Yashica LM information

[mitchell_klumpp]

Hello - I am new to this forum as well

as medium formats. I am looking for

information and/or opinions on a

Yashica LM which I purchased this

weeknd for $70.00 U.S. Anything you

could suggest would be greatly

appreciated. Thanks. -Mitch

[s_p]

I had a Yashica LM with 80 f 3.5 Yashinon years ago. The meter didn't

provide accurate readings but the lens made wonderful black and white

prints. I went as large as 14 inches square with the prints. The

lens seems to perform best at f11 or so; at f5.6 and larger I recall

it got a little dark and smeary at the edges. After the film advance

went out the camera was shot, but I ran 100s of rolls of film through

it for 2 or 3 years; for what I paid for it, this was a bargain.<p>

If you don't know how to load/work it, email me back and I'll try to

fill you in. The Yashica uses Rollie Bay 1 accessories. They make

all kinds of filters (some still new), lens shades (a good idea with

this lens) wide angle and tele attachments (the results are not so

impressive. With the wide angle, all around the edges seems soft; the

center is barely acceptably sharp. If you want wide angle, put a 28mm

lens on your 35mm camera. Instead of useing the 'Sun' brand tele

attachment, I would get better results by enlarging the center portion

of neg.). For a little less than the price of your Yashica, get a Bay

1 Rollinar. The +1 and +2 Rollinars are great close up lenses. I

also has a Rolinar +3 but almost never used it. Rolienar +1 allows

you to focus on objects about 1 1/2 to 3 feet away, Rollienar +2 for

objects 1 to 1 1/2 feet away. The Rollienars have a parralax

compensating lens that you put on the viewing lens; if you mount it so

the red marker dot faces up what you see in the VF is VERY close to

what you get. It is amazing. They worked great on my Rollie; I don't

see why they shouldn't work on your Yashica. When the Yashica started

wrinkling my film, I replaced it with another camera but the Yashica

remains a great bargain. I would also snip out a small filter from a

Kodak gel filter and fasten that Inside the camera behind the camera

lens for when I wanted 81a or something on the lens.<p>