My early Yashica-Mat with 80mm lenses

[Dan Vincent]

It has a nice case too.

[PeterW]

Nice camera Dan. I've got a similar one but not in such pristine condition. I had to replace the leatherette on one side of the front panel and it doesn't quite match. Also someone's scraped the top of the name plate to read the serial number which is MT1120190, quite a lot later than yours. It's got Yashinon lenses, f/3.2 viewing and f/3.5 taking, and it takes nice pictures.

Peter W.

[Dan Vincent]

Peter,

Yes, this Yashica-Mat takes some pretty sharp pictures. I took some pictures of my motorcycles back in the '80's and they were
impressive to me.
Can't really say how they would have compared to other TLR's because it's the only one I ever ran a film through but the image quality is certainly there.

I feel guilty keeping this camera because I know there are probably quite a few people who would love to have one to use.

I should probably sell my TLR's but would rather trade for black Minolta SLR's that I don't have yet.

[GeneW]

Very nice, Dan. And don't feel guilty, just keep this little jewel in your collection!

Gene

[mtoberon]

I've got one of these and I think it's truly a wonderful camera (also it's a much better buy than the later ones). It lacks the cult status of the Rolleiflexes and the winder makes a noise somewhat like a coffee grinder, but that Yashinon lens is up there with the best. It's not easy to use and I wouldn't describe it as a snapshot camera, but it's very satisfying.
I had a bit of fun a while back fitting a semi-fisheye adapter via a screw-thread to Bay 1 adapter, and got some marvellous circular pictures.
Brian

[nikonbob]

I don't own a Yashica-Mat and know them by there optical reputation only. That rep is very good. I have to agree with Brian that TLRs in general don't seem to be the easiest to use and are not really snapshot cameras. I do have a Minolta Autocord that when I have the patience to use it gives very good results. The other drawback locally is the cost of buying 120 film and the cost of processing it locally. Then there is the extra cost of a med format scanner to take advantage of all the extra optical quality built into med format. Maybe it is time to bit the bullet and get that scanner.

Bob

[kamera]

Nice shot of the YashicaMat.

I have an EM that is in great shape, takes great pics and I should really use more.

In fact, I use it so infrequently that I have to 'relearn' all over again how to move the camera to compose with the image being in reverse.

Gosh...I would get dizzy trying to use a large format camera where the image is in reverse and upside down.

Ron Head
Kalamazoo, MI

[barrington]

I have..and love using...a truly mint YashicaMat 124G.I love the lens quality of the thing and it takes wonderfully sharp pictures.Ok,so it's not as well made as a Rolleiflex but it has a charm all of its own.I'm going on holiday in less than 2 weeks time and that will be my main camera whilst I am away.As I only shoot black and white,processing cost isnt an issue as I dev and print all my own stuff and I also have a MF scanner so I have all bases covered!

Barrington

[bobm]

Yashica 635 + Velvia 50 = Heaven, or something pretty close anyway....

[doubs43]

The Yashica-Mat TLR is a very nice camera and often overlooked in favor of the Yashica-Mat 124G which superceded it. I bought a brand new Yashica-Mat about 1972 and was pleased with it. Like most of my cameras from that time, it's long gone as I sold it to finance something else. The picture below was taken with it in 1973: My son looking at the groundglass image of my Miniature Speed Graphic.



Walker

[bcomber2]

J have an early yashicamat with Lumaxar lenses - hopefully the 4 element predecessor of the yashinon 80mm f3.5. Also came with the Yashinon auxilliary telephoto lens and finder lens magn. factor unknown. Have some exposed film but not developed yet so results are unknown.
dave