Reputable dealer for refurbed Yashicamats ?

[uncle git]

Does anyone know of a reputable dealer who specializes in MF TLR's?

 

I'm looking to take my first steps into Medium format and want to buy

a refurbished Yashica 124G - my budget is $250 - $300.

However I do not want to buy some damaged unit off ebay. I don't mind

a few cosmetic issues - but optical and mechanical performance is

paramount.

 

Should I invest in a light spot meter as well - or could I use the in

camera meter for a while or meter off my SLR ?

[garvey_p]

IMO, the light meter in those things are a joke. Plus, they take the now illegal/obsolete mercury batteries. You could pick up a cheap selenium meter (no batteries, always "on") for under $30, and though it's not the best meter in the world, it will be more useful than the thing slapped on top of the TLRs and much cheaper than buying batteries. As soon as you get one of these cameras in your hands, you'll see what I mean.

 

Also, I'd recommend that you take a look at the 124 (not G), too, as it has a lot more metal than the plasticky 124G. Actually, I think that any Yashica TLR with a clean Yashinon lens will give you similar results (e.g., Yashica D comes to mind). I have a buddy that shoots exclusively with his Yas A and gets great results, even with its 3-element Yashikor lens.

 

Garvey

[mikolaip]

If your SLR has partial or spot metering, and if your're used to metering with your SLR and can do it well, and if you're REALLY going to be taking BOTH cameras with you - then of course you can use your SLR. Remember to adjust the metering results if you load a different speed film to each camera or when using filters, etc. - easy to make mistakes.

 

You may also want to think about a decent incident meter, this is a very good way of metering in most of standard situations. Thing to consider: if/when you get hooked on MF you'll probably want to use your Yashica more and more (or get a successor) and get a good meter anyway, esp. when shooting slides. Short of the battery issue, the Yashica meter would be indeed probably too unreliable for slides but for general shooting with print film should be adequate (if works well).

 

Good choice with which to start your MF adventure, lots of fun, simple and portable. Get a lens hood. You can quite easily use filters (except for grads, probably) just by holding them by hand in front of the lens/lenshood.

 

Sorry I can't help with the source of purchase, I'm in Europe.

[gary_watson]

Not sure he sells Yashicas but he has a solid reputation for repairs: www.markhama.com

[mark_hubbard]

Graeme,

 

In that price range, you should be able to find an absolutely mint condition YashicaMat 124G or a Rolleiflex 3.5E in very good condition (i.e., optically perfect with perhaps some sluggishness in shutter speeds below 1/8 second and normal body wear). I've done side-by-side comparisons with those two cameras in the past, and I could see no difference in picture quality. The Rollei is better built, more solid and elegant; the YashicaMat 124G was newer and cleaner (I bought the Yashica new in 1983).

 

Here are three dealers I trust; however, not one of them has either of these cameras in stock at this time. However, it might be worth calling and asking their advice on where to look.

 

http://www.keh.com/hmpg/index.cfm

 

http://www.sg-photo.com

 

http://www.hecphoto.com/

 

Also, if you shop carefully on eBay and here at photo net classifieds:

 

http://www.photo.net/gc/domain-all.tcl?domain_id=2&by_category_p=f&wtb_p=f&domain_id=2&by_category_p=f&wtb_p=f

 

you should not have to worry too much. Simply ask lots of questions and be patient.

 

Also, I would suggest you invest in a good light meter, even a very simple one, new or clean used, so that you do not have to depend on your SLR for metering. A hand-held light meter (even a $30 one) will reward you with good exposures and quite a bit of education about light.

 

Best wishes,

 

Mark Hubbard

[mark_hubbard]

P. S. There's a Rolleiflex 3.5 Planar (E) going on eBay right now for $295, for instance, that I would not hesitate to buy if I could get it for near that price.

 

Please let us know what you wind up with!

[garvey_p]

If you do got the eBay route, be prepared to ask the right questions. Here is a form I have used for this very thing. Feel free to adapt it to your own needs. I always assume the seller knows next to nothing about the camera, thus the specific instructions.

 

====================

 

About the camera...could you do a simple check to see that the shooting lens completely free of haze and fungus? (The shooting lens is the lower lens.)

 

The only way to truly check it is as described here:

 

(1) open up the camera back,

 

(2) set the shutter speed to B,

 

(3) set the aperture (f stop) to 3.5,

 

(4) cock the shutter,

 

(5) and then press and hold the shutter release button: while holding down the shutter release, look through the shooting lens towards a light and it should be crystal clear. A haze will look like just that--or kind of like dried snot inside the lens (sorry if this sounds crass). Please look both ways through the lens--from the outside and inside the camera.

 

If you only looked at the lens from the outside of the camera, without opening it up and opening the shutter at the same time, there's no way to really be sure about the inner lens elements.

 

Also, could you tell me which lens this camera has--is it the Yashinon or is it the Yashikor?

 

================================

 

 

Garvey

[shutay]

Sorry Graeme, can't help you with the reputable dealer - my "reputable dealer" was my Dad :) who passed his Yashica-Mat LM down to me.

 

On the topic of metering:

- My Mat LM has a built-in Selenium light meter. Seems like it's quite accurate in the mid-range, but be wary at either extremes of metering (i.e., very low light or very very bright light).

- I have metered scenes using my Ricoh KR-10 Super SLR and also my Nikon CoolPix 995 digital camera. No problems. I have a few shots taken with my Yashica-Mat LM posted in my gallery under "1st 6x6 MF prints!" or some such title.

 

On the topic of metering - remember that modern cameras have shutter speeds like 1s, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125. These old MF cameras though, have slightly different shutter speeds: 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100... which means that in comparison with the metered values from your SLR, you'll always be either 1/3EV or 2/3EV out. You might just err on the side of overexposure and depend on lattitude if you're shooting prints, for example. In any case, some people shoot ISO 160 print film while metering at ISO 100, so I'm sure you can safely choose the nearest corresponding shutter speed without having to worry about it. Other tips in case you don't know. The shutter setting on the Yashicas have definite "stops" to them. As far as I know, you should not change the shutter speed once you have cocked the shutter and you should not set shutter speeds in between the tactile stops.

 

Hope this helps, and good luck with your purchase.