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Post by John Farrell on Feb 17, 2007 2:18:38 GMT -5
I bought this Pentamatic last year, unfortunately without a lens. A week later I picked up a T mount, which enabled me to fit a preset 135mm lens, and use the camera, once I had replaced a broken shutter tape. The Pentamatic was Yashica's first SLR, released in 1960. It comes with a unique bayonet mount, instant return mirror, and a Praktica-like shutter release. The film counter is reset manually, and the standard lens has a semi-automatic diaphragm, not reopening until the shutter is cocked. Initially the other lenses supplied (35mm, and a range of telephotos to 250mm) were preset diaphragm. There were adapters to allow the use of Pentax/Praktica, and Exakta lenses. The back is opened by pulling up the rewind lever, but only after turning the lever seen here from "A" to "O". The intermediate "R" position pops up the spring loaded rewind lever and allows it to turn, but keeps the back locked. I tried out the camera with the Safari brand 135mm T mount lens. Here is a shot of my town's partly built medical centre. There was a Pentamatic II released in 1961, which had a fully automatic diaphragm mechanism, and there was supposedly also a Pentamatic S, which had a delayed action fitted. In 1964, Yashica changed to a lens system with Praktica thread (But which had the Edixa lens register). The cameras in this range have fewer features than the Pentamatics.
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Post by nikonbob on Feb 17, 2007 8:59:34 GMT -5
Johnf
Thanks for posting the photos and description of Yashica's first SLR. I have a soft spot for Yashicas as I started with a 230AF and older ones are no too common around here. The Pentamatic is an interesting camera with enough quirks to satisfy any collector.
Bob
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Post by doubs43 on Feb 17, 2007 11:37:20 GMT -5
John, I'll add my thanks too. That's an interesting camera that I don't recall ever seeing before. That "A-R-O" lever is unique. I like the clean lines and look of the body.
Walker
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Post by John Farrell on Feb 17, 2007 13:40:34 GMT -5
Here is a Yashica Reflex 35J (also known as the Penta J) which was sold in the early 1960s, concurrently with the last of the Pentamatics: The body shape is very similar to the Pentamatic - the top and bottom plates look interchangeable with it. The ring around the rewind knob is rotated to "O" to allow the knob to be lifted (no spring loading here). The lens is still semi-automatic, but is Pentax screw, and very like Pentax semi-automatic lenses. The shutter release is not inclined, like the Pentamatic's. This is to allow coupled meter to fit on the bracket above the release.
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on Feb 17, 2007 17:11:32 GMT -5
Never seen, never heard of. Pentamatic might be the 5531th produced.
Thanks for posting.
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Post by John Parry on Feb 17, 2007 20:21:17 GMT -5
You were lucky to get the adapter John. I would ask why you would buy a camera without a lens, but it's OK - I understand!!
I like Yashicas. I have about a dozen, but nothing like the Pentamatic. If they'd kept using the "Penta" name, maybe Pentax would still be Asahi !
Regards - John
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Post by John Farrell on Feb 18, 2007 2:46:51 GMT -5
I bought the adapter (which was unused) from the same seller as the camera, along with assorted bits and pieces, John. I bought the camera, hoping to pick up a lens later - I have a saved search on the auction site - but no pentamatic gear has been listed since August last. Oh well, one day.......
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Reiska
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Post by Reiska on Feb 18, 2007 9:44:54 GMT -5
There have been only three different lenses (55, 35 and 100mm) available for pentamatic according to instruction manual.
You never gonna believe how heavy the Pentamatic is. It has so slender look and it however has 980g weight??
That prefix penta comes from pentaprism (5 sided prism) I suppose. I have sometimes pondered, which is right Asahi P or plain Pentax.
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Feb 18, 2007 12:49:29 GMT -5
Hi John, I'm curious if your search is limited to eBay in New Zealand since I've seen and bid on at least three Penta/Pentamatics in the last year or so. I have a very rough Yashica Penta J that came with a mirror that sticks every 5-6 shots, slow speeds NFG and missing the rewind stem and knob. Came with a Zeiss Jena Tessar 50 f2.8 which also has the actuator pin stuck in but works in manual on f2 and f4 only then jams. I've seen and bid on a few Yashica JP which may be a relative?? as well as the 2-J5's, J7 and J3 that I use. I have both the semi automatic diaphragm lenses made by Pentax and Yashica. Luckily enough they both still work great. Even have a semi automatic diaphragm Mamiya for Mamiya/Tower SLR. All neat old technology but I've yet to buy a functional Penta/Pentamatic.
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Feb 18, 2007 13:26:00 GMT -5
Quick view of my Yashica J-7, Yashinon DX 50 f1.4
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Post by John Farrell on Feb 18, 2007 14:50:29 GMT -5
My saved search is on Trademe, which is a local auction site. Trademe is large enough (it has 1.5 million members, out of a population of 4 million in the country!) to keep Ebay out of New Zealand!
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Post by John Farrell on Feb 18, 2007 15:27:16 GMT -5
The information on the lens range came from "The Yashica Pentamatic Guide" by Paul Jonas.
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Feb 19, 2007 12:24:02 GMT -5
Hi John, Not sure if we have anything like Trademe available in North America. Sounds like a good site. Found a few smaller auction sites but nothing the size of yours.
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Post by John Parry on Feb 19, 2007 15:54:47 GMT -5
Its a strange thing about one or two Yashica models, you can't find out very much about them! My first camera was the 35J - a rangefinder with a blocky type body. Definitely not your 35J Reflex! I bought a Yashica J, thinking to recreate my first purchase, but it isn't even close. No info for the 35J Rangefinder. Then too, the 'M'. Can't find any documentation for that either. No typical Yashica 'Letter' logo at the top, just a stick-on label (although obviously original) at the bottom left, by the 'X' PC socket. Came with two very nice Accura extensions for that, but the original owner must have played by sense of smell, as there are no markings in the viewfinder for them!
Regards - John I have to admit that I hadn't heard of the Pentamatic before your post
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Feb 19, 2007 17:31:40 GMT -5
Hi John It's a curious thing, I can't even find the 35 J in the Collector's Guide To Japanese Cameras but I can find a Konica J and a Samoca 35 J. Seems every country exported to had their own designation for some cameras. If you had a picture maybe I could help. Here's the two Yashicas you mentioned, identical in every way down to the last screw and the indentation for the name Minister or Yashica M. Identical EXCEPT for one thing, the Yashica M uses a 45mm Yashinon f1.9 (yes, I looked thru a magnifier and it's 1.9) while the Minister uses a 45 mm Yashinon f2.8. Otherwise they're identical. Just wish I could find a Yashica 35 J photo. Hope this helps.
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