Who says Yashinon lenses aren't worth something?

[oftheherd]

You may recall I often champion Yashinon lenses from time to time. But frankly, this even puzzles me. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=009

The only thing I can think of is the combination of being in good shape, having orignal lens caps that look aluminum, and whatever that -R is. That I have never seen before. Anyone know what that means?

I have a Yashinon 3.5cm lens. It is good, but as you may recall, I am just not a fan of 35mm in SLRs, unless it is part of a zoom anyway.

[Kin Lau]

It's only at $76 right now... he probably cancelled the bogus bids.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Originally Posted by Kin Lau

It's only at $76 right now... he probably cancelled the bogus bids.

Still quite expensive. Typical collector price race. Yashinon lenses for M42 are rare and that one seems to be one of the rarer ones. The practical value of the lens is probably not any higher than say Cosinon MC 35/2.8 or other similar discount brand lens made for M42 10 years later than the Yashica lenses. But hey, it will look good in the collection, whereas a Cosinon will just raise eyebrows among fellow collectors...

[oftheherd]

To me, even that seems high. Maybe I just haven't been keeping up on the Yashinon screw mount prices.

[shadowfox]

Related to this, but rather OT.

I have been wondering, the Yashinon lens on the Electro 35 RF family is well know for being very sharp and contrasty.

Why isn't there the equivalent of it on the SLR side? if there ever was? which one? how come it's not equally famous?

Anybody knows?

[oftheherd]

I don't think the Yashinons ever got their due in their day. That includes the now famous RF lenses. Yashica was not one of the big boys, and didn't get the marketing many others did. Being a screw mount for so long didn't help. Even now you only find a few of us who have used Yashinon lenses on SLRs that tout them. The Yashikors were not nearly as good, but on a tripod and out of the sun's flare, even they could give decent photos. But the Yashinons were a very good line that just didn't get their due in their day. Something like the Fujicas that some fool on these forums keeps touting.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Originally Posted by oftheherd

But the Yashinons were a very good line that just didn't get their due in their day. Something like the Fujicas that some fool on these forums keeps touting.

The same is true for almost all of the non-major brand lenses and cameras. Rikenon and Mamiya-Sekor lenses were generally of very good quality and even Chinon and Cosinon lenses were of much better optical quality than the (mostly undeserved) iffy reputation of their brands would suggest. The major brands were significantly better generally only in "special lenses" such as very fast lenses, long teles, super wide angles and of course zooms.

Yet, I am still surprised how good my "Sun" f/4 constant aperture 70-210 mm zoom for the M42 actually is. It is from late 1970s but does not have multi-coating. Other than that little shortcoming (it does have integral shade) it provides quite respectable sharpness at all focal lengths. Contrast could be better, but I would not call it "poor" by any means.