The family's new addition: Yashica Mat LM

stirinthesauce

My new (to me) Yashica Mat LM









Got this at an antique shop for cheap. It was from a collector's lot of 20 cameras. Most had been bought by a one person but this was left with a kodak duaflex, a brownie and another kodak from I believe the 1940's. This is a 1958 model (at least what the shop owner had listed, this model made from 58 to I believe 62 or 64). It is supposedly in full functioning condition and every thing seemed to move and slide ok. Time to order some 120 film and have some fun!

-Jon

craig_d

Cool! I don't know what it is, but we seem to have a rush to medium format film lately, maybe because people are realizing how inexpensive it's become in the digital era. I remember someone else posted recently about buying a different model of TLR, and I just bought a Pentax 67 medium-format (6x7 cm) SLR.

If you have only used 35mm film, you will find 120 a bit of a shock at first, not only because the negatives/slides are HUGE in comparison but because there is no cartridge to hold the film (it's just on a spool) and learning to load it correctly can be a little frustrating at first.

I look forward to seeing some pictures from your new acquisition!

stirinthesauce

Thanks! I look forward to seeing what I can produce with this as well.

On a side note, was at GoodWill today and scored an old minolta rangefinder for 1.99 Have no idea on the model (Hi Matic 9), if it's worth a flip or not but for 2 dollars, it is worth a shot.

Now for some 120 tri x and some some kodak protra color and I'll be ready to see what the yashica can do.

craig_d

There's an article about your little rangefinder here:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?MinoltaHiMatic9.html~mainFrame

Vintage '60s fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder. If it works, it could be a fun little thing, but I don't know if you can still get batteries that are compatible with it.

vintagemxr

When I was much younger the Yashica and other TLR cameras were what I saw as real cameras, not the little Kodak "box Brownie" or Instamatic I was clicking away with.

I checked and I still cannot afford a new Rollei TLR but a clean, used Yashica might finally fit into my budget.

Doug

stirinthesauce

craig_d wrote: »

There's an article about your little rangefinder here:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?MinoltaHiMatic9.html~mainFrame

Vintage '60s fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder. If it works, it could be a fun little thing, but I don't know if you can still get batteries that are compatible with it.

That's what I got, leather case and all. Seems to be in very good condition and everything seems to work except the meter (dead battery). Time to troll ebay for some batteries.

stirinthesauce

vintagemxr wrote: »

When I was much younger the Yashica and other TLR cameras were what I saw as real cameras, not the little Kodak "box Brownie" or Instamatic I was clicking away with.

I checked and I still cannot afford a new Rollei TLR but a clean, used Yashica might finally fit into my budget.

Doug

I was surprised, got mine for $60. Although the close focus and tele lens adapters apparently cost a bit.

ziggy53

Congratulations Jon. I love old cameras.

stirinthesauce

Thank you Ziggy.

jeffreaux2

Glad to know Im not the only one that caught the bug...





...and a few....




Several of my recent posts here are the product of a Yashica 124G....and a bit more about that on my blog....


Congrats on the camera!

stirinthesauce

Thanks Jeff. I've been viewing your posts and photos the last few days. Very nice work! Looking forward to using this camera in the coming weekend. I'll be sure to post some examples.

Blurmore

I too dabble in the TLR....I shot weddings for 3 years with a Hasse and a Mamiya C330 so I'm not medium format newbie....

These were all shot and scanned with various and sundry processing...









I love composing on the square....I even know a "serious" PJ who used a square mask in her 35mm SLR. Have fun with it...now you need a hand held meter, I have a Minolta VF don't leave home without it.

ssimmonsphoto

I'm jealous.

stirinthesauce

well, film came in yesterday. Went out for the first test shots in the front yard and in the garden. Gonna head over to the local state park and try to finish off this roll using the portra 160nc and then shoot a roll with some ektar 100. Very odd composing on the square screen with everything moving opposite in the viewfinder

Hope to post some test shots next week.

Stella7d

Congrats on the new additions! Those are some awesome finds!!

JHarris1984

What are you guys doing for batteries for these? I was looking at one awhile back just for kicks but it takes a mercury battery which you can't get anymore.

chrisjohnson

I used Yashica 15 years ago. Brilliant camera. Have fun and let us know how it goes.

Art Scott

JHarris1984 wrote: »

What are you guys doing for batteries for these? I was looking at one awhile back just for kicks but it takes a mercury battery which you can't get anymore.

A good battery store will have replacements........

ziggy53

JHarris1984 wrote: »

What are you guys doing for batteries for these? I was looking at one awhile back just for kicks but it takes a mercury battery which you can't get anymore.

Find out which battery the camera used and do a search for the nearest replacement in a current technology battery. As long as the new battery is close in terms of voltage rating and the same physical size, or smaller, it should work. You might not find exactly the same shape and polarity, so some batteries might need to be put in upside down.

If the meter is the only thing powered by the battery and if the voltage isn't the same in the new battery then you might have to either use an external meter anyway.

If both the meter and the shutter are controlled by the battery, then you need to be much more careful in a new selection.

