Yashica M - light seals made of foam or not?

[Bluesman]

Hi guys -

I thought my new old Yashica M would need light seals replaced, and opened the back to get to work. The funny thing is that there is no sign of that asphalt goo, no black slime where the light seals are, not even when I pry with a toothpick.

There are seals, I just don´t know how good they are, but they are there. The material? Beats me. Leather? The areas at the short-end door corners have fabric material that seems OK.

Is this camera so old that it has light seals of a different - non-deteriorating - material?

Any info welcome, as always. /Richard

 

[johnf04]

Hi there. My Yashica M appears to have a woven thread in the grooves at the back of the body.

John.

 

[Bluesman]

Thanks, John, that was my initial thought, too. I guess I could try to shoot a roll to see if the seals are still OK before I take some action. I can roll up 10 or so frames from my bulk loader and see 🙂

 

[MikeMGB]

My Yashica Electro must have the same material, whatever it is seems to be in perfect condition and does not leak.

Unless the lights seals obviously deteriorated, black goo, foam falling off etc. I don't replace them before running a film through a camera. So far the only camera I have had to replace them on is my Canon QL17.

 

[Bluesman]

I think the Yashica M is a few years older than the first Electros. All my Electro 35:s - regardless of designation=year had the black goo problem. And I´ve had 4 or five over the years. Yours might have had the seals replaced at some stage - or maybe it´s one of the first (and therefore escaped the foam fate) 🙂

 

[MikeMGB]

I think the Yashica M is a few years older than the first Electros. All my Electro 35:s - regardless of designation=year had the black goo problem. And I´ve had 4 or five over the years. Yours might have had the seals replaced at some stage - or maybe it´s one of the first (and therefore escaped the foam fate) 🙂

I actually know the history of mine, I was given it by a co-worker, it's never had any work done, it has been looked after very carefully though. But no, no black goo, the seals are just a nice, dense black material.

Unlike my Canon which had foam pieces and black goo all over it. 🙂

 

[Bluesman]

Now, this gem is loaded with film. Need to take it for a walk tomorrow, then we´ll know. I found the rangefinder patch to be almost hopelessly dim, but..maybe the marker pen/black tape trick will help. Remains to be seen (sic!) 😀

 

[johnf04]

I await your opinion of the LVS exposure setting system.