Yasuhara T981 (new Leica screw mount rangefinder)

[geoffrey_s._kane3]

Just thought that I'd let everyone know the Yasuhara Co., Ltd. (a <b>really</b> small Japanese camera company) is designing a new camera that's supposed to be out by the end of the year. It's going to be a rangefinder for old Leica screw mount lenses. More details can be found at http://plaza10.mbn.or.jp/~yasuhara/index-e.html .<p>

I'm not in any way affiliated with these people, and I don't see myself buying one anytime soon. Anyways, with all the new high-tech cameras being released this year, this one caught my attention.<p>

From reading their webpage it appears that they never expected to get the attention they're now receiving. Anyone have any thoughts about this "niche" product, and it's chances of surviving (if think think it'll improve your photography feel free to explain).

[alan_gibson]

I applaud it as a method of getting those beautiful old lenses back

into action.

 

<p>

 

But the market must be very small, and will depend heavily on the

price. I can pick up a second-hand Leica screw for #100-200 (UK

pounds), so I for one wouldn't pay more than this. Sure, the Yasuhara

has a built-in meter, but this isn't a great selling point for me,

and possibly not for others who also value old lenses. But then,

perhaps the market is different in Japan.

[peter_hughes]

According to the Yasuhara Co. website, the camera sells in Japan for

50,000 Yen, which, accoring to today's (12/4) quote, converts to

$417.82. That does not include overseas shipping, duty or any other

expense which would be part of importing into the US. The built-in

meter is not a selling point for me either, and there would certainly

be no cachet in owning it. Perhaps the reliability of a modern camera

might be a plus over the fifty-year-old-plus Leica SM bodies, but

this is not yet proven; new cameras usually have bugs that need to be

worked out. I wish them luck, however. Maybe they'll come out with a

body w/o the meter.

[dave_jenkins1]

Strictly as a user camera, I think I would be very interested if it

had programmed exposure automation, reasonably easy film loading (not

like the screw-mount Leicas), and a good viewfinder. And, if the

price were right.

[hiroshi_shigematsu3]

As far as I know, by reading through the web site, Mr. Yasuhara would refuse to sell you his T981 if you are

looking for some status symbol or premium on his camera. He claims it is strictly a user camera. Also, the

selling price in Japan would be 55,000yen (not 50,000yen); so it is about $458 at 120yen/dollar rate.

 

<p>

 

The T981 is a TTL metered mechanical shutter, manual exposure, and manual focus camera. It does have a

modern hinged back door. So, film loading should be easier than the screw-mount Leica. The viewfinder has

1:1 magnification (life size), and this is another selling point of T981.

 

<p>

 

Leica-style screw-mount cameras are getting old, and it is becoming hard to get spare parts for the camera;

Mr. Yasuhara claims. You can buy a T981 new and will be able to fix it, if anything goes wrong, because it is built

around today's technology.

[thomas_marker2]

Why dont they make the camera with the M-mounth?

[ed_nicholson]

Apparently Konica thinks it's a good idea. According to rumours and

the latest copy of AP, they will coming out with a changeable-lens

Hexar this fall with 3 lenses, 35,50 and 90mm f2.8s (with more to

come). And Cosina has introduced an M-mount manual everything camera!

Oh God, the '60s ARE back! Now if I can just remenber where I stored

my tie-dyeds, flare jeans and my Ricoh 500.

[geoffrey_s._kane3]

According to their web page, the whole reason for Yasuhara is to give

screw-mount lenses a modern camera to be used with (yes I know that

there is an screw-mount to M mount adapter out there that works quite

well).<p>

If you're stuck buying Leitz glass, the body doesn't seem too

expensive. Once you've already spent a lot of $$$ on M lenses you

might as well stick a real Leica behind it. But just about every uesd

camera store can get you a bunch of screw-mount lenses from Canon,

Yashica, etc. at a good price. But it's tough to find a cheap

reliable body to go with it (hmm, wonder if you can use an adapter on

a Minolta CLE?).

[raymond_tai]

I agree with the posts above that this new camera really has nothing

more to offer if you already own a Leica M3 with an LTM to M adapter.

However for me the main selling point of the Yasuhara is Mr. Yasuhara

himself. In this day and age when auto everyting photography is run by

global corporations, I applaud and will support engineering minded

underdogs with balls like Mr. Yasuhara and will buy as many of his

products I can afford.