Meanderings: Fleamarkets, Yashica quality, resurrection and not being able to let go.

[steve salmons]

Yesterday I made an early start on my journey to the weekly fleamarket convinced

that I would pick up a few things to fix/clean up, then sell on to help finance

last month's over-expenditure.I like few things better finding something that

looks sorely neglected and unloved and trying to bring it back to its former

working glory.<br>

At first things looked pretty poor with only a well used (and way over-priced)

folding Voigtlander and the usual crop of Brownies and cheap plastic point and

shoots in evidence. On my second slower circuit of the stalls I spotted a 58mm

f2 Helios 44M (42mm screw mount) in lovely condition which I picked up for 3

pounds ($5.50). Things were looking up.<br>

Almost immediately after this I spied a partially open (well falling apart

really!) black case 3 or 4 stalls along. On picking up the case it felt

reassuringly heavy but inside was the dirtiest camera I have ever seen offered

for sale at a fleamarket. The front lens element was invisible under the the

layers of grime and I am sure there was a sufficient depth of dirt on the camera

body,suitably tended, to have yielded edible produce.

Closer inspection revealed the usual sticky slow speeds but an otherwise working

shutter, dead light meter, cloudy viewfinder, indeterminate lens state etc. In

other words a good project camera if the price was right.<br>

After some consideration the seller asked 7 pounds ($12) for it which I thought

a little bit pricey given its state.However as I was desperate for a new project

and it had its original, black enamel on brass, Yashica hood I went for it<br>

<u>CLEANING AND RESULTS</U> <BR>

a)I used some mild detergent on a just moistened old toothbrush to clean away

all the grime from the body. A sable paint brush and blower was used to get the

worst of the muck off the lens and a final clean then done with vodka and

microfibre cloth. The chrome work was polished with a rouge cloth.<br>

b)Once the cleaning was done the rangefinder spot became visible again and is

now usable and tolerably accurate<br>

c)15 minutes firing the slow speeds has them all back to audibly acceptable

accuracy.<br>

d)The case has been patched up ,the lining reglued as necessary and a coat of

black polish has restored its self respect. <br>

e)I expected nothing from the meter. The cover was very difficult to remove and

when it did come off it revealed a dead battery sitting in a pool of solid green

gunk.I chipped out the corrosion then cleaned out the battery compartment with

cotton wool buds dipped in vinegar. I read somewhere that this is the best way

to counter the effects of corrosion.Placing a 625A battery in the compartment

more in hope than expectation I was totally amazed to see the meter spring into

life. <br>

<br><br>

On the basis of this experience my estimation of the build quality of the 35mm

rangefinder Yashica cameras of the 1960s has soared. I was never a great fan and

always found them quite unremarkable. They are cheap and plentiful on the second

hand market too.This one has nevertheless found a place in my heart and it would

seem like treachery of the worst kind to sell it on now. It is entirely

irrational of course; I have a Leica M2 and a Nikon F,why the hell do I need a

Yashica Minister D?<div></div>

[michaelging]

Hallellujah brother, It was dead and now its alive. Good story Steve. I Found one at a yeard sale in sun city that looked almost new. It was a quality camera for the money when it was made. I will be visiting my sister in London this summer, maybe I will check out the Boot sales as well. thanks for posting this.

[zane1664879013]

> why the hell do I need a Yashica Minister D?

 

You don't need it, you want it. Which is all the reason you need. The satisfaction of rescuing what seemed to be junk is justification enough.

 

Now just complete your journey to the dark side and take pictures with it. Then post them. And we will all thank you with envy in our hearts, brother.

[astral]

Steve, You need counselling ..... and for that matter so do I. Nowadays I ask myself:

 

"Do I really NEED this xyz?"

 

"Will I really ever USE this xyz?"

 

"Can I AFFORD this xyz?"

 

"Do I really WANT this xyz?"

 

"Could I spend my money in a BETTER way?" This is my killer question.

 

On this basis, my last three camera fairs resulted in no purchases - as a reward for being "good" a nominal 20 pounds goes into my real wish list account - namely a long holiday in a super photographic location.

 

If I actually genuinely NEED an xyz, abc or whatever I buy it (sensible price, of course) and use it: I can always get more money, but will never get more time.

[mark_wilson4]

I usually just BUY IT. Sometimes I regret it later, but more often I say: "Thank goodness I bought that"

 

Heck, I don't mind eating budget Instant Noodles.

