Yashica Lynx-14

[colyn]

I picked up a Yashica Lynx-14 at the show last weekend for $5. The rf was rather dim and off by several feet.
I replaced the beamsplitter with one from a parts rf off of a Electro35 and adjusted the rf.
Meter looks to be right so I'll be taking it out this weekend for a test run.

That f/1.4 lens is a huge piece of glass!!! 😱

 

[Austintatious]

The Lynx 14 is a real nice camera. Most or them have a fairly dim RF patch. If this can be repaired, they are great fun to shoot. I was at the grocery store last week and my Lynx was with me. I just had to get a shot of this, only in Texas would you see a convertible Caddy taxi !! Yellow Cab to boot !
These are hand held @f1.4~1/30 sec. ASA 400 speed film. For low light shots, they are pretty nice cameras to use.

Charles

 

[colyn]

Since I pulled a good beamsplitter from a parts Electro 35 it is somewhat brighter. My main reason for buying it is for low light handheld shots like your caddy shots.
BTW: Nice shots..

 

[colyn]

These work well. Just a little work with a glass cutter.
http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3043359

I've bought from them to restore dim rf's in Leica screwmount cameras.

 

[colyn]

I bow to yor knowledge. 🙂

It usually takes me more than one try at cutting since these things are easy to damage. But then I would rather do it myself than to pay $300+ for someone else to do it.

 

[Bill58]

I sent my Lynx to Mark Hama recently for a CLA and "restoration of the dim patch". The camera is VERY smooth now, but the patch is not that much better. Frankly, I'm a little disappointed- it looks like all he did was just clean it. Maybe Mark should adopt Colyn's method of R/R w/ a GS/ GTN beamsplitter. My GTN's patch is at least twice as bright yellow as my Lynx.

 

[colyn]

One of the things I did while the top cover was off was to paint the inside top cover area above the rf flat black to prevent light from reflecting into the holes in the rf cover.

The rf patch is now almost as bright as my Electro 35 rf. 🙂

 

[Bill58]

Colyn:

Thanks for the tip--I'm gonna try it!

Bill

 

[colyn]

Glad to be of some help..

 

[NL2377]

Do any of you know the distance to film plane on the lynx 14 lens? I tore apart my old lynx (water damage during shipping) and want to figure out if it's possible to mount this lens on a screwmount camera... I've also got to find a way to remove the leaf shutter... any ideas?

 

[Bill58]

Contact the Yashica Guy, http://www.yashica-guy.com/. Maybe he can help.