Yashica-Mat differences?

I have 2 Yashicamats in my reapir shop adn want to know the differences and

maybe a date of manufacture.

 

The older Yashicamat....

It has a different logo on the hood, not the typical Y in a circle.

The serial number on the top of the viewfinder is 65427.

There are no markings on the winder side tank.

The lens is a Lumaxar 75mm 3.5, taking lens s/n 42755, viewer s/n 62806

The door clasp in the front is more like a hook shape flat metal.

There are 4 steps up to the front oval YASHICA MAT logo

Everything else seems typical of Yashicamats

 

The newer looking Yashicamat...

It has a tyical logo on the hood, the Y in a circle.

The serial number on the top of the viewfinder is 5871381

There are markings on the winder side tank, says

Yashima Opt. IND. CO. LTD, made in Japan.

The lens is a Lumaxar 80mm 3.5, taking lens s/n 30486, viewer s/n 63658

The door clasp in the front is a square shaped metal.

There are 5 steps up to the front oval YASHICA MAT logo

Everything else seems typical of Yashicamats.

 

I haven't been able to find these differences listed anywhere on the internet

and would like to know a bit more about the differences?

 

Thanks,

Paul Ron, NYC

Hi, Paul Your newer-looking Y'Mat is actually a very early model, mate. The first Y'Mats from around 1957 had "Lumaxar" lenses, which was changed to "Yashinon" after a couple of years reputedly because of legal threats from a British lens maker (Wray?) who had used a similar name for years. Apparently though, despite the change of name, they are optically identical being the same excellent Tessar-style 4 element design.

 

I bought a later model Y'Mat new in Singapore in 1967 while serving in the RN. It of course had the Yashinon lens. I stupidly traded it in for something else when I returned to the UK, but many years later got the chance via Fleabuy Oz to pick up what I thought was a similar Y'Mat. Like you, I was surprised to find that although it looked almost identical to m 1967 model, it had a "Lumaxar" taking lens. Some googling did come up with a guy's website - I think under "Yashica TLRs" - that explained all about the name change, etc. (Pete N)

If you Google Yashicamat Lumaxar there is a Russian site that can be translated. It mentions some of the history of the 'Lumaxar lens' and it states that the 75mm was the first type in 1957 but was soon replaced with the 80mm. Later on the lens was renamed Yashinon (copyright issue). Here's some additional information gleened via Internet search: Any mention of Yashima on a Yashica camera will date it between 1953-58. The lenses were sourced from Tomioka. Both 80mm & less common 75mm lenses are Tessar type. Cameras should be close to identical otherwise (except logo). 10 speed Copal-MXV + B shutter should be same on both.

Thanks guys. I knew about the name changes but not the 75mm lens sicne all teh Yash I have ever seen ot looked up on the internet are 80s.

 

The shutters are exactly the same on both. The winders are a bit different although work the same, they do have some refinements in the newer one.

 

Also very unusual is the logo on the top of the older camera. It's not the typical Y but more of a design stamped in metal. I'll try to get a pic of it later.

I've got a Yashicamat with a Yashikor taking lens. I understand it's a 3 element, but it takes very nice pictures. Now made somewhat surplus to me as I got a deal on a Hasselblad.

 

I'm wondering if the lens is original to the camera or if it is a replacement?

"I'm wondering if the lens is original to the camera or if it is a replacement?"

 

If your camera is a Yashicamat, IOW, it has a wind crank, it must be a replacement. Yashicamats all had four element lenses. The Yashikor is a triplet.

Hi, Ron I was a bit lazy with my earlier post and didn't actually check my early Y'mat's Lumaxar lens specs. Mea Culpa and all that. So ....... its taking lens is an f3.5 80mm L'xar with s/no of 115405, ie a lot later than both of your Y'mats. The body s/no of mine is consistent with a later model too, being 57103291, and it's made by "Yashica Optical Co" not "Yashima".

 

McK's has the name change from "Yashima" to "Yashica" as c. 1958, so I reckon your older "65427" with the 75mm FL lens is a very early 1957 model and your "5871381" with the 80mm FL lens must be from late in 1958, ie just before that company name change. Mine must be a 1959 model.

 

It therefore appears that the FL was extended from 75 to 80mm very early on in the Y'mat's history, for whatever reason, but one which they stayed with.

 

FWIW, I recently picked up an undated original Y'Mat IB, which looks just like my Lumaxar-lensed model but mentions "Yashinon" in the lens specs. So you'd reckon it must be an early 60s edition IB, if the Lumaxar to Yashinon name change occurred in late 59. Anyway, I've scanned the front page for your information. (Pete N)<div></div>

That does put a better date on mine. It's a great little camera and I love em all. I just thought it was strange of all teh Yahshicas I've seen, none had a 75mm on em. I figured it was one of the earliest issues jsut by looking at the seal on top of the WLF. If I can figure out how to use my digital I'll get a shot of it to post here, and that will be another chalenge.

 

Thanks for the information. THis was a fun camera to repair as well. The older one had a shutter problem and the newer one was a winder jam. Both are working just fine and are in the recovery room as we speak. I did check the film to WLF focus and they are spot on, no adjustments needed.

Hi, Ron Glad to be of help with the dating guesstimates. Now you can be of some help, having recently delved into the innards of two early Y'mats. What did you think of the quality of the winding gears, construction, etc?

 

The reason I ask is that when I bought my Yashinon-lensed one back in 67, a good mate of mine who was an RN photographer had a good look at it to compare with the RN-issue Rolleiflex he used as his daily workhorse camera. He was quite impressed with it, especially with its price which was about 1/3rd of what the kosher Rollei cost in Singapore back then.

 

However, he gave me some good advice he'd got through the RN Photogs grapevine. Apparently the RN had been testing various alternatives to the Rollei, including the Y'mat, Autocord, etc. Although several produced similar (or maybe even fractionally better) optical results, none were as reliable in the longevity testing department. It was just a matter of old-fashioned better quality of metal and associated hardening procedures used for the gears and other wear-prone bits. Mind you, the RN gave them a hell of a bashing, but then again they needed to when you consider that EVERY single aircraft take-off and landing on an aircraft carrier was filmed. We're talking thousands of rolls of film here, not hundreds!

 

For a mere amateur like me, such high volume useage was unlikely and as he said, basically the question is whether a single Rolleiflex is better than three Y'Mats costing about the same? No, it isn't. However, much later - like 40 years on - I got myself a minty Rolleiflex Automat from c. 1954, and what a lovely camera it is. The focussing screen is one area that is definately sharper than on the Y'Mat, for example. I also wonder just how Yashima/Yashica got away without having their pants sued off by Franke and Heidecke for such blatant copying, but I guess that's another story ........ (Pete N)