[steve salmons]

"Steve, You need counselling ..... and for that matter so do I. "<br><br>

Yes I know I need counselling. Trouble is I can't afford it because I've spent all my money on cameras!

[dan_fromm2]

Steve, you seem pretty happy.

 

Your madness, if that's what it is, isn't mine. I have an Electro 35 GSN that I don't like to use at all.

 

But I see no reason why you should give up a harmless activity that gives you so much pleasure.

 

Good luck, have fun,

[glen_johnson1]

A chronology of Yashica 35mm Rangefinders, including the Minister D: www.yashica-guy.com/document/chrono2.html

 

History of Yashica Cameras: www.cdegroot.com/cgi-bin/photowiki/A_History_of_Yashica_35mm_SLR_Cameras

[john_wintheiser]

The first step is to admit that you have a problem and that you are powerless over cameras... Seriously, a 12 step club for camera collectors might attract a lot of members!.

[Rob_the_waste]

My name is Rob... and I have a problem...

[luis triguez]

I lost years ago my unforgettable Yashica Minister D, nevertheless I keep some negs from her. These two examples were made in Tri-X an with the lens full open probably due to the darkness of that rainy afternoon in my beloved London<div></div>

[luis triguez]

same roll same day<div></div>

[jeffpolaski]

Mark --

 

You like classic cameras and you can actually afford INSTANT noodles? Wow! What don't I know?

[astral]

Hello Rob,

 

Welcome to the Camera Obsession Clinic.

 

We are all here to offer you support - we are all in the same situation. No need to feel nervous, please do tell us about your problem.

[steve salmons]

Glad to see I am not alone with my enthusiasm/affliction and that my plight has struck a chord. As Dann said it's pretty harmless and pretty good fun even if it does cause us to question the compulsive and irrational nature of our behaviour sometimes. <br>

I like to remind myself that although people tend to caricature the "nerd" as very uncool, when they need a specialist it's always the "nerd" that gets the call. THE WORLD NEEDS NERDS! After all any idiot can lean on a wall smoking a cigarette and wearing shades.Oops that's starting to develop into a rant.<br> <br>

I love the Yashica Guy site. Very informative and the Minister D gets a pretty good crit too .I will have to run a film through especially after Luis has taken time to post a couple of examples.Pretty good for wide open by the looks. <br>

Cheers all, Steve S

[astral]

Just to keep up some momentum: I recently purchased a couple of clean FWO Retinas - a IIa & two IIcs. They were all 'wins' on Ebay, though one IIc (15GBP) came as a surprise due to no-one else being interested. Prior to that I Ebayed a 'quirky' Baldessa (+Xenar) for a tenner from a guy who was a River Pilot on the Tyne, and a Super Silette (+Solinar) for 5GBP. All now have film in, but shooting with 4 classics is a slow job.

 

While rummaging in a drawer for Retina filters and hoods, my faithful, but neglected, Rolleiflex 44 began whispering to me ... so it too is now loaded with Efke/Adox 100 and ready to go. I guess its big brother (a near mint Rollei T - unused from Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough) will probably start nagging if I let it as well. Then there are the Canonets .... The Spotmatic is back in use after a service. I'm sure there's a Selfix 820 with a film in it somewhere ... My modern gear is quietly waiting for me to find 6 more days in the week to take photographs.

[steve salmons]

Alan, That post is worth a thread on its own along the lines of "What Cameras do you have loaded with film at present?"

Answering for myself I have a Nikon F2, a 1939 Leica Standard, a Voigtlander Vito B and a Zeiss Ikon Contaflex III all sitting with part exposed rolls in at present.

Can you remember the name of the Tyne river pilot that you bought the Baldessa from? Newcastle on Tyne has been my home town for the last 34 years. I also have a Baldamatic II with a Xenar lens that I found in a charity shop. I nice shooter with a huge viewfinder and an unusual shape. Certainly a bit quirky with its key wind film advance but a good spec and it feels pretty solid.

[astral]

The 'sad' thing about many users of Retinas, Vitos, Baldas, etc, was their need to write their name inside the ever-ready case, for posterity. Hence the answer to your question 'who owned the Balda' is dead simple: Ian W Donald - still alive and kicking in South Shields.

