HU: Yashica YF

[kermaier]

Never seen one of these before: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-Copy-Y...-/150723122638
::Ari

[Bobbo]

Do the leather case and Nikon F prism come with it?

[kermaier]

I guess the Nikon F is what killed the Nicca/Yashica RF line, so it's not entirely incongruous...

[Brian Legge]

I just picked up a Yashinon 5cm 1.8 over at Apug. Developed the first roll with a few frames from the lens last night.

I need some dedicated shooting time with it but I'm loving the little I've seen of the lens so far. Now if only the body it was on had a properly calibrated rangefinder when I was shooting...

[Brian Legge]

A few quick sample shots. Not great but decent examples of lower light performance. The rangefinder calibration was slightly off - forgive the misfocusing:

Wide open (or f/2, don't recall). Shooting around 1/50th.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/6547973623

Closer to f/4 if I remember correctly:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/6547973873

[farlymac]

Mine came with a Canon 50/1.8, and I had to clean the haze off an internal element.


Yashica YF With Canon 50mm f1.8 by br1078phot, on Flickr

The camera had multiple problems, one of which was a shutter curtain someone tried to put a finger though. And the support post for the take-up spool was missing, so I had to make a temporary one. The film transport has problems too, with it jamming up after about half a roll. But I got some good shots before I put it in the to-repair pile.


Winding Path by br1078phot, on Flickr


Just Clouds by br1078phot, on Flickr

The rarity of this camera comes from two factors. One, it was manufactured right after Yashima bought Nicca to become Yashica, and was a one year transitional model. Secondly, less than 10,000 were made, with most going to the home market. The lens on mine is obviously something put on by a previous owner, as it was never offered with Canon glass. The Yashinon lens was the export model's standard issue, with a Yashicor for the home market.

PF