A Yashica Minimatic-S

[ralf_j.]

<p>A few dollars of investment, a gamble I should say, brought this baby to me. It is a beautiful work of art with a fast 45mm Yashinon 1.8 Yashinon lens. Its model name is a neat relief on a silver-grey checkered plane. ASA control is directly coupled to the meter and it is found on the top housing. A bright split image rangfinder takes out the guess work in achieving desired focus.<br /><br />In function it is identical to the original Minolta Hi-Matic I discussed on a recent thread. It is possibly its direct competitor, with a birth year of ~1964. A selenium cell, wisely placed around the lens bezel to account for the filter factor, controls the shutter and aperture on the Auto setting. Luckily, I am 2 for 2 with such cameras as the selenium cell is still kicking on this one; wouldn't vouch for accuracy however until a roll of film goes through it. Here is what it looks like.<br />

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<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3192631773_38e32046ee_o.jpg" alt="Minimatic-S Profile" width="511" height="415" />

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3318/3192631633_c25f75e835_o.jpg" alt="Yashica Minimatic-S" width="511" height="383" />

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3504/3192631555_d27a8ef74f_o.jpg" alt="Yashica Minimatic-S Top" width="511" height="369" />

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[Andy Collins]

<p>This looks like a beauty, Ralf. In fact it appears to share the same body and lens with the Lynx 1000 and the Yashica EE. I believe the EE was also introduced in 1964 and also sports the selenium meter arrangement, so maybe one was a variation of the other. It looks like you can set the apertures but I can't tell if you can set shutter speeds or not. I like the meter indicator on the top deck; on the EE you have to line your eye up just right with a ridiculously tiny window just above the VF in order to see what the meter indicates. This one looks much more accurate and user friendly. I can't <em>wait</em> to see pics from this camera. The EE performed so well it blew me away, and you already know how highly I think of the Lynx 1000. <em>Start shooting!</em></p>

[ralf_j.]

<p>Hi Andy - thanks for commenting. There are no shutter speed settings on this camera, both the aperture and speed are set by the selenium, just like in the Hi-Matic. The aperture ring you see is only for use with flash. The scale you see on top is actually the ASA/DIN setting. The meter reading is a needle in the viewfinder, and the only exposure control would be through asa compensation.<br>

I would love to go out and shoot with it, but from what I hear the weather will not be very forgiving in the the North-East this weekend. Let's hope the forecast changes.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>That <strong><em>is</em> </strong> a work of art, Ralf, an exquisite little camera. I've never seen one for sale....The Yashica Guy seems to feel that it's a development from the Minister III, though that could be drawing rather a long bow...but there are similarities. I look forward to seeing the pics. Soon.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

Interesting example. Intrigued! The only user interface is the ASA/DIN! Wow! Looking forward to what it delivers.

Once the weather improves, I hope you can put it through it's paces. Been sort of on the look-out for a Lynx

1000 since Andy's post about a year ago. They don't turn up so often here! I got the impression the Minolta and this as well as EE were somewhat compact, whereas the Lynx series is full bodied. Andy mentions this as comparable

to the 1000? Is it that big? Or is this merely my ignorance. I have the 5000e and the 14 and assumed the 1000 besides fitting to my current assets was a predecessor model, therefore I am assuming it's as big, if not bigger. I like the rounded curved ergonomic look of the body in the last view.

[k5083]

I don't care for the look of those cameras with the around-the-lens selenium. To me it looks like the lens is floating in a bowl of tapioca. But besides self-correcting for filters, that arrangement makes it more likely that the cells have been protected from light over the decades (by a lens cap) and therefore still usable. Looks like a sweet little camera.

[Andy Collins]

<p>Chuck--The 1000 is compact when you compare it to larger RFs like Yashica's own Electro 35 GSN or other full-size RFs like the Auto S2 and Hi-Matic 7/7s. It's the same size as the 5000/5000e and uses the same body as the EE. Now if you compare these same cameras to RFs like the QL17GIII or the even smaller 7sII and its cloned siblings, then it doesn't seem quite so compact. In use though, it's easy to handle and use, but as you know, I could go on about the 1000 all day...</p>

<p>August--I didn't initially like the selenium meter on the EE but the longer I use it and look at the camera the look of it grows on me, and now I think it looks kind of classy.</p>

[ralf_j.]

<p>Hi Rick - it is indeed pretty and the lens looks very promising. I just loaded a roll of konica 400 speed and we will see what it can do, I am hoping lighting will be a little better than today's overcast skies.<br>

Hi Chuck , the Minimatic is almost identical in size with the body being slightly taller. The Lynx 1000 is more common in USA due to more extensive export here at the time of its debut.<br>

August - comparing the selenium cells to a tapioca pudding has got to be the comparison of the week. I didn't care for it much when I first saw this arrangement on a Beauty rangefinder, but I have learned to live with it and it is even better when it does what it was intended to do.</p><div></div>

[john_ngo1]

<p>Forgive me for my lack of vintage cameras. Is the lens interchangeable? If so, what kind of mount. I have a chance to get this camera for cheap at my local thrift store so I'd like to see if I could adapt it to a newer body. Thanks</p>

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[groulx_jocelyne]

<p>Hi,<br>

I have recieved a Yashica Minimatic-S in heritage and I would like to know if one of you would be interested in buying this camera. You can reach my at <a href="mailto:jocelyne.groulxpm@gmail.com">jocelyne.groulxpm@gmail.com</a>.<br>

Regards</p>