 

I have several 120 Baldas and a few 35mm models including the wierd and nerdy Baldessa with 'modern' styling. Unfortunately it has a Baldinar in a sticky shutter, otherwise I'd and go and use it. My pre-war 16-on Balda Jubilette (75mm Trioplan) is loaded but it's slow old beggar to use and requires good record-keeping to prevent double-exposure or blank frames.

 

Another topic could be 'What to wear while using a classic camera?' My genuine Wyoming rancher's hat (not a Stetson), blanket coat and battered Billingham complements my Nikon F2AS and Nikkormats, etc. The Nikon F4/5 seems to go well with the mean-looking Stazi or papparazzi style leather jacket and jeans. Bobble-hat and anorak for the Retina/Silette. Duffel coat and beret for a folding camera or old Leica (Speedgraphic, etc if I owned one) .... Panama hat and Airtex Shirt/Blazer for the Rolleiflex .....

 

AC

[steve salmons]

I rather like finding the previous owners name inside the case. I have stated before on this forum that I wish cameras came with log books so that I could know who the previous owners were and where the cameras had been and what they had seen.

I do not know Mr Donald (it was a long shot) and he does lives on the other side of the river to me.

Great idea that of dressing appropriate to camera vintage and style. You should definitely throw that one into the ring as a new thread. I would say that nothing less than a collarless Beatles jacket and Chelsea boots would do for a Pentax Spotmatic, especially a black one. For my Bessamatic I think lederhosen and braces and one of those green felt alpine trilbys (with a feather in the side) would be just the ticket. Hat could double as lens shade at a push if you have sufficient strength in your wrist to operate a Bessamatic one handed. Cue hoots of laughter.

[Brian]

<P>Steve, that was a really good account of the resurrection of the Yashica. I've done similar though less spectacular revival jobs on old cameras from car boot sales. The tip about using vinegar is a good one - I've not tried that.</P><P>Just one thing though - I think you're paying too much for the raw material. Three quid for a Helios and seven for a "junk" Minister are both a bit steep. You'll be spoiling these traders for the likes of me. I limit myself to a fiver for this kind of trading. Too many of these items turn out to be just paperweights. Still, I agree it's great fun.</P>

[steve salmons]

I thought 3 quid for the Helios was pretty fair.You have to make it worthwhile for the trader to keep trading after all. Agreed 7 quid was a bit pricey for the Yashica and I probably could have got the guy down to a fiver. However it did come with the maker's own hood.I reckoned I could sell that for a fiver on its own if the camera turned out to be a dead duck.<br> Seriously though I generally only bother haggling at my regular fleamarket if I think the trader is well off target. Many have no idea what to charge and will price according to looks or decorative qualities rather than funtionality, build quality

or rarity.Usually if you point these things out they will come down. <br>

However I cannot claim to any moral high ground where an under pricing occurs. I think the expression "taking his hand off at the wrist" would about cover it.<br>

Cheers Steve

[streetlevel]

One of my favorite carry cameras - despite having some great ones to choose from, is a

Yashica Lynx 5000.

 

Don't ask me why. But I love the damn thing.

 

Nice story, and tips on the resurrection account.

[steve_horn2]

At the age of 16, a Yashica Minister II was my first camera after a Brownie. I was 'turned on' to 35mm colour slides by my Scoutmaster who projected slides of summer camp. Wow!. The colours, the brighness, the sharpness. I saved up for 6 months to get that camera and I ached for it every day.

 

It was a great camera. Excellent lens, nice viewfinder, well built and a fraction of the cost of similar cameras.

 

A few months ago I saw one described as 'New Old Stock' on Ebay, and I got it :-)

 

http://www.pbase.com/stevehorn/yashica<div></div>

[steve salmons]

"A few months ago I saw one described as 'New Old Stock' on Ebay, and I got it :-)"<br>

 

That's an amazing buy Steve. I wonder what sort of a goldmine of an old stockroom that came from! I like to dream that one day I will discover an old cupboard full of new, boxed cameras from the 1950s and '60s that have just been somehow overlooked. Some chance.<br> This one probably fell down behind some shelves around 1965 and has just been rediscovered. I cannot believe any shop could knowingly have held it as saleable stock for 40 years and not sold it long ago. Or maybe they just spent the last 40 years asking way over the odds.

[Brian]

Steve, I bought one of those Yashica Ministers - the Minister II like the one in your picture. I got it second-hand in 1972 and it's still going strong now. The kind of camera you buy for the long haul, so you have to be sure you like it...