Yashica Mat 124G

I first started taking B&W photos as a child in the 1950s with "box" cameras and eventually did B&W processing in my parent's bathroom as a teenager. I soon "progressed" from B&W to colour slides. My first SLR was a Zenith, and I now own a Canon EOS 630 which I use to take colour slides, and I also own a Canon IXUS Z90 APS compact camera which I use when I don't want to lug all my heavy kit around.

 

<p>

 

As I've grown older, fond memories of those early days in my first "darkroom" have led me to consider returning to B&W photography. I jokingly told my wife that I needed a new body(!), and planned to buy another EOS body just for B&W. However, I was soon seduced by the attractions of medium format and ended up buying a second-hand Yashica Mat 124G for pretty much the same as another EOS body would have cost me. I've now converted our utility room, so that I can turn it into a darkroom within 10 minutes and am now doing my own processing once again. I'm quite delighted with the results from my Yashica Mat 124G. What a great camera this is. Is it still in production?

It's no longer in production from many years ago. But can be found in almost mint condition for $150 to $200. Sometimes people sell it higher more you can always find it at the prices mentioned above. I also got started in MF with a Yashica Mat 124G. The I liked so much that I moved to Hasselblad and sold the Yashica for more than I paid for.

the Yashica TLR's are superb cameras. Lovely balance, great optics and a real pleasure to use. Sometimes its great for just having one lens and thats all you've got to use. Great for carrying and rugged. I adore mine and have several MF sets of cameras.

Long live (albiet no more production) the Yashica! Also good for entry level MF work.

Cheers David Strachan

I lament it so, but the 124G went out of production in 1986. Plenty of 124Gs can be had on ebay, though, most at a price of $300 or less.