Any alternative for Yashica Electro 35 GX ?

[doga_d]

<p>Looking for this model since it has a silicone photo-diode metering, and EV 0 -17 which handles low light conditions as good as a SLR.<br>

However it really hard to find a decent one for a good price.<br>

So, wondering whether do you guys know any alternative brand and model for Yashica ? (Not looking the ones with Cds metering)</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>You seem to care too much about the meter and if that is the case you don't have much choices in term of old cameras.<br>

The Contax G (G1/G2) are not bigger than the Yashica and should have very good meter.<br>

Personally, I wouldn't careless about the meter with cameras that old. A lot of fun guessing the exposure or if I want very accurate meter I can always use my handheld meter which offers both spot and incident.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>As BeBu says.<br>

Getting a working light meter on a camera made more than a couple of decades ago is what we call a "crapshoot" - an American expression for "a gamble".<br>

Lightmeters are the most fragile part of any camera, as a rule.<br>

If you are going to shoot color negative film (and soon you may have no choice) the latitude of exposure is such that "sunny-16" (Google) is plenty good for exposure with no meter at all.</p>

<p>There are certainly hundreds of cameras of the sort you seek and most of them are pretty good, surprisingly good, in fact. If you don't worry about the meter working or not having a meter, they are mostly inexpensive, even by the most conservative standard.<br>

Good brands? Ricoh, other Yashicas, and many, many more.</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>The Yashica Electro 35 GX is an aperture priority only camera and has no manual mode and not displaying the shutter speed so you would not know if it's right or wrong. You would have to totally depend on its auto exposure system. If I were you I would stick with the Olympus 35RC and use it only on manual mode. Guess the exposure and it would be better than relying on the meter. <br>

The Olympus XA is much smaller and seems to have almost the same features as the Yashica except the hot shoe. </p>

[steve_mareno1]

<p>What BeBu said. I used to have a few of the Yashicas, and never knowing what shutter speed the camera had decided to pick used to drive me nuts. The Olympus 35RC would be a good camera. Nice and small. The Konica C35's and it's variants I like also, but their build quality isn't as good as the Oly. Then there's the Konica Auto S2. Bigger, heavier, but a great lens. The metering is very good (not sure what it is, probably CDS, but it's good even in low light), and it has AE lock like the Konica. Fun camera that makes sharp photos and costs peanuts. Works in manual and auto modes too.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Like the Konica rangefinders, the Olympus 35RC is CDS. The Konica Auto S2, Auto S3, and C-35 along with the Olympus 35RC have the CDS cell on the rim of the lens so when a filter is used it is automaticaly compensated for.<br>

Here's a link to a page about the Electro 35 GX so you can compare it some of the other cameras mentioned: <a href="http://www.cameraquest.com/yash35gx.htm">http://www.cameraquest.com/yash35gx.htm</a></p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>I'm curious what doga doga has against Cds cells. I've got several old cameras that still have very accurate, functioning meters with Cds cells. Unfortunately one of the very few cameras I own whose meter doesn't work is a Yashica GSN. It's a paperweight. That's all it's good for.</p>

<p>If a GSN is what you really want, be patient. You'll find one at a price you're willing to afford. There are just too many of those old cameras out there.</p>

 

[doga_d]

<p>Well, I'm kinda not good at guessing the shutter speed unless it is outside with sun light. And the reason I'm against Cds cells is just because they can't even measure the light properly in indoor conditions. </p>

[donnie_strickland]

<blockquote>

<p>And the reason I'm against Cds cells is just because they can't even measure the light properly in indoor conditions.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I disagree; however, the silicon cell does react more quickly to changing light levels. Perhaps this was what you wanted?</p>

<p>As pointed out by others here, any of these models is several decades old now, so whatever you get, it would be wise to have it serviced before use. I don't know your country, but I have used Mark Hama in Atlanta for service. He has repaired Yashica cameras for me, as well as other models.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Despite the maligned CDS metering (which I don't have any issues with, at all), probably the closest equivalent of the Electro is the very fine Minolta Hi-Matic 7S. It's much the same size and weight of the Electro, possibly a little heavy for some people, but seems better-built. Runs on a simple 1.5v EPX25 cell, and gives you a choice of automatic or manual with the battery, or manual without. The selected exposure in auto mode is indicated in the viewfinder, in the Exposure Value scale the shutter program utilises. A truly excellent 45mm Rokkor PF f/1.8 lens turns in as good a job as the Electro's esteemed Yashinon f/1.7. (In my humble opinion, of course...) As a guy who prefers big, solid cameras, the Hi-Matic & is high on my list of favourite rangefinders.</p>

[maciek_stankiewicz]

<p>In such a low light I wouldn't trust in-camera lightmeter... But there is something way more important: <strong>Control over shutter speed. </strong>Photographing any moving objects in low light require 1/30s shutter speed and fast lens... <br>

<strong>Yashica GX</strong> got great lens ( the same class as excellent <strong>Minolta Hi-Matic E</strong> ) but even with f1.7 lens, it's a lottery... <br>

For low light I would strongly recommend shutter priority rangefinder with f1.7 lens.<br>

<strong>Yashica Electro 35 (G, Professional, GT, GS, GTN, GSN) </strong>are all aperture priority<br>

<strong>...but when You switch camera for flash you got nice 1/30s shutter. This option makes Yashica Electro cameras one of the greatest tools for low light photography.</strong></p>

 

[donnie_strickland]

<blockquote>

<p><strong>Yashica Electro 35 (G, Professional, GT, GS, GTN, GSN) </strong>are all aperture priority<br /><strong>...but when You switch camera for flash you got nice 1/30s shutter. This option makes Yashica Electro cameras one of the greatest tools for low light photography.</strong></p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Maciek -- switching to the "flash" (fixed 1/30 speed) deactivates the light meter completely. I don't think this is what the original poster had in mind.<br>

The GX does not work that way, however.</p>

 

[bebu_lamar]

<p>Why fixing the shutter speed to 1/30s when using flash makes the camera the greatest tool for low light photography is beyond me. Lots of cameras can do that and more.</p>

[jeff_guthrie]

The GX is a great camera, and I like the aperture priority system. You can use a flash at 1/30, but the GX has a

shutter speed as long as 8 seconds, so it will take low-light shots quite well without a meter. The higher cost of the GX

is due to it's rarity, and also that it was the most advanced rangefinder which Yashica made. Unlike the larger

Electros, there is no "pad of death", and unlike the smaller CC or CCN, the GX has parallax correction. Another good

point about the GX is that it can use an automatic strobe flash.

[robert_meyer3]

<p>You could try to get a Yashica Lynx 14E. I have one. It can be used with the on-board meter, or you can set the aperture and shutter speed manually if the meter won't work. It also has an f/1.4 lens that's very sharp.</p>