Yashica 6×6 TLR (knob advance)
From Camerapedia.org
The first camera of the Yashima company (predecessor of Yashica), was the 1953 Pigeonflex, a 6×6 TLR sold by Endō under the Pigeon brand. The company soon decided to make cameras under its own name and released the Yashimaflex, quickly renamed Yashicaflex, on the same year 1953. It would be the first of a long line of 6×6 TLR cameras, comprising many models which were the result of a gradual evolution rather than radical change, and sometimes differ by minor points only; they are conveniently divided into knob advance models and crank advance models.
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The Yashimaflex and Yashicaflex
The Yashimaflex was already a real TLR camera, a relative of the Pigeonflex, having the same shutter. It had Tri-Lausar lenses.
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| Yashimaflex. Picture by 7(nana). (Image rights) |
The Yashica-A
The Yashica-A features twin Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 lenses, and has a Copal shutter, with shutter speeds of 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, and 1/300. It has a PC connection for flash sync, and because it uses a leaf shutter, it is capable of X sync at all shutter speeds.
Operation
Shutter speed is selected by rotating the shutter speed dial. Aperture is set by adjusting a lever on the outside of the shutter speed dial. Film advance is performed by manually turning the advance wheel until the next frame number appears in the red window on the back of the camera.
Yashica-B
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The Yashica-C
The Yashica-C has auto-stop film advance and is a more expensive model than the Yashica-A.
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| Yashica-C. Picture by Bobasonic. (Image rights) |
The Yashica-D
The Yashica-D has a Copal shutter, with shutter speeds of 1 – 1/500. It provides a PC connector for flash sync; and because it uses a leaf shutter it is capable of X sync at all shutter speeds. Be sure to set the flash switch to the "X" position when using an electronic flash. The M setting is only used for flash bulbs (now hard to find).
Early models were equipped with a coated three-element Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 taking lens, while later models had the higher-quality, four-element Yashinon 80mm f3.5 taking lens. Early models had a Yashikor 80mm f/3.5 viewing lens, while later models had a Yashinon 80mm f3.2 viewing lens. The last Yashica-D models were equipped with bright 80mm f/2.8 Yashinon viewing lenses; models with this viewing lens and the Yashinon taking lens are very desirable on the used market.
The taking lens accepts Bay I filters and hoods. Use a hood to prevent flare.
Operation
Shutter speed and aperture are set by turning small dials on the front of the camera just above the taking lens until the appropriate number appears in a window on the top of the viewing lens. Film is advanced by manually cranking the advance wheel until it stops turning. A small frame counter is visible on the side of the camera near the film advance knob.
Since the camera does not have a light meter, use a hand-held light meter or the sunny-16 rule.
Use of a cable release requires a Leica nipple.
The Yashica-E
The Yashica-E was an attempt by Yashica in 1964 to make a TLR as simple to use as a P&S. Single shutter speed (1/60) with the f-stop automatically set by the built in selenium light meter. Wind on is semi-automatic and there's even a built in flash that takes peanut flash bulbs hidden behind the E's name plate.
The Yashica-635
The Yashica-635 is basically a Yashica-D with the added ability to use 35mm film as an alternative to 120. To use 35mm requires an adaptor kit. Novelty aside, the purpose of using 35mm in a 6×6 format TLR is unclear. It seems that you get all the disadvantages of the TLR format (parallax, reversed viewfinder for framing, slow use) without the number-one advantage of the format, the huge film size. Nonetheless some people find this feature useful, effectively making two great cameras in one. When shooting 120 film, the standard 80mm lends itself well for landscape or architecture but lacks focal length needed for portraits. However, when loaded with 35mm the 80mm lens is ideal for portraits.
The early 635 can be updated from Yashikor to Yashinon lenses by competent repairmen.
Among collectors, the 635 is a little more desirable than the D but the 635 can still be found for less than $100 (sometimes less than $50). At these prices the D and the 635 are great alternatives to the overpriced Chinese TLRs still available new today.
Links
General links
In English:
- Yashica-D (Yashikor model) in Matt Denton's camera site
- Yashica TLRs at Barry Toogood's tlr-cameras.com
- Yashica-A, Yashica-C, Yashica-D and Yashica-E at the Medium Format Photography Megasite
- Yashica TLR FAQ in Peter Williams' site
- Yashica-635 in Alfred's Camera Page
- Yashica-635 at Favorite Classics
- Yashicaflex at The Camera Site by Reijo Lauro
In French:
- Yashica TLR overview and Yashica-A at Lionel's 35mm-compact.com
- Yashica-635 at the Other Martin Taylor's website
- Yashica A, Yashica A, Yashica B, Yashica D on www.collection-appareils.fr, Yashica E, [1] by Sylvain Halgand
In Japanese:
- Yashica-A and Yashica-D at je2luz
- Pictures of the Yashimaflex at infoseek [2]
Original documentation
- Yashica leaflet (#72E1) dated 1972, featuring the Yashica-635 and Yashica-D along with crank advance models, at Goodharbor's flickr space
- Manual of the Yashica-635 available on the Favorite Classics section of .kyphoto.com
- Manual of the Yashica-635 available at butkus.org
