Yashica Mat-124: How to tell if loaded with film??

cayenne · Aug 7, 2020

Ok I know this sounds like a really stupid question....is there a way to tell if the Yashica Mat-124 has a roll of film in it or not?

I just picked up the camera after it has set for quite awhile.

The film counter was set at I think "S" .....I didn't open the back...I tripped the shutter and advanced the film arm and it advanced to "1".

Per this I would assume it had film in it....HOWEVER, not knowing old cameras like this...not sure if the counter is based on film being loaded, or just advances based on turning the film advance lever....

And I figured you smart folks could let me know for sure.

I pretty much only shoot 400 speed film, and guessing B&W in there.....but just wanting to make sure it has film in it if I can...so I don't waste a roll by opening it, but also don't miss shots taking pics with it....with no film in it.

Thank you in advance,

cayenne

Donald Qualls · Aug 7, 2020

Ideally, you'd have opened the camera back when it still showed S, which would have (if film was present) shown the start arrows on the backing, but with the film still protected on the roll. Now, you could open the back in a darkroom or changing bag, but I don't know if that would reset the counter in a Mat 124.

reddesert · Aug 7, 2020

The Yashica-Mats count film by using a roller that rests against the film, similar to a Rolleiflex and many other MF cameras. However, this roller can also be advanced a bit unpredictably by touching an empty take-up spool if there is one in the camera. So just watching the film counter doesn't tell you if it is loaded. (Note, I checked this with an earlier model of Mat, but all the Mats have the same film advance AFAIK.)

The counter does reset to S when the back is opened.

Open the camera inside a changing bag and feel to see if there is film.

Donald Qualls · Aug 7, 2020

reddesert said:
Open the camera inside a changing bag and feel to see if there is film.

To avoid waste, if the camera is loaded, unload it in the bag or darkroom, roll the film and backing back onto the supply spool, and then (with the lights on) reload the camera and make a note of what with.

cayenne · Aug 7, 2020

Ah...ok.

D'oH....the simplest method, check it in the dark.

But thank you for the confirmation that the Yashica can show advancing film without actually having film in the camera.

C

etn · Aug 7, 2020

With TLR's I've always found that, when cranking the lever, the resistance is higher when a film is loaded. Depending on the camera there might be almost no resistance without a film.

The next question is: if you do not remember whether it is loaded, you probably will not remember what for a film it is (unless you only use 1 type of film.) What sensitivity, color or B&W etc? (I once wasted a color film with an orange filter, I was convinced the camera was loaded with B&W.)
Therefore the best might be to roll the film to the end and load the camera anew?

etn · Aug 7, 2020

cayenne said:
Ok I know this sounds like a really stupid question....

Don't worry about that. I had a teacher who said "No question is stupid as long as it is asked" - since that day it has been my motto.

cayenne · Aug 7, 2020

etn said:
With TLR's I've always found that, when cranking the lever, the resistance is higher when a film is loaded. Depending on the camera there might be almost no resistance without a film.

The next question is: if you do not remember whether it is loaded, you probably will not remember what for a film it is (unless you only use 1 type of film.) What sensitivity, color or B&W etc? (I once wasted a color film with an orange filter, I was convinced the camera was loaded with B&W.)
Therefore the best might be to roll the film to the end and load the camera anew?

True.

Well, I pretty much am only using 400 film these days.
I'm thinking I loaded B&W...Ilford into it if I did load it...I supposed I could go "lazy" and look for interesting B&W compositions with good tones and figure if it is color that should look good too.

But since it is only on #1 right now, as soon as I can find a 100% dark room, I may just do like you suggested and roll the film back, bring it into the light and see what I have.

Thank you and everyone so far for all the great feedback!!

C

Huss · Aug 10, 2020

etn said:
Don't worry about that. I had a teacher who said "No question is stupid as long as it is asked" - since that day it has been my motto.

I had a teacher in England who would say "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer"
Seriously.
I remember her well. Mrs Hobson at St. Mary's prep school in Reigate, Surrey. I think I was 8 years old...
Funny anecdote - her husband the HeadMaster would smoke cigarettes while walking through the playground. As us kids were playing. And would drop his butts on the ground, grind them down and then tell one of us to pick it up and put it in the trash!
I kid you not!

Good times..

Back on topic - the 124G (and every other roll film camera) felt and sounded different when winding with film in it.

Jim Blodgett · Aug 10, 2020

I shot with Yashica D's for years. Love them. One thing I learned along the way was to have a small blank label on the camera. You know, like the peel and stick type you use to label file folders? Every time I change film I write date and film speed in pencil on that label. Great habit, especially if you're not shooting regularly with that camera.

cayenne · Aug 11, 2020

Jim Blodgett said:
I shot with Yashica D's for years. Love them. One thing I learned along the way was to have a small blank label on the camera. You know, like the peel and stick type you use to label file folders? Every time I change film I write date and film speed in pencil on that label. Great habit, especially if you're not shooting regularly with that camera.

Great idea!!

The simple solutions are often the best ones!!

C

cayenne · Sep 4, 2020

Well, I finally got back home and got around to checking the film.

I got in my hall bathroom, towel under the door..and then into shower and closed curtain....opened it, felt film and closed it back up.

This apparently reset the counter so I tried rolling and snapping a couple of pictures...seems to work and advance, so guessing I've burned the first couple images, but will shoot out the rest of the roll.

Thanks all!!

C

markjwyatt · Sep 4, 2020

cayenne said:
Well, I finally got back home and got around to checking the film.

I got in my hall bathroom, towel under the door..and then into shower and closed curtain....opened it, felt film and closed it back up.

This apparently reset the counter so I tried rolling and snapping a couple of pictures...seems to work and advance, so guessing I've burned the first couple images, but will shoot out the rest of the roll.

Thanks all!!

C

Do you know the ISO of the film?...

cayenne · Sep 4, 2020

markjwyatt said:
Do you know the ISO of the film?...

Yup...I pretty much only use 400 on that camera. For the most part, I only use 400 in all of my cameras, regardless if it is B&W or Color.

The few times I used faster or slower is in maybe the Hassy or the GSW Fuji, where I can easily put the box tag of the film on the holder of the camera to remind me what's in there.

But the Yashica only get s 400 Ilford B&W film....at least 99.9999% of the time....but I know the speed for sure.

Thank you!!

C

Yashica Mat-124: How to tell if loaded with film??

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