Yashicamat Mat-124G - The Gold Standard

<p>Some really fine pictures there. I used one of these cameras for several years, and got some of my best shots with it. The Yashinon lens certainly has nothing to apologize for in the TLR world. </p>

<p>Beautiful pictures all, and I especially like the frozen water and that spectacular ceiling. The old seat really pops as well.<br>

I think that the 124G is probably the best looking TLR around and I can understand how people are drawn to it. I hope that you can dig out some more treasures soon!</p>

<p>Thanks for all the feedback, gang!</p>

<p>Just a heads up, I just happened to see a guy post a <strong>brand new</strong> one in all original box, case and packaging for $169 BIN <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yashica-Mat-124-G-Camera-/171433138500?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ea361944">HERE</a>.<br>

I doubt it will last long. No affiliation with the guy.</p>

<p>First medium format camera I ever used was a Yashicamat, probably a D, for the high school newspaper in the mid-70s. Later they had a brand-new 124G that I used for quite a while. Liked it so much I bought one of my own about 20 years ago (actually swapped a movie camera I wasn't using for it). Used it to do studio portraits of my kids when they were babies. Still have it occasionally use it. Love it.</p>

<p>The square format was a wonderful tool for yearbooks and even newspapers since the negative was large enough to be cropped for the desired composition. Our local newspaper, however, went from 4x5 Crown Graphics to 35mm Nikkormats and bypassed the TLR altogether.<br>

Louis- I clicked on that link- camera does look new and yeah, someone will snap that up in a hurry no doubt. </p>

<p>Excellent results loved that ceiling photo. That should be an Album Cover. What a superb example of this enduring model. I tend to my Yashica D more often out of sentimental reasons I guess. I too have a Yashinon Mat 124 but I tend to ignore it because I don't have the battery although this is easily resolved I'm just too lazy. Mine is the predecessor. It also takes (took) both 120/220. I'm inspired now as I have finally bought a case for it.. talk about gathering dust and seeing your fine results. I have toyed with the idea of selling it..Naaaahhh</p>

<p>Louis, I loved your posts. You really took me back. Right out of college I worked in a K-Mart camera dept. full time. We sold many 124G and Electro GSN cameras. I shot with 124G and Yashica D cameras for almost 20 years. After a time each 124G ran into winding/shutter cocking problems. But the D never stopped. </p>

<p>The Yashica TLR serie is a clear copy of the Rolleiflex with some pluses (price, Cds meter) and some minuses (long term reliability essentially). Unfortunately, Yashica cut corners with the most recent series (the MAT 124 G being one of these) and older series (the plain MAT for instance) are better built.</p>

<p>Wonderful camera and images Louis. I'm a big fan of the Yashica TLRs, first starting with a D (pretty much indestructible, many other cameras would have bitten the dust with the amount of punishment that camera took), a Mat 124G (despite some anecdotal unreliability claims, mine has served well for many years), a 44A, and finally the much-maligned fully automatic E... say what you will about the E with its fixed 1/60th shutter speed, my example actually works well! Anyway, lovely camera and with the Yashinon lens that produces outstanding results, excellent work!</p>

<p>Thanks guys, I appreciate the contributions and comments. No doubt a tribute to the long-lived Yashicamat legacy.</p>

<p>Thanks for posting. A wonderful camera and value. Sorry I didn't retain mine. One of the distinguishers in TLRs is the internal baffling system. The Ricoh Diacord is excellent. Comes closest to Rollei in my experience. But Yashica, Minolta, Ricoh all made fine TLRs.<br>

I still tip my hat to Mr. Mamiya for creating the Mamiya TLR—and Mamiya RB—and Mamiya Press-true innovation. The Mamiya Press lenses are superb.</p>

Outstanding photos! Thanks for posting. I have a Rolleicord Vb and a Yashica D with Yashinon. Although they are both capable cameras, I find myself grabbing the Yashica more often to shoot. You have inspired me to shoot more. A question a little off topic. What did you do to digitize your photos. Did you use a flatbed scanner, DSLR etc.   Thanks again       Mike

You will get better replies if you post a new thread on the subject of digitizing 2 1/4 film.  Mr Meluso is still a member, last seen June 22 this year.

Great Job Louis and I am sure your information now has a bunch of "I want one"s running up onto the auction sites or some of the brick & mortar stores still selling this classic.

I purchased my first YashicaMat EM while in the army in Germany (1964). Still have it and it works like a champ. It has been to the doctors twice, both times for a jammed film advance lever. The 2nd person to work on it told me to stop using the lever before cocking the shutter with the lever below the take up lens. This relieves the tension on the winding mechanism. Yes it creates some problem for fast work, but I enjoy a slower pace when working with the MF camera. I also have two 124Gs. I find the lighter weight of the 124 / EM very useful at my various car events when prowling the pits. The EM was used for this 1939 Chevy in Wenatchee, Wa. several years ago. FP-4 and PMK-Pyro.   Enjoy,   Bill

 

4 hours ago, 808 Photog said:

The 2nd person to work on it told me to stop using the lever before cocking the shutter with the lever below the take up lens.

Not sure what this means, there's no such lever on the Yashicamat. Great picture.

Sorry to confuse everyone. The large lever on the right side of the camera is used "normally" to advance the film and cock the shutter. The internal gears of the Yashica series are not as robust as a Rollei and wear much faster from the "normal" crank and rewind motion.

I should have said one "arms" the 10 second delay lever before using the large cranking lever to advance the film.

Having the 10 second delay "armed" does imply using a tripod most of the time, which I do when using the EM or 124. Using a lightweight tripod allows quick movement between subjects.

Most of my work with an EM or 124 is with slower speed emulsions and I take advantage of the cameras ability to go a bit past the "official" f32 setting to what I call "f49" for extra depth of field.     Aloha,  Bill

That's understood thanks.