Yashica 12 versus Yashica Mat 124G

[greg_cornish]

I have a 124G but found a great deal on a Yashica 12 in great shape with accessoriues. Besides the

inability to use 220 film is there anything else I'd be loosing?

[richard_oleson]

not much. lens and shutter are the same.

[joseph_wei]

Not much. In fact, the Yashica 12 is of a more rugged construction than the 124G. The lenses on both are the same, so you wouldn't be getting any better picture quality with one or the other. B

[todd frederick]

In the 1980's I owned and used a least 3 Yashica 124G cameras. These cameras were produced with much plastic and my dog knocked over one of them, and the whole front caved in!

 

What I am say is that I think the 124G was poorly made. Far too much plastic.

 

I now have a Yashica 124 (not G) and the Yashica 12 is similar. These are all metal cameras and are far better made in my opinion.

 

Also, for some reason, the 124G has a horribly loud clicking winding sound. I don't like that camera! This is not the case with the 124 or the 12. These cameras have, as mentioned, the same optics and are excellent. Buy it.

 

However, my favorite is the very early and simple Yashica-A.<div></div>

[david_m]

I think the 124G has a faster viewing lens (f2.8) so the viewfinder will be brighter.

[ralf_j.]

I have both, but end up using the 12 a lot more. The Yashinon is a Tessar copy and very sharp. If the deal is good then get it. Check the meter though as it might not be working. The meter gets activated by popping the hood open. Also check the slow speeds.

[alex macphee]

I have the '12' and a very fine and solid camera. Its slow shutter speeds were sluggish, but they were brought back in to line by simply flushing the shutter and diaphragm blades with lighter fuel, after first unscrewing the front taking lens assembly for access, an easy job. This also let me clean the internal lens surfaces and remove a few specks of dust. The meter does not work on mine, but this is because the terminal strip inside the battery compartment is sheared, so I just use it with a Weston V handheld meter instead. As Ralf has said, the Yashinon is a Tessar design, and once you get down to f/8, it's very good indeed.

[conrad_hoffman]

Since 220 film is just about unavailable, that's a non-issue. IMO, the MAT-124 non-G is one of the best inexpensive TLRs. Too many reports of winding problems with the later G version. Any of the letter models like the D are very good as well, as long as they have Yashinon lenses, not Yashikor. The Yashinons are very very good, but not quite excellent. The Yashikors are very soft at the edges. Try to get a TLR with an f/2.8 viewing lens, as it makes the inherently dim focusing a bit brighter. You can get slightly sharper results with the various Minolta Autocords and Rolleis, but it matters little in practice.

[User_502260]

My 124-G also had mechanical problems. I now have a Yashica 635 with the 35mm adapter, a Yashica A and a Yashica 44. Most of mymedium format shooting now is with Bronica SLR cameras [645, 6X6 and 6X7] but once in a while I like to take out the Yashica A. It's light and if you stop down just a little you can get a very crisp 8X10 from it.

[alex macphee]

Whilst 220 film is not generally available over the counter in most photo shops, if you are in the UK, Jessops supply Portra, Ektachrome, Provia, Reala, Velvia, in packs of five, by mail. But as others have said, I sure wouldn't let lack of 220 ability be a decider in whether to acquire a particular TLR.

[todd frederick]

I do agree that a Yashinon is a step up from a Yashikor with 4 elements rather than 3, but you can obtain very fine images with a Yashikor lens. Below is one taken with a Yashikor lens on the Yashica-A pictured above. I never had any problems with any of the Yashica lenses.<div></div>

[greg_cornish]

Drat! someone liked the Yashica 12 more than I did on ebay It came with wide angle and

telephoto lenses and sold for 208. Oh well, I'll plug away with the 125g for a while. Great

statue photo. Love the way the trees are reaching up in the composition too. I have had little

luck with light meters. I boiught two nice ones and both read ambient light differently from

each other and noneither readings match my camera's light meter.

[greg_cornish]

Oops! a rypo. I meant 124G