Yashica EE...The Incredible Unknown!

I've had this camera for a little while now and have only recently finished putting a roll through it. I guess I

thought it would perform just like the majority of little known cameras, good but not great, so what was the use

in hurrying to be unimpressed. In fact, I almost sold it but that won't be happening now or anytime soon. The

pictures from this camera are truly amazing! I guess I shouldn't be surprised since it shares a lens with the Lynx

1000 which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest RFs out there, so it's natural this one would perform

similarly. It isn't without foibles though. I wish the aperture selection went as high as f/22, as on the Lynx

1000, and I wish the top speed was 1/1000 instead of 1/500. Also, I don't care for the tiny little window above

the viewfinder that houses the meter indicator. It's inconvenient to use and so small that you have to align your

eye just right in order to use it. I took meter readings from my big Canon light meter, my 30D, and set the EE

accordingly. The shutter button has a very nice solid and smooth feel to it, more substantial than that of the

Lynx 1000 and far better than the GSN. The Yashica EE is a really nice camera to use overall though, and the

pictures you can create with it are superb, so if you have one, keep it and if you come across one, get it!<div></div>

Picture #2...<div></div>

Not much out there on the web about this interesting little camera. Butkus has a manual, but it is for an

f2.8 model, so you got the high-end one. Yashica made so many nice cameras; I'm sorry to say I don't

have a working example. I managed to trash my fine Y-14, and my Yashica-Mat needs a cla to repair

an over-lapping frame problem. I keep looking, but they are in demand.

Mike, I was lucky to find the f/1.9. Which reminds me, I forgot to show the camera...<div></div>

From the other side...<div></div>

See the little slit just above the viewfinder? That's where you look to see the meter's indicator needle!<div></div>

Nice camera a pixs.; I've never seen that camera before. I've gotta a GSN and the yashinon 45/1.7 is probably the sharpest 35mm i've got, but doesn't get used much because of its rather large size. Your EE model is much smaller....

I have an Electro-X, a big honker compared to that little gem. Nice camera with a sharp, massive lens, but an erratic shutter resigned it to box-filling duties. Too dusty here by a gravel road to display it as a shelf queen.

-Ed

Another nice one Andy, good pics too. You and I both know just how good these little Yashicas are, but best keep it a secret or prices will go up!

 

Tony

excellent images Andy, sharp lens, i have never heard of one of these, i have a couple of yashicas but mine are tlrs, very nice.

Andy

 

This camera beats my old Olympus EE half frame, must be a KO's. I must go on E... to search for one. Thanks

Richard--thanks. I personally much prefer the 45/1.9 from the Lynx 1000/5000/EE range of Yashicas over the 45/1.7 of the Electro family. In addition to being ridiculously sharp, they have a certain "something" that the Electros don't and as you said, the older camera is significantly smaller than the GSN. I have a GSN that I like to take out on occasion, but I find myself putting it back because of the size (it's even larger than my Hi-Matic 7S!) and because I like the results from the older Yashicas better.

 

Ed, John--thanks for commenting. John, I'd love to see images from your TLRs because the Yashica TLRs have a legendary reputation for quality images.

 

Tony--I know I shouldn't keep going on about these cameras, but every time I get pictures back from them I'm always amazed. I'll try to keep quiet about them for a while now, so as not to give prices an unwanted nudge;-)

Minh--I hope you find one; you'll love it. I might suggest that you look for the Lynx 1000 (sorry, Tony-I can't shut up...) since it has the same lens with the added bonus of a much more usable meter with an indicator on the top deck and IN the viewfinder instead of above it, plus the added top shutter speed of 1/1000 and minimum aperture of f/22 as compared to 1/500 and f/16 on the EE. Both use the same body. The EE looks more striking though, with its huge selenium meter surrounding the lens. Either way, you'll be most impressed!

Andy, thanks for reminding me about the Lynx 1000. I got one 10 years ago at a swap meet with a not working meter and a broken hard case, never try it yet. I think the F16 rule will be OK with this excellent looking camera, very clean like yours and all the speeds, apertures sound pretty good, should burn some film next week. Minh

Andy - Nice photos, nice camera. The pond shot is great, you managed to keep detail in the foreground and still keep the sky without being washed out, I struggle with this some times myself.<p>

 

As far as the camera, have seen it before, but the slower version and they are pretty rare, just like the half frame Mimy, which I have been trying to score for some time now. Regards

Minh--You're welcome. I hope you do get out and shoot with your 1000 and please share some of your shots!

 

Ralf--Thanks for the kind comments. The sky is actually more washed out than I'd like but the camera did a nice job of translating what I saw to the film.

Andy,

Very nice Pics. I don't know this model. The 1000 rarely comes up, been watching for it! I like that this is a kind of

specialty for you. You see to have most of the players. Minolta and Konica etc! I think Ralfs comment about the sky

was right on. My prints are often Ok but the scan reduces the sky to fewer gradients and look washed out!

It's hard! Keep 'em comin'

 

Thanks

Chuck--Thanks for such nice comments! I hope you do find a 1000 because I'm sure you'd like it a lot. Keep looking!

Andy,

 

Nice camera and photos! That's not a model I'm familiar with, until now. My first Yashica was a Minister-D 35mm

with a jittery meter when it was already 30 years old and I was in college. Nice sharp f/2.8 lens, though. Yielded

wonderful images on Plus-X. I need to use mine again--glad you reminded me of it!

 

And I went on a mini-Yashica RF spree and bought a GSN and a GTN, though my GTN has a foggy VF/RF. And

they're heavier than the Minister-D, if memory serves me correctly.

 

Gee, wish I was out shooting and not stuck behind a computer!

 

--Micah in NC

Hi Micah,

 

Glad you remembered your Minister D; take some shots with it and share them with us. I have a roll in mine that I'm almost finished with and am eager to see how they turn out. Enjoy your GSN and GTN. Get out from behind that computer and go shoot!

Andy,

 

OK. Will do!

 

--Micah

Nice, nice, nice!

 

I posted some time ago some 1975 pictures taken with a Yashica Minister D. The sharpness of Yashinon 4.5 cm is great. Hope to see yours soon.

 

The meter of your 30D looks working fine ;-)

Luiz--Thanks so much. I remember your post of your excellent Minister-D shots; that's what inspired me to find and use one. I will post some shots from it soon.

<p>Hey Andy,<br>

I just read your article on Yashica EE f/1.9 camera (I know, it's 2010 now!) and your review and pics are very nicely done. I have a question for you: by any chance do you have any close-ups or portraits you shot with this camera? And the bigger the file the better it's (preferably in color)? I'm about to send my camera for CLA (to Mark Hama here in USA) and I'm simply trying get as much objective photo info about performance of this camera as posible before I spend my $$ on CLA.<br>

Thank you very much in advance and feel free to e-mail me directly at:<br>

<strong>arthursadowsky@yahoo.com</strong><br>

all the best!</p>