Yashica 72-E in hands

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After some lust around half-format I made a stop by Yashica 72-E. That's strange - while I weren't interested, I haven't seen neither info or offers on eBay. After I started to research cheap HF option, I suddenly got one for very cheap.

All in all, I like it's manual - no selenium cell dependancy (even there are working samples). Lens isn't fast 1.7 like on Yashica Half (I even don't mention 1.4 version of Half) or Canon Demi - just good enough. But truly speaking, there are better cameras for low light or short DOF than scale focusers.

From practical side it's obsolete because film isn't SO expensive right now (but it might be useful later 😉 and there are even smaller 24mmx36mm camaras. But it certainly has it's charm, because of vertical frame and readily served dyptichs, triptichs and polyptichs.

For a while put through a roll and flickred some pics - link is limited to 72E pics only. Let's save space and use external storage.

 

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Added couple of pics from recent weekend.

Because 72-E is small, got flash bracket, as I already have wanted to try one. When 72-E is mounted to bracket (kind of cool), frame counter will be blocked by rubber base of bracket (not cool).

 

[NickTrop]

Nice pics. Seems like most people go for the Olympus Pen but the Yashica seems like it has a meter? Don't know much about 1/2-frames.

 

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Yes, it has uncoupled selenium meter. Read LV number and set speed/aperture to match one. On mine meter doesn't works. Judging from Petri 7s, selenium cell doesn't work well after 40 years, anyway, maybe just mine is aged badly.

Oh, that Pen-o-mania is sweet thing, though I wanted simply try camera with vertical frame orientation, so Pen is out of my scope.

 

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After some time shutter started to stick again. I like 72 so I removed shutter to clean blades. People, I love Copal X shutter! So easy to access blades - 4 screws under plastirette, 4 screws in film chamber, remove spring and ...oh, another 3 screws (mechanics and blades are under cover - good protection for mechanism from dirt) and you are there. Even didn't need to unsolder wires. Cleaned all blades and both surfaces where they live.

I like how access to shutter blades is provided. If aperture is fine, you can completely avoid touching it - it's under, lets say, front element.

Assembly is fast and chokeless, parts connect back as magnets, just put screws into sockets and tighten them.

After this small cleaning it works again and I hope, will continue some good time.