Yashica D?

[Photofidelity]

Hello everyone, I have just purchased a Yashica D and was wondering if anyone can tell me what to expect? I have never used a TLR camera before and was hoping to hear from the seasoned TLR shooter's on this topic. Maybe get some tips n' tricks. Also is this camera a good choice for street photography


Thanks, Meg

 

[asp.artist]

Welcome to APUG! The Yashica is a fun camera. Just remember, in the great North, its a metal camera, and it gets cold as hell!

Anne

 

[Photofidelity]

Hahaha yes it gets very cold good tip! I have also invested in a not so attractive pair of mens hunting mittens the kind that flips so you can use your finger tips.

 

[David William White]

I love mine, beautiful negs & slides always. I've done portraiture, still life, landscape, but little street photography -- preferring to use it with a tripod, but that's just me. But because of the waist-level finder and the quiet shutter, it is great for candid photography.

Tips: You can hold it overhead to get over crowds & still compose. Wind on right after you trip the shutter so you don't forget. There are some wonderfully planned multiple exposure possibilities with laundry marker indexes on the ground glass. Save your spools & backing paper. If shooting without a tripod, fit a strap & hold taut with foot to reduce camera shake. Use the 'sport' frame when tracking moving objects. Be aware of parallax correction when shooting near objects. Be aware of exposure compensation when racked out. Make nice contact sheets and marvel at their beauty!

 

[JPD]

If it has the Yashikor lens, it should be beautifully soft wide open, for portraits and such, and nicely sharp stopped down to 8 or smaller. I was surprised when I tried the Yashica A I gave my father as a present a couple of years ago. The Yashikor is a little gem.

 

[jvanoort]

I just developed my third roll with my Yashica D (also Yashikor lenses).
Read all about it (there was a url link here which no longer exists).

Simply put: I love that camera! I love those contrasty BIG negatives it gives and I love shooting with it.

No light meter, so back to basics: aperture, shutterspeed, focus: click!
I do have a small lightmeter, but sunny sixteen works really well and my HP5+ is rather forgiving...

Have fun!

 

[Katier]

IMO TLR's are the best cameras available for doing Street work. Their quick composing and quiet operation make them superb. I use my Yashicamat LM as my main street camera

 

[Photofidelity]

Thanks everyone I can't wait to try it!! I'll post some shots with it once I take a fresh roll.

 

[Rick A]

Just shot my wife and daughters portraits with mine last night. This is my second 'D' my first was bought in 69 and traded for a motorcycle a few years later. This one is a little older, and was picked up just over a year ago. I dont see any difference between the Yashicor and Yashinon for my purposes, I just love the feel and the memories(even the smell) using it evokes.

Rick

 

[Photofidelity]

Yeah I'm not all that concerned with the lenses in these cameras. Its more about the feel of the photographs produced by them for me. I have always loved 6x6 format, there is just something about a square for me that really adds something unique and special to the composition. I can't really explain it, also I kinda dig fuzzy or softly focused photographs!

 

[Dan Daniel]

Recently answered a question like this on another forum-

Use the strap to pull down a bit to stabilize the camera when clicking the shutter. Use the magnifier to confirm focus.

To wind the film, push the little button in the middle of the wind button, then LET go and wind. Sorry if this is obvious to everyone, but for some reason I was holding the button in while starting to wind and spacing was very bad until I started simply pushing the button and letting go before winding.

It is very easy to double expose or not expose with the D. Find a habit that makes it clear to you if you need to wind or not, and stick with it. For me, I wind after I click the shutter, always, every time, no matter what. Rolleicords are similar, at least until the last models.

Get a lens hood. Watch for flair. I added flocking to the inside of my D, info here- http://www.flickr.com/groups/yashica_tlr/discuss/72157622734630140/

The reversed image may be strange at first but just relax. It's actually an effective way of getting you to look at the *image* and not the scenery, if that makes sense. Just stay away from cliff edges and bus stops, until moving the camera doesn't make you slightly dizzy.

Have fun. People react differently to a TLR. You will have every other old man coming up to you saying they used to have a camera like that. For people photography, I think people react differently because you aren't pointing anything at them and you are looking down. When you do engage people, both of you are dong the same thing- staring at this black box, so there's a commonality for both of you, less 'me vs. you.'

