Yashica FX3 super 2000 help

margou · Dec 12, 2013

Hi guys!
I love analog photograph but I'm a huge dumb about it. My mom has an old Yashica FX3 super 2000 and I'm trying to learn some things with it. I took it to fix some things, it's supposedly good now but almost every photos that I took until now are ruined. This will probably be a very stupid question, maybe I'm just doing something wrong. In one film of 24 photos we can only see about 6 of them but they are very dark and the colors are distorted. And it has happened twice.
Here's some examples:

Any thoughts about what could be? Am I doing something wrong, is it the camera, and how can I fix it?
Thank you very much in advance!!

David Lyga · Dec 12, 2013

margou said:
Hi guys!
I love analog photograph but I'm a huge dumb about it.

I, WE, NOBODY knows what is wrong, "huge dumb", because this could go in all directions.

What could be wrong? Based upon the photo you sent, it does initially look like light fog. I wonder how securely the back of the camera closes? Check that first.

Then do the following: take off the lens, cock the shutter and set it to 1/1000, open the (empty) back, aim the camera at a bright light, then fire while looking closely at that film gate. You should see a FULL aperture window appear at the film gate at the rear of the camera (the usual 24mm X 36mm film format). If you do, chances are that your shutter mechanism, and curtain openings, are working fine, since that speed is the first to fail with the curtains opening correctly.

That done, I wonder if the processor is ruining your film? I imagine that you do not do your own processing, because, as you said, you are a 'huge dumb' (but perhaps not as uninitiated as you proclaim to be!) However, do keep this possibility in mind. Again, based upon what you have disclosed and presented for scrutiny, this is all I, and perhaps all, can impart.

You say that the 'photos' do not appear. What about the NEGATIVES? That is even MORE important, margou. Tell us what THEY look like. Maybe everything is UNDERexposed. In that case you will NOT get pictures, and, in that dire case, the film, itself, ends up being the 'huge dumb'. - David Lyga

pstake · Dec 12, 2013

Are you aware of how to use its built in meter? I have the same camera and it's one of my favorites. I have had good luck with the meter, too, which means it yields good exposures for me.

If you are setting your shutter/aperture so that the green light comes on in the viewfinder, and you're still getting underexposed photographs, then either your meter is wrong or your shutter speeds are off or your aperture is closing down too far. It's pretty unlikely that you're aperture is closed down too far so shutter speed or meter would be my first guess.

If you have another camera with a meter that you know works, or a handheld meter (or an iPhone with a light meter app), you can test the FX-3 against the meter and see if it's close.

David Lyga · Dec 12, 2013

And, piggybacking on pstake, do check the film speed you have set. Actually, color negative film should be set at HALF the box speed for better color rendition.

The first photo is grossly underexposed, fairly common with flash because of the overrating that flash manufacturers typically gave to their product. I'll bet that that negative is pathetically weak.

The second photograph is actually 'correctly' done but, because of the extremely bright sunlight beyond the trees, the meter 'thinks' that the whole scene is far brighter that it really is, and, as a result, gives less exposure than needed. You have to correct for that situation (called 'backlighting') and give more exposure when you think that your negative will be underexposed. Sometimes that intelligent meter can, also, be 'huge dumb' and has to be overridden.

The whole problem could (not necessarily is, though) be underexposure. Again, what do those all important negatives look like. Is all the detail there in big, bold colors? I think not. If you have weak negatives you have bad prints. Period.

Your particular camera is one of the most underrated out there. And, generally, I did not like the Yashicas, but this one with mechanical shutter is fabulous and usually dead on accurate. - David Lyga

dynachrome · Dec 12, 2013

I don't agree that you need to set the meter for color negative film at half the box speed. It's true that color negative film is more tolerant of underexposure than overexposure but careful metering can help. Light meters are calibrated to 18% gray. If you point your camera/meter at something brighter than a mid tone and do not compensate for the extra brightness by giving additional exposure then you will get an underexposed frame. To practice this, try metering off of an 18% gray card. In a situation where you are not metering off of a mid tone, adding one stop of exposure can help but this will not always be the level of exposure correction you need. If metering is done properly then you can shoot color negative film at box speed and get good results. Each camera has a different kind of metering. There is average metering, center weighted metering, bottom center weighted metering, spot metering and matrix metering. None of these systems will give you a perfect exposure in all situations but each will allow you to get as close to a good exposure as you need to get if you understand how to use it.

David Lyga · Dec 12, 2013

It's true, dynachrome, that with CAREFUL metering you can go with box speed. But...with casual photographing, not paying too much attention to the fact that that meter might be misguided, one is better off using half that speed. In more cases than not, you will be rewarded with optimal print quality because those negatives will have the full rendition of what you are looking at, and for. - David Lyga

Neal · Dec 12, 2013

Dear margou,

I am guessing, of course, but I think that the film speed setting on the camera is set at too high a number. If you are unsure as to how to set this, you can find the manual here. Of course you should make sure you have a good battery.

Further, set the camera to the speed using the number on the film box. If you are using the camera properly and it is working correctly you will get lovely photos. You can adjust the film speed after you've learned the basics. Finding a friend who is familiar with manual cameras is a good idea. They are easy to use once the basics are understood. In any case, make sure you go through the manual carefully. Cameras from that era are simple to understand and the Yashica manuals were good for teaching beginners.

Good luck and let us know how things work out.

Neal Wydra

pstake · Dec 12, 2013

David Lyga said:
And, piggybacking on pstake, do check the film speed you have set.

I didn't even think of that. I bet that's exactly what it is.

Nick Merritt · Dec 12, 2013

Yes, I would suspect incorrect exposure -- namely, underexposure. Either the film speed has been set too high, or the meter isn't working properly, or you're not using the meter readout correctly. Here is a link to the camera manual: http://www.butkus.org/chinon/yashica/yashica_fx-3_super_2000/yashica_fx-3_super-2000.htm

E. von Hoegh · Dec 12, 2013

When all else fails, read the instructions. http://www.butkus.org/chinon/yashica/yashica_fx-3_super_2000/yashica_fx-3_super-2000.htm

That's a link to a PDF of the instructions. Why am I the only one who thought of this?

edit - I guess I'm not the only one! But I'd have been first if I posted a bit faster!

margou · Dec 12, 2013

Thank you very much. I took the camera to a professional before I started using and he said that there was a problem with the aperture but he fixed it. I believe the problem was really the film speed I had set. Now, thanks to all the explanations, I understood how it works and I'll pay attention to that next time.
Thank you again, cheers!

Tony-S · Dec 12, 2013

Neal said:
Dear margou,

I am guessing, of course, but I think that the film speed setting on the camera is set at too high a number. If you are unsure as to how to set this, you can find the manual here.

That's not for the Super 2000. The Super 2000 is found here.

Yashica FX3 super 2000 help

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