To give a meaningful answer I would have to know the exact make and model camera in order to comment on whether the camera is a good candidate for modern batteries. Some cameras are just not worth the trouble IMO.

stirinthesauce

@jharris - The LM uses no batteries. However the Hi-Matic 9 I picked up does use those mercury batteries. Did some research on the net and there are batteries that can be used as replacements. In fact, I ordered 3 from B&H.

Update on the Yashica Mat LM, apprently there is something wrong with the shutter. The first roll of 120 had 0 exposures on it after developing at the lab. I sent it off monday to Mark Hamas http://markhama.home.comcast.net/~markhama/

Probably could have just sold it as is for the price I paid but I really want to use it. So, should have it back in a few weeks. Now the Minolta Hi-Matic I am having fun with! So simple to use. Headed to South Dakota tomorrow with the better half and taking it with me. Will burn through a few or more rolls, will post some shots from it when I get back and get them developed.

Dan7312

I don't think there is much available today that really directly replaces a mercury battery unless it also includes some electronics. You can get the shape but that is not enough. The reason mercury batteries were used in lightmeters was that they held a stable, well-defined, voltage until they were just about dead and had a very long shelf-life. A light meter needs a stable voltage source as a reference to make it's readings and it's easier to make one with a mercury battery than the non-mercury ones whose voltage drops contantly time, even if it is not being used, until it goes dead. The older lightmeter designs depended on this characteristic of mercury batteries.

There are batteries available today with similar constant voltage characteristics but their voltages and shelf life are not the same as the old mercury batteries.

I tried using one of the B&H mercury replacement batteries for an old (at least 35 years) Gossen Luna Pro meter I had. It was a plastic holder with couple of hearing aid button cells and it fit perfectly, but could not get it work consistently compared to a modern meter. Maybe the meter was just to old too and maybe today's meters are just plain more accurate than the older ones.

But in any case if you need a mercury replacement for something like a lightmeter, that sort of thing is the only bar in town. Just make sure it is designed to be a mercury replacement, just matching the voltage probably won't be enough.

ziggy53 wrote: »

Find out which battery the camera used and do a search for the nearest replacement in a current technology battery. As long as the new battery is close in terms of voltage rating and the same physical size, or smaller, it should work. You might not find exactly the same shape and polarity, so some batteries might need to be put in upside down.

How about Don

My very first med format was a Yashica 635. I loved that camera and one of the photo's from it was one of the first shutterbug Talking Picture's photo's, Jan 2002. Unfortunately I lost it in a house fire. Replaced it with a RB 67 and a Pentax 645 NII. Will never sell either one of them. Don't shoot a lot of film anymore but love the camera's. Got one shelf in the fridge devoted to 120 film, small shelf!

stirinthesauce

got the first roll developed from the Yashica Mat LM. Some straight out of the camera, straight from the scanner, no processing involved shots. Looks like the 52 year old light meter works accurately. Film used was Kodak Ektar 100. Excuse the poorly composed shots, just trying things out.

1) up on the square late one afternoon was a car show. Snapped a quick one on my way to the local state park.



2) hand held at almost dusk (need to fix the horizon, little off kilter)



3) hand held at dusk. Very shallow DOF, believe this was f3.5. Uppermost flower is sharp.




Believe I am going to have fun with this camera. Can't wait for fall.

What a difference the film size negatives are compared to 35mm!

Overfocused

Zinc Air batteries are a substitute for the old mercury batteries. I've bought them to replace the button cells on an older 70's Minolta SLR

stirinthesauce

yea, I found some from B&H and they have been working fine. Exposures are accurate.

stirinthesauce

Loving this Minolta Hi Matic 9! Such a breeze to use, the lens is very nice, a Rokkor 45mm f1.7. For a 44 year old camera, it just works. Exposure meter works great.

Scanned a roll of Tri X that I was just having fun with. Here are a few:

Dynamic range that keeps on going. Excuse the dust spots, no post processing done.

Shots from in the house







my buddy on the back porch



at the park



big sis with her kids

InsuredDisaster

Really like "At the Park." Might be just a bit high key for my tastes but its really nice. Congratulations on the old camera. Gotta picture of your new toy?

stirinthesauce

InsuredDisaster wrote: »

Really like "At the Park." Might be just a bit high key for my tastes but its really nice. Congratulations on the old camera. Gotta picture of your new toy?

It is a bit high key for me to

Here is the 1.99 Goodwill purchase

rpcrowe

Great Old Camera
The Yashicamat in its verious models was a great old camera. The fact that the various models could use 120 (and some could also use 220) film, producing a 6x6cm image which had a negative area of 3,600mm as opposed to the 864mm of a 35mm camera, provided quite high quality in comparison to the 35mm prosumer (although that term had not been coined) cameras of the day.

The drawback with shooting medium format film was that in B&W, you needed to either process your own film or send it to an expensive custom processor for optimum results. Actually, it could be less expensive to shoot color negative film and send it to a mass processing company for developing and proofs.

I owned a Yashicamat in Japan and used it as a backup camera until I was able to buy a second Rolleiflex. Then the Yashica was delegated to be a third camera and or a loaner. I finally sold it for just about the same price as I paid for it.

Pindy

That's awesome!