@@@ Yashica T4 or T5?? which is better@@@

I want to buy a point and shoot camera and i have my eyes set on a yashica T4. There

are a few models to choose from. i have my eyes set on the fixed focal length of

35mm F/3.5. with the waist level finder. they come in both black and champaign. and

theirs also a 35mm f/3.5 without the waistleve finder. i want to know which ones is

better and if the theirs a difference between the black and champaign models. i have

my eyes set on the black 35mm f/3.5 with waist level finder, because i hate

champaign colored cameras. is that the better choice? please let me know and thank

you for your imput.

 

-peter

To my knowledge the optics are the same, the differences being the waist level finder

and the "weatherproofing" of the T4 Super as opposed to the T4. I don't think the

earlier ones had the same weatherproofing. Ether way I wouldn't drop in the tub. The

T4 zoom, however is NOT the same camera. It is a later model with a different lens.

When you here people talking about the optical quality of the T4, it's most often in

reference to the fixed focal length, Zeiss lens model. I've got the T4 super, and had a

T4 prior to that. I had to upgrade after a bit of an accident with the camera and a

trunk slamming on it. Optically both the cameras I've owned are amazing. As for

black vs. champaigne, it's discontinued, and has been for several years, but if you can

find one of each to choose from, than pick whatever floats your boat. The optical

quality is the important thing, but if fashion is a must, than whatever suits. Personally

I have th champaigne model.

So you can spare us the @@@'s, etc. The T4 is smaller, the T5 is better sealed against weather and has the waist-level finder. Otherwise, they are pretty similar. Both are long discontinued, sadly, so you will likely have to find a used one. If you want something new and easy to find, try the Olympus Stylus Epic. Get your film point and shoot while you can, because it's a dying breed.

I had the T4 super and wasn't impressed at all. Mine underexposed consistently and wasn't all that sharp. Brought it to disney for a vacation and the pictures were not any better than cheaper P&S. I ended up selling it on ebay for more than what I paid for it new at B&H! I found a Contax T2 for $300 and what a difference! Much better exposures ,extremely sharpand virtually indestrucable. I would recommend looking into spending a little more money and getting a Contax. Ive never used the Epic but have heard nothing but praise.

There are a few variations on the original T4, including a green & grey 'limited edition' and date back models. The followup model was rather confusingly called the 'T4 Super' in America and 'T5' elsewhere. It has the waist-level finder, better 'weatherproof' (not 'waterproof'!) sealing and is very slightly larger. I haven't heard that there were any optical improvements. I've found the T4 to be optically excellent - the only real disadvantage of these models is a significant shutter lag.

I've used two Yashica T5 (a black without QD, and a silver QD model). In USA they're called "Yashica T4 Super". Truly great performers as long as you get used to their shutter lag. I prefer the black one for scraches aren't so obvious on it. BTW, QD model is a bit chunky with the extra date back.<p>

 

Yashica T4 doesn't have the waist-level finder, a feature that I like a lot on T5(T4 Super). You may decide if it's super cool or just superfluous, anyway for me it has already got me many good shots.

For example, <a href=http://home.kimo.com.tw/silver_moon.tw/t5-june10test.html><b><u>

this shot</u></b></a> would've been very difficult without the waist-level finder, since it was such an angle, and it was in a quiet church where photographic activity was absolutely not welcomed.<p>

 

 

ps. All the T5 photos there were hand-held. The scan was from the print so it's not that sharp as those from film scanners. The original was quite sharp.