I got a sweet old vintage camera today

[SAWYER]

This thing, Yashica Electro 35, is rock-solid. My stepdad gave it to me. It has been in storage for decades, I think the 70's sometime. I will probably never use this but will set it on my bookshelf more than likely. Has anyone here ever had this camera?

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: Sawyer
This thing, Yashica Electro 35, is rock-solid. My stepdad gave it to me. It has been in storage for decades, I think the 70's sometime. I will probably never use this but will set it on my bookshelf more than likely. Has anyone here ever had this camera?

There are tons of old cameras sitting around in boxes and shelves, and most of them are not worth much, because everyone has had cameras. While they make decent decorations and sometimes subjects, it's better to use them.

This is probably the best time to use an old film camera -- while you can still get some of the best film ever made, and while film processing is still generally available, and you can even get them scanned to disk during processing. You need some enthusiasm, skill, and mechanical luck though.

I've never used an Electro 35, but have liked some (much) later Yashicas, and have also liked using a somewhat similar Konica:

http://i89.photobucket.com/alb...0/Konica-Auto-S1-2.jpg

 

[ElFenix]

http://www.photoethnography.com/equipment.html
http://www.photoethnography.co...shicaElectro35GSN.html

 

[bobdole369]

I very nearly bought one for about $150 at a camera show.

I ended up thinking better of it, having never actually used a rangefinder. I ended up with a very good Minolta Hi-Matic 7s. Rangefinders are awesome! No blank out when you take the picture, very, very quiet and non-jarring shutter (i.e. no mirror swinging up every shot), and only a very select few can actually change the lens. You might think thats a bad thing, but it lets the camera and lens work more closely.

I just dev'd a set of zoo pics I might link here.

Nothing is quite like film.

 

[touchmyichi]

You have to get over the fact that it's an old/antique camera. Personally, I'd much rather have pictures that I took from that camera hanging around than the camera on my bookshelf. Small rangefinders like that are terrific for taking urban or candid shots where you want to be unobtrusive. I have a Olympus XA that I use for that purpose.

 

[randomlinh]

Nice. I was looking for one of these, but never did find it. But got a Canonet for $30 =) I had an Oly 35 SP, but the fact the meter was not in the lens drove me nuts (hated using the case to conserve on batteries).

Still trying to get the hang of RF though, the patch on mine I suspect is just poor. But I don't want to spend $600 on an Bessa R3A (well, I can't, heh).

 

[Zenmervolt]

I have a little Yashica GSN. The biggest obstacle to use is the battery. The old Yashica rangefinders used a mercury battery that is no longer produced, nor are alkaline equivalents produced. You can substitute a PX28 (PX28A for alkaline or PX28L for lithium), which is sometimes known as a 4LR44 battery because the camera's metering circuitry will correct for the voltage difference.

Since the PX28 is smaller than the old style battery, you'll need to jerry-build some form of adapter. I wrap the PX28 in a small piece of cardboard (the end tab of a film box works well) and use crumpled aluminum foil to fill the dead space between the battery and the camera's contacts.

ZV

 

[scott916]

There was one on craigslist a few weeks back, I regret not picking it up.

 

[yllus]

This thread has given me inspiration on how to continue decorating my condo. I'm going to mount a wall shelf and put a couple of vintage cameras on it.

 

[oogabooga]

Originally posted by: yllus
This thread has given me inspiration on how to continue decorating my condo. I'm going to mount a wall shelf and put a couple of vintage cameras on it.

we demand pictures when this is completed.

 

[EvilYoda]

Originally posted by: oogabooga

Originally posted by: yllus
This thread has given me inspiration on how to continue decorating my condo. I'm going to mount a wall shelf and put a couple of vintage cameras on it.

we demand pictures when this is completed.

But what will he take the picture with if all his cameras are on the shelf!?!?!?