Yashica name being revived

[goo0h]

"Hong-Kong based JNC Datum Tech. International Ltd have revived the Yashica name with a new range of 7 and 8 megapixel cameras in the USA."

http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/yashica_back_from_the_dead/

 

[pompadork]

You missed the most interesting part!

"There are even 4 film cameras available for the analog purist."

Hmm!

 

[NickTrop]

You missed the most interesting part!

"There are even 4 film cameras available for the analog purist."

Hmm!

Ditto that. Even though it's pure marketing, much like that whole "Bessa" thing, call me a sucka but it's still nice a "Yashica" plate slapped on a camera. Very curious to see what the "analog" models are like.

 

[goo0h]

Ah! I was so turned-off, unimpressed by digi this and digi that that I totally overlooked the analog bit. Interesting.

 

[goo0h]

http://www.yashica.com/product-camera.htm

 

[pompadork]

http://www.yashica.com/product-camera.htm

Ah...nevermind =p

 

[bmattock]

I read the story and refrained from posting. The 'Yashica' is nothing more than a resurrection of a name-brand marque, nothing to do with Yashica at all.

Unlike the Cosina-made Voigtlanders, which are at least quality cameras, and are actually made by Cosina, this incarnation of Yashica is a pure licensing deal. Cameras made in China as no-name generics are being sold under a variety of names.

The exact same models are sold as 'Vivitar', 'Minox', 'Polaroid', 'Voigtlander' (compact digitals sold by Ring Foto of Germany, not Cosina) and so on.

Sad to see. Marketing people long ago figured out that they could recycle once-famous brand names forever. Enough people remember the 'Argus' name that they will buy a camera that says 'Argus' on it, no matter who made it.

http://www.arguscamera.com/

It's no Argus. And the Yashica, sadly, is no Yashica.

 

[btgc]

...and lenses for that "new " Yashicas are supplied by "new" Tomioka Optical 😎

but again, there are many people who will buy this "new film cameras" and take their essential pictures...imagine, there in world are lots of people who can't throw $300 into digiP&S just to be replaced by another toy next year or even next 6 months. I guess they are target of this cameras. And yes, they yet don't buy at internet auctions, and most even don't have bank account.
Maybe I'm wrong, but then I don't see reason to produce new film P&S's. Those nostalgic lovers of film P&S meet their destiny at yard sales, flea markets and through inet sites and are happy to pay sometimes big buck for dirty "who knows how long yet" legendary (and not so) cameras 😉

 

[sweathog]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. How dare you get my hopes up like that! I saw those digi P&S things and felt quite ill; horrible design, and I'm sure failry mediochre innards. Then a glimmer of hope at the 35mm jobbies, but they're foul.
I'm in a grump now!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

My Argus/Cosina STL-1000 is still working. Another name on Cosina cameras from long ago. I doubt Argus had much to do with the Cosina Hi-Lite on which it is based. Maybe they suggested moving the shutter-speed to the top plate? Lesson learned from the C4 and C44? I would like to see the Cosina brand name "Prominently" displayed.

 

[bmattock]

My Argus/Cosina STL-1000 is still working. Another name on Cosina cameras from long ago. I doubt Argus had much to do with the Cosina Hi-Lite on which it is based. Maybe they suggested moving the shutter-speed to the top plate? Lesson learned from the C4 and C44? I would like to see the Cosina brand name "Prominently" displayed.

At least when Cosina made cameras for Argus, there still WAS an Argus, like when they did the farmed-out Canon, Nikon, Yashica, and Olympus models.

And I have a few 'Cosina' branded SLRs. I finally stopped - I mean, it's the same camera. I only needed one - things were getting excessive, even for me.

I just held off from buying a Quantaray-branded SLR NIB for 99 cents on eBay (plus 10 bucks shipping). I let it go with one bid on it because I already have identical models.

Oh, but Village Whatever sells the Voigtlander VSL43 SLR for quite a bit of money - SAME CAMERA.

People are either hung up by labels or turned off by them. I'm usually more interested in what's under the hood.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Nine-nine cents buys a lot on Ebay these days. Just picked up an original Leather case for a Leica IIIg for $0.99. Don't even have a IIIg. Added an Industar 61L/D for $0.01. From US and Canadian sellers respectively, so no big shipping cost on either.

 

[Pablito]

The FM-10 is SUCH a piece of cr@p. I've seen so many break after only a few weeks I can't recommend them to students any more. Sure they are covered by warranty but a photo student needs the camera working, by the time the repair is done the semester is over.

 

[David Murphy]

Well while this product roll-out called "Yashica" is a bit lame, the old Yashica was not in its time considered a paragon of quality either (apologies to the fixed lens RF crowd, but it's true -- I'm old enough to know).

 

[David Murphy]

David, exactly. Many of the fixed lens rangefinders so popular with folks today were not considered "real cameras" in their day, and not of great quality. Time has rehabilitated them, it seems. 🙂

I'm glad they have gotten a new life, though.

Yes, well the quality was certainly consumer-grade, but as usual the Japanese (like the Germans) did excel at optics, even when applied to many basic camera designs.

 

[bmattock]

The FM-10 is SUCH a piece of cr@p. I've seen so many break after only a few weeks I can't recommend them to students any more. Sure they are covered by warranty but a photo student needs the camera working, by the time the repair is done the semester is over.

That is one Cosina-made body I have not owned, since I have no Nikon lenses, so I'll defer to your experience. For what it may be worth, I have not had trouble with any of my (essentially identical) camera bodies with Canon FD, Yashica/Contax, Pentax P/K, and M42 mounts. They've all been pretty good.