing all you could to keep yourself from sliding up over your seat into the back - and at the same time counter steering like crazy because the rear end of the car had decided it should lead the way... Man that was great! Anyway, just wanted to throw this in here and say thanks to Bill (ya big Balooka), et al for a bit of fun, regardless what we drove it sure was a blast, eh?
> do you think the 14e has a different/better lens than the 14? I believe they were made some years apart, so I wondered if the lens coatings, etc might have gotten better.
I think they are the same. I had the 14e apart to flood clean the shutter. I saw "somewhere" that it is the classic 1-2-2-1 Planar formula. It, and the Canon 50/1.4 RF lens are the only two that I know of that did not go to 7 elements at that speed. Not sure why, but the coating on the two Lynx' got a little "spotted". I have not seen the Electro's do that. I've had two Lynx' and 3 Electro's to compare, so small sample.
> Most impressive thing I ever saw was a guy with a brand new 69 Road Runner...locked up the brakes and slowly gave it the gas...the rear tires broke loose and started rotating very slowly (maybe 20-30 rpm)while the car just sat there. My jaw must have hit the pavement! Been a Mopar guy ever since
My Brother got one "Like-that" after selling the '67 Cougar. It had a 6-pack 340 and the front-wheel lockup with the release on the shifter. Bought it from a police officer.
I think they are the same. I had the 14e apart to flood clean the shutter. I saw "somewhere" that it is the classic 1-2-2-1 Planar formula. It, and the Canon 50/1.4 RF lens are the only two that I know of that did not go to 7 elements at that speed. Not sure why, but the coating on the two Lynx' got a little "spotted". I have not seen the Electro's do that. I've had two Lynx' and 3 Electro's to compare, so small sample.
> Most impressive thing I ever saw was a guy with a brand new 69 Road Runner...locked up the brakes and slowly gave it the gas...the rear tires broke loose and started rotating very slowly (maybe 20-30 rpm)while the car just sat there. My jaw must have hit the pavement! Been a Mopar guy ever since
My Brother got one "Like-that" after selling the '67 Cougar. It had a 6-pack 340 and the front-wheel lockup with the release on the shifter. Bought it from a police officer.
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bmattock
Veteran
Brian Sweeney said:
I have no spots on my Lynx's - 2 14's and a 14e. The 14's seem to have loose barrels, I suppose I'll have to get in there and tighten them down someday. And interestingly, Yashica Guy said that the Lynx 14 was a 7-element (5 group) lens. I have only had the front elements out of them, never counted elements. I've had 4 Yashica GSN's - only one worked. Great lens, though. I prefer the Lynx primarily because of the ability to choose shutter speeds.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks