The Journey Begins

jeffreaux2 · April 30, 2010

Well, most of the new gear I have ordered is here. I am currently only waiting for some film, batteries, and a new light seal kit for the Yashica Mat 124G I bought second hand on Ebay.

I was lucky to have a great conversation earlier this week with a local camera shop owner. He had lots of very useful info on TLR cameras in general, and also guided me to a film to digital workflow that....hopefully...will be a good strategy. I recieved the camera yesterday and brought it to him today since he seemed genuinely interested in it. He, like me, was astonished at its mint condition.

I shot up a roll of film today. Time will tell if my exposure strategy is solid.:D

A few first frames- Kodak Porta 160 NC

AroundDWorld · April 30, 2010

Sweet.........can't wait to see your results!

jeffreaux2 · April 30, 2010

Me either.

I took meticulous notes on the shots I took. Some I used the Yashica's meter....and others the histogram (exposed to the right) on my Canon 50D. In comparison, the 50D settings on the Yashica seemed to push the Yashica's meter to under expose. Time will tell.

Im super excited.

The lenses next to the camera is a wide angle set and a telephoto set. These were pristine as well. Shipped to me in original boxes with the packaged instructions, plastic wrappers, and silica gel packs. As "new" as one can possibly expect from 30 year old gear.

I definately need the new seals, but my camera guy says its good to shoot....so I shot.

Qarik · April 30, 2010

why are there 2 lens on the body?

jeffreaux2 · April 30, 2010

Qarik wrote: »

why are there 2 lens on the body?

TLR (twin lens reflex)
http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/TLR

Yashica's TLRs
http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Yashica_6%C3%976_TLR_%28crank_advance%29

ian408 · April 30, 2010

I miss my Yashica. That's a great looking example!

ziggy53 · April 30, 2010

I really do love my Yashica 124G "and" my Yashica 635.

thumb

Art Scott · April 30, 2010

Man are you lucky....you got the Aux lenses also......I put those to great use when I shot weddings with mine late 124G.........well it all looks well taken care of....Good Luck.

Free Style Photo in LA is where ai used to buy all of my 120 roll film...hell even a lot of my Fuji 35mm iso 50 stuff that I could not get locally...would buy anywhere from 20 -100 rolls of film at a time and toss into deep freeze.....can't say I am not happy to NOT have to do that anymore......but back then I had no choice........

The Aux lenses are extremely sharp, at least mine were......it fun trying to chase people down aisles or cars or bicycles as they go by with an inverted viewfinder that everything is runningthe wrong way in......damn I miss that.......

HAVE LOADS OF FUN JEFF......HOPE YOU LOVE USING A REAL CAMERA AS MUCH AS I DID BACK IN THE DAY...........

bow

I guess you won't be needing the leather case I have.......that one looks great.

jeffreaux2 · April 30, 2010

ian408 wrote: »

I miss my Yashica. That's a great looking example!

Ian I got extremely lucky.

I bought it without even seeing a photo of it after deciding that I wasn't going to spend more than $150 on one. In my shopping, I found quite a few that were comparable in condition to this one, but they were asking $350 to $500(if original box came with). I want to use it...not "collect" it, so the original box is really of no use to me. Still...I expected much less...and possibly even a came ra that needed repair work before it could be used. I am more than pleased with it.

I have a project for it, and uh....when Im done Ill rent it to ya?

jeffreaux2 · April 30, 2010

ziggy53 wrote: »

I really do love my Yashica 124G "and" my Yashica 635. thumb

I bet you do. How could any guy who is even slightly interested in photography not absolutely LOVE all the "mechanicalness" of it all. Analog at its finest....eh?:D

So.....do you use the built in meter.....is it even slightly accurate....and what battery do you power it with?

jeffreaux2 · April 30, 2010

Art Scott wrote: »

Man are you lucky....you got the Aux lenses also......I put those to great use when I shot weddings with mine late 124G.........well it all looks well taken care of....Good Luck.

Free Style Photo in LA is where ai used to buy all of my 120 roll film...hell even a lot of my Fuji 35mm iso 50 stuff that I could not get locally...would buy anywhere from 20 -100 rolls of film at a time and toss into deep freeze.....can't say I am not happy to NOT have to do that anymore......but back then I had no choice........

The Aux lenses are extremely sharp, at least mine were......it fun trying to chase people down aisles or cars or bicycles as they go by with an inverted viewfinder that everything is runningthe wrong way in......damn I miss that.......

HAVE LOADS OF FUN JEFF......HOPE YOU LOVE USING A REAL CAMERA AS MUCH AS I DID BACK IN THE DAY...........bowbow

I guess you won't be needing the leather case I have.......that one looks great.

Art I ran through a roll of film today....12 exposures....over about an hours worth of time. My goal was to find out where the Yashi meter fell out as compared to that of the 50D. Other than poor light it was the perfect day....misting rain...dreary cloud cover...so no stray light to trick the meters. I framed up different compositions each time, well mostly, but took very detailed notes as to what each meter read. Im hoping to avoid purchasing a hand held meter....though Im willing to do that if I have to.

That bass-ackwards viewfinder ought to find a home on every camera. I have already discovered that it REALLY forces you to concentrate on composition...very hard. I cannot imagine shooting any moving action with it......I simply cant focus the thing that fast.....and a fellow told me of being bowled over while using one to shoot a high school football game when he was using the yearbook staffs 124. Yikes!!!

For those not in the know. On a tlr like this the image in the viewfinder is "flipped" horizontally 180 degrees from real life....so....if you want to cheat your viewfinder image left....you need to pan the camera right.

I paid nearly as much for the two lense sets as I did for the camera. Still though, I think I could make a buck or two if I sold it all as a package....and I was lucky to find the Yashica..."Yashinon" sets rather than a third party set or something designed for another camera (rollei or minolta). I tried those out for a few shots today as well, though the light ....or lack thereof....sent me into wide apertures save for a few longish exposures at f11. In addition to exposure I also wanted to check focus. It at least appears, that the focus scale matched up pretty well with my focusing and true subject distance. Of course, Ill have to wait for results.

...and imagine my surprise when after recieving it....and while giving it a thourough cleaning, I popped open the film bay and found a partially expose roll of BW 120 film inside. I CAREFULLY close the bugger and rolled it up. Lauren (LKMadison on Dgrin) sweet talked her DH into processing those negatives. I am going to mail them to the guy I bought the cameras from once I get them back. She says 8 of the 12 exposures are salvageable. Awesome!!!

...and I may need that case!!! This one looks great, but the leather on the inside is buckled and nearly torn through from being taken on and off the body. Ill have to put some pics up. I think I can glue it, but if not I might be in the market for one. Got a pic of yours?.....inside and out?

Youll know how stiff it is to get around the winder and focus knobs to get the cover off.....thats where mine is tearing.

...and any other advise......on the use and or care of this thing is greatly appreciated.

Art Scott · May 1, 2010

jeffreaux2 wrote: »

...and I may need that case!!! This one looks great, but the leather on the inside is buckled and nearly torn through from being taken on and off the body. Ill have to put some pics up. I think I can glue it, but if not I might be in the market for one. Got a pic of yours?.....inside and out?

JUst quick snaps so not very good............

http://tinyurl.com/2cjbpp2

craig_d · May 1, 2010

This is very cool stuff. I look forward to seeing what you do with this fascinating camera.

Oddly enough, today I shot a film camera for the first time in about ten years, though it's nothing compared to yours. My old Canon Elan SLR has been sitting in a drawer for a long time, but I got it out and ran a 24-exposure roll of film through it just to see if it still works. Almost surprisingly, it does. I say "almost surprisingly" because old EOS SLRs like the Elan have a common failure mode involving some black interior foam that degrades into a sticky slime that interferes with either the mirror or (worse) the shutter. Mine seems okay, though.

The funniest part of the experience was that I had to figure out how to load a roll of film again. I think I got it right...

jeffreaux2 · May 1, 2010

craig_d wrote: »

This is very cool stuff. I look forward to seeing what you do with this fascinating camera.

Oddly enough, today I shot a film camera for the first time in about ten years, though it's nothing compared to yours. My old Canon Elan SLR has been sitting in a drawer for a long time, but I got it out and ran a 24-exposure roll of film through it just to see if it still works. Almost surprisingly, it does. I say "almost surprisingly" because old EOS SLRs like the Elan have a common failure mode involving some black interior foam that degrades into a sticky slime that interferes with either the mirror or (worse) the shutter. Mine seems okay, though.

The funniest part of the experience was that I had to figure out how to load a roll of film again. I think I got it right...

This is fairly common with MOST cameras. Over long periods of time the chemicals...plasticizers...that give the foam rubber it's springiness leeches out....evaporates...weathers out of the foam. The cellulous material left behind will crumble to the touch. Doors seals for sure, but SLRs also have a piece for the mirror to bump up against.

Contact the seller "Interslice" on Ebay. His name is Jon Goodman, and he has a terrific reputation for supplying quality materials and instructions to re seal a camera. I did not see a kit for your camera, but that doesnt mean he cant make you one. In his email accepting payment for my kit he asked that I for sure contact him if I run into any issues re-doing the Yashica. Makes me feel better about what looks like ....well it may be a mess!

Some cameras used yarn or felt.....materials that hold up better than some of the early foam rubber....but even those materials have their issues.

and check out Cameraleather.com ....they also have some first rate leathering kits!

[Deleted User] · May 2, 2010

I found that the easiest way to keep a moving subject on the groundglass was to "push them backwards" with the edge of the viewfinder. That is, if they were moving to the right on the groundglass I would pan the camera to the left (the direction they were actually moving) and it looks like the edge of the viewfinder is "pushing" them backwards.

Of course, for faster movement you really needed to use the "sport finder." My 2.8E Rollei was better than my YashicaMat in that you could focus when using the sportfinder. There was a lens and mirror setup just below the cutout you were looking through that let you see the groundglass.

Nice cameras for candids. With the camera hanging down in front of you, you could turn it 90° to the side and snap people that you were not looking towards.

jeffreaux2 · May 4, 2010

I recieved the Interslice seal kit in the mail two days after ordering. There really wasnt much in the package....save for the instructions that were in-valuable and very detailed. The seals themselves were all cut to the right width and length. I have one small strip to install tonight at the bottom of the film door and Ill be all set.

The kit for the Yashica Mat 124G included:
-New film door seals all the way around
-New seal for the back of the meter cover.
-Felt to cover the seal at back of meter cover (this prevents ruining the seal over time by opening/closing the viewfinder
-Bamboo tool to clean old gunk out and help apply new seals
-Great set of instructions with photos and tips. Very detailed even down to how to store the miniscule screws that are removed.

A+

thumb

...and Im watching a couple sets of close up attatchments VERY close!

Eclipsed · May 4, 2010

How cool, I do miss my film days. I can guarantee you will have a lot of fun.

Any way you can scan in and post some image samples here?

Art Scott · May 15, 2010

Aside from the obvious in ability to change the lenses the quality of photos from this camera rival its competitors (Mamiya C330, C220) greatly......
No one could tell if I had shot on the Yasica or the Mamiya or even a Rollie.......the quality is fantastic...........I loved mine because it was sooooo
light weight........just had to get used to every thing moving the wrong direction in the view finder... :-}}

jeffreaux2 · May 20, 2010

Added sample shots at the top.

Qarik · May 20, 2010

good stuff. so what is the flow? develop film into slides? scan the slides to jpegs, edit as jpegs?

jeffreaux2 · May 20, 2010

Qarik wrote: »

good stuff. so what is the flow? develop film into slides? scan the slides to jpegs, edit as jpegs?

Camera shop develops and scans negatives. I pick them up!:D

Wil Davis · May 20, 2010

Nice find, Jeff!

Takes me back to the mid-1970s when my main medium-format axe was a Mamiyaflex C330F…

…ah, those were the days!

I look forward to seeing more!

- Wil

Art Scott · May 23, 2010

Jeff...those samples are very good....I was never a Kodak man....loved my over exaggerated Fuji........loved the asa 50 slide and print films of course for weddings it was always a 220 roll so that had to be a pro film and 90% of the time it was Kodak........

Qarik: with the right film lab you should be able to get RAW scans.....or DNG's instead of jpegs.........

jeffreaux2 · May 23, 2010

Wil Davis wrote: »

Nice find, Jeff!

Takes me back to the mid-1970s when my main medium-format axe was a Mamiyaflex C330F…

…ah, those were the days!

I look forward to seeing more!

- Wil

The C330 is a very nice camera that I have purposely avoided in this...er...endeavor. The very thing that makes it a great TLR (interchangeable lenses) is the very reason I have avoided it. I wanted sinplicity, and low cost. Id imagine that with a C330 Id have a yearning to try every lens I could get my hands on.

That said, I am looking for a close focusing solution for the Yashica.....something that the C330s bellows allows with no speacial effort.

jeffreaux2 · May 23, 2010

Art Scott wrote: »

Jeff...those samples are very good....I was never a Kodak man....loved my over exaggerated Fuji........loved the asa 50 slide and print films of course for weddings it was always a 220 roll so that had to be a pro film and 90% of the time it was Kodak........

Qarik: with the right film lab you should be able to get RAW scans.....or DNG's instead of jpegs.........

This is the lowest resolution that my developer scans. He assured me that even for a 12 x 12 print that this was sufficient. Knowing that this was a test shoot of sorts he recommended this resolution. I may up the res with the scans of the actual project images....which I have already shot two rolls....undeveloped.

He doesnt offer anything other than jpeg....I had asked about TIFF, but he said nope. Which is fine. Id imagine that most scanners would scan to jpeg or at best TIFF....and then maybe convert it to another format...like DNG. But I doubt there is anything extra to be gained by that step....unless we are talking about 16bit....but that isnt an option here either.

I plan to buy a scanner to suit my needs later. Mine wont scan negatives....well....it doesnt do a good job of it!

- In any event, the images well ALL exposed properly....er...or close enough for me. I did have a few frames that showed some camera shake, but in the rest, the focus was where I focused and exposure was definately solid. I have shot two rolls toward my project, and was able to include some shots that I hadnt dreampt up. Somre gifts from the photography gods I guess. Im excited to get the images back and see if things panned out.

-and I brought it to a car show. Taking photos of antique cars with an antique camera....it was quite the conversation piece for sure!

-My tastes run better with the kodak NC (natural color). Its easy to punch that up if needed, but I have seen enough portraits shot with it that I really wanted those tones.

l.k.madison · May 24, 2010

Should I tell you now or later that I acquired a new-to-me Brownie Hawkeye - in the original box, with the flash (sans flash bulbs, unfortunately) recently for a whopping $27? AND on the same shelf we found said Hawkeye, there was a Kodak TLR camera - a Brownie as well, but I forget the exact type. If you ask really nicely, I'll squeal where we got it

The store ownder had NO idea that film was still available for the Brownies, even after she said she had "over 80" antique cameras in her house. I'm all for nostalgia, but that much of a camera lover should know that half of her collection still works, assuming the camera functions.

So said local camera shop develops and scans?? Any cheaper than other camera shop in town (You know, the one by the RR tracks...) or do you know? I'm very certain our scanner saves as a TIFF, I'd have to double check, though. If you'd rather TIFFs, I'm sure we can work something out...

Speaking of film, what ever came of the roll that was already in the camera? Did the previous camera owner know who it was? Just curious, I'm sure those photos have more of a story than what we realize.

Qarik · May 24, 2010

Art Scott wrote: »

Jeff...those samples are very good....I was never a Kodak man....loved my over exaggerated Fuji........loved the asa 50 slide and print films of course for weddings it was always a 220 roll so that had to be a pro film and 90% of the time it was Kodak........

Qarik: with the right film lab you should be able to get RAW scans.....or DNG's instead of jpegs.........

I don't see what the point of getting a DNG from a scan. it's not like you are getting more data then a jpg?

jeffreaux2 · May 24, 2010

Qarik wrote: »

I don't see what the point of getting a DNG from a scan. it's not like you are getting more data then a jpg?

...unless it is 16bit.:D

jeffreaux2 · May 24, 2010

l.k.madison wrote: »

Should I tell you now or later that I acquired a new-to-me Brownie Hawkeye - in the original box, with the flash (sans flash bulbs, unfortunately) recently for a whopping $27? AND on the same shelf we found said Hawkeye, there was a Kodak TLR camera - a Brownie as well, but I forget the exact type. If you ask really nicely, I'll squeal where we got it

The store ownder had NO idea that film was still available for the Brownies, even after she said she had "over 80" antique cameras in her house. I'm all for nostalgia, but that much of a camera lover should know that half of her collection still works, assuming the camera functions.

So said local camera shop develops and scans?? Any cheaper than other camera shop in town (You know, the one by the RR tracks...) or do you know? I'm very certain our scanner saves as a TIFF, I'd have to double check, though. If you'd rather TIFFs, I'm sure we can work something out...

Speaking of film, what ever came of the roll that was already in the camera? Did the previous camera owner know who it was? Just curious, I'm sure those photos have more of a story than what we realize.

Im DONE buying cameras......now accessories for the Yashica are a different matter!

Yes cheaper....I think...the one by the R/R couldnt explain their price structure to me....so...

Between $5 and $6 to develop 12 ex 120,,,,and another $10 to scan. The scanning takes time. They have to shut down other work to set the machine up for film. It took two weeks.

The guy said some "special people" were on those negatives, and was glad to have them. Thank you for that.

I asked how old the film was.....he said around 1980. One of the folks in the pics died in early 1981.

Art Scott · May 24, 2010

Qarik wrote: »

I don't see what the point of getting a DNG from a scan. it's not like you are getting more data then a jpg?

The reason I threw it out there was.....simply for workability.....as I hate jpegs when it comes to reworking in PS.......also I have a company here that will scan to tiff and photoshop raw for same price as jpg if asked.....and if you want they will also toss your transparency (neg or slide) into the drum scanner......but that ups the cost a bit........

I just thought that others might like to know they have options in scanning.....

Jeff is diligent in shooting digital and now I am sure even more diligent with film........so it was really for him

wink

The Journey Begins

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