 

[Dave Pritchard]

It is a great camera for setting on a cafe table. You will want a cable release. With experience, you can learn to estimate distance and field-of-view well enough to get usable photos without looking through the finder (not every time, of course). For street use, consider a monopod (a short one will do).

Gorgeous, big negatives.

A sturdy tripod and a bubble level will turn it into a portrait camera or a landscape camera.

 

[Katier]

It is a great camera for setting on a cafe table. You will want a cable release. With experience, you can learn to estimate distance and field-of-view well enough to get usable photos without looking through the finder (not every time, of course). For street use, consider a monopod (a short one will do).

Gorgeous, big negatives.

A sturdy tripod and a bubble level will turn it into a portrait camera or a landscape camera.

Ironically I rarely if ever use a tripod with my TLR. It's nice wide base means if I do need to support it.. usually I can find a natural tripod.

 

[David William White]

One thing about attaching a cable release to the shutter button. Notice the base of the button (the chassis) is threaded -- there is a collar you need to get to attach a standard cable release. You might be able to purchase a cable release with such a collar.

The shutter is such a light touch you may not need a cable release, and you've got the self-timer there too.

 

[wotalegend]

And no-one has mentioned yet ....... don't use the self-timer. Yashica TLR self-timers are notorious for jamming.

 

[removed-user-1]

You might be able to purchase a cable release with such a collar.

Nikon's AR-2 cable release, for the F and F2 cameras, fits the Yashica TLRs perfectly. This should run about $10; unfortunately it's only about ten inches long. I haven't seen the adapters for sale in a long time (I have such an adapter for my Yashica 635, very similar to the D except it also takes 35mm film).

 

[David William White]

And no-one has mentioned yet ....... don't use the self-timer. Yashica TLR self-timers are notorious for jamming.

I've heard that one too. I respectfully suggest this a self-fulfilling prophesy. A self-timer that has gone unused for years (for fear of it jamming) may indeed be gunked up or have it's spring rusty or somesuch.

 

[removed-user-1]

And no-one has mentioned yet ....... don't use the self-timer. Yashica TLR self-timers are notorious for jamming.

Somewhere, possibly the original Yashica 635 instructions, I remember reading to use the self-timer only with the sync selector set to X (not M). My 635 works flawlessly and it is approaching 50 years old.

 

[Dan Daniel]

DW White, the MXV shutter used in the Yashica D (and 635 and Yashica-Mats) has a design flaw. If you try to use it when the flash sync is set to M, it will jam. I don't know the full extent of the jam, whether it can be fixed through disassembly or removal, or if it will need new parts. Yashica cautions about this in the manual, although they don't spell out the consequences of using the self-timer when set to M.

Not to say that you aren't right in many cases, age and lack of use can cause a mechanism like the self timer to lag or not function. But when people talk about not using the self-timer with the Yashica MXV shutters, what they are usually talking about is this specific design flaw.

A repair person like Mark Hama will install a small bolt to lock the M/X lever to X. A repair hack like me will simply break off the M/X lever when I have the shutter off for cleaning, leaving a small tab that can be reached through the side slot but no lever that can be knocked into the wrong position. I don't plan to use bulbs with the camera, so this is safe and cleaner for me. A collector will wince; as a user, I'll get over it.

The 'Leica Nipple' or Nikon F cable release adapter is usually on eBay for about $8-9 or less. Cable releases with the fitting permanently attached to the end also show up; I picked one up for $5 a while back.

 

[David William White]

^ interesting!

Add: yes, just checked my manual, and it says:

"Caution! Be sure to move the synchronization selector to the X position when using Self-timer."

Thanks DD & RT for pointing this out.

 

[Pumal]

The difference between Yashinons and Yashikkors is a myth.

 

[Dan Daniel]

An excellent way to dispel common myths is to provide information that contradicts the myth, Pumalite. Care to expand on why it is a myth? A Yashikor is a 3-element design and a Yashinon is a 4-element design, so the mythical difference that isn't true must lie elsewhere. Thanks.

 

[Pumal]

Because ALL results of lens tests of this kind are subjective.