Yashica Samurai X3.0 (1987 or 1988)

[JDMvW]

<p>There is only a tripod mount on the base. As I indicated in the discussion of the specs of this one, there was an optional hot shoe attachment. That's what the screw hole on top of the camera is for. Some of the pictures on Google images show this on the camera.</p>

 

[User_502260]

<p>I remembered that the name of one of the left handed Sanurais was the ZL. The subclub website refers to the ZL and the Z2L. Photosof these models are shown on the corsopolaris.net website. </p>

[donnie_strickland]

<p>I had one for a while. I never could really warm up to it -- I felt it was far too large for a half-frame camera, and the autofocus was maddeningly slow in anything less than bright sunlight. However I thought the controls were well-laid out and the construction was good.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Jeff, can you give a link to a photo? I only know a few words of Italian (O languide caresse) and there's nothing obvious about corsopolaris to me any way. I tried to ask this AM and lost internet service for the rest of the day. I trust no connection.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p><strong>MUCH LATER -> LEFT-HANDED SAMURAI<br /></strong></p>

<p>I recently have been broadening my selection of old photomagazines by bringing them up into the AF era. In one of them, <em>Popular Photography</em> of December 1989, I discoved ads for the Samurai Z and ZL. The latter is the long sought for left-handed version mentioned above.<br>

Here is the Yashica ad:</p><div></div>

[JDMvW]

<p>Here is an ad from the same issue from Smile Photo of NYC. Although I don't recall seeing ads from them more recently, they are still at the same location as in the 1989 advertisement. <br>

The ad shows no less than 4 versions: the 3X reviewed here, a 4X and the Z and ZL.</p><div></div>

[andrewg_ny]

Cool, thanks for sharing.. I guess southpaws don't need the 4x 25-100 zoom.

[Member69643]

<p>I picked up one of these recently. and while interesting, its image quality is substandard in most situations because of its horribly slow and mostly inaccurate autofocus ability in any but the brightest light. Outdoors it does ok.</p><div></div>

[JDMvW]

<p>Patrick, instant Gene W effects. ;)</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Much later:<br>

Other posts done by me on "Bridge Cameras" here at P.net<br>

Bridge Cameras posts<br /><br /><strong>Yashica Samurai X3.0 (1987 or 1988)</strong> - http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YvJm<br /><strong>left-handed" Samurai</strong> - http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00a181 <br /><br /><strong>Chinon Genesis II (GS-8) 1990</strong> - http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YqZO , http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YqZh<br /><br /><strong>Ricoh Mirai - an 1988 modern AF film camera</strong> - http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00Yk4S<br /><br /><strong>Canon PHOTURA and PHOTURA 135 CAPTION</strong> - http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00Z73j</p>

<p><strong>Canon T50 (as Bridge)</strong> - http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00byOu</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>The Samurai would have been great for producing filmstrips (for school, remember those?). Just shoot a roll of slide film and have processed strip returned uncut. Back in the mid-80's I actually did this with a Bell & Howell Dial 35 to make a science fair filmstrip for my students. </p>

[helgefrisenette]

I am very curious about the remote release connector on the bottom of the camera.

 

Does anyone know if it is a standard connector?

Or if the proprietary connector was ever released?

 

I have a few of these and they would be ideal for a multi camera setup with simultaneous release.

[wesrichmond]

I don't have a Samurai currently (might need to change that) but I do have an Oly Super Zoom 330 from 1990. Other than the zoom/VF locking feature the lens cap/IR controller was a pretty slick idea. I haven't ran film through it yet, though.

 

I also have an Oly iS-20. I really like this design. I'm sure it helped define the way future digital bridge cameras looked. I've shot 1 roll with it but it was during the grey days of winter.

[charles_stobbs3]

If Eric is still curious, Kodak had half frame cardboard slide mounts and all my Kodachrome slides were returned properly mounted until a 1961 trip to England when three rolls were returned cut into film strips instead. Shortly after that my Olympus Pen D1 died so that was the end for half frame for me. Until APS-C.