Yashica T4 / Kyosera Slim T: can I change the aperture?

[kiss-o-matic]

Surely this thing doesn't shoot at F3.5 all the time, does it? I grabbed one of these for what I thought was a fair price on the streets of Tokyo. It's time to mess around with it.

I've googled around for a manual for the either the T4 or Slim T but am coming up empty. A link to the manual would be great, but otherwise I'd just go for some info on how the aperture is set. Full auto?

 

[Oren Grad]

Strictly program AE. Other than locking exposure and recomposing, the only ways to affect exposure are to futz with the DX coding or tape ND filters over the meter cell. No direct control over aperture.

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Okay, good to know. Do you know if it chooses what it thinks is best based on focus distance or exposure, or both? I guess these are all meant to "just work" so I need to embrace it. Definitely different coming from full manual.

While I have you here... does it focus on the center point or is there some other magic going on?

 

[Gary Sandhu]

Here's a link to a blog post and brochure http://blog.baquephoto.com/?p=999
It's got 3 beam active 162 step infrared AF - the focus is within the [ 0 ] marks; focus lock is on the center circle
I'm not sure by what you mean by "focus distance or exposure" -- these are handled separately except in the case of flash (which uses distance to calculate the flash on autflash mode and ambient light in night mode).
The manual for the super D mostly applies to the T4 non-super http://old.neongreen.com/manuals/yashica/t4/super/

 

[Gary Sandhu]

The focus lock also locks the exposure so you can use that to adjust the exposure - just making sure your subject is within the depth of field of focus

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Thanks! That manual is just what I needed.

just making sure your subject is within the depth of field of focus

How would I know this if there's no way to know what aperture it's using?

 

[btgc]

How would I know this if there's no way to know what aperture it's using?

Assume worst case scenario.
With 35mm lens you have to watch only if close-up shots.

 

[Gary Sandhu]

Guesstimating using sunny 16 rule and distance - or when locking exposure (and focus ) make sure the object you're locking aperture (and focus) on is about the same distance away as your actual subject.