Yashicamat - is it worth getting it repaired

[pschauss]

I have Yashicamat (not 124) with the Luxamar lens which I bought used nine or ten years ago. It worked well for a couple of years after I bought it, but got pushed to the back of the shelf after I bought a Rolleicord Va. When I recently took it out to test it, the shutter was jammed. Now I am thinking about sending it to Mark Hama for a CLA. Do you think it is worth it?

 

[Rick A]

Thats a decision only you can make. Are you going to use it regularly, or let it sit on the shelf again, or maybe sell it? You decide.

 

[Jim Jones]

I wouldn't invest in a CLA for that model. With patient shopping, a later camera in good condition with the Yashinon lens would probably cost less than the CLA. Also, a kitchen table cleaning job may free up the shutter. You can search sites like this for posts by people with experience in such repairs.

 

[jnoir]

I'm afraid I disagree, and my opinion is that you should, at least, get some quotations for the CLA, and then decide if the cost is worth it for you or not.

I repaired a Yashica LM for a customer last week with the exact same problem (shutter jammed, in this case the self-timer had been activated while the flash was on the M position, thus jamming it). 50 Euro brought it back to life. I think you'll have a hard time getting another Mat with Yashinon for that price.

 

[pschauss]

Thanks for the opinions. According to what I have read, Luxamar lens the early name they gave to the Yashinon. There are some who think that these early versions of the lens were made in Germany.

 

[loman]

My first "real" camera was a 1957 yashicamat with lumaxar lenses. Yes they are pratically (if not completely) identical to the later yashinons (both are tessar designs). I would still have it if I hadn't inherited a 1951 rolleiflex from my grand father. The only advantage the rollei has over the yashica (besides better build quality), is the parralax correction mecanism in the finder, which I find is a huge plus, but I managed to get along with the yashica just fine for three years. Mine worked wonderful the time I had it (and I used it alot), and sometimes I wish that I hadn't parted with it.
If you think you are going to use it a lot, I wouldn't hesitate to have it CLA'd, and Mark Hama is THE guy to go to for this model.
Oh, and by the way the early yashicamats have by far the best build quality of the entire yashicamat line, much much better than the later overpriced 124g which feels like a cheap plastic toy compared to the early yashicamats.
Kind Regards
Mads

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I don't where you from you might check out KEH.

Jeff

 

[LyleB]

In a word, yes. Particularly if you plan to shoot with it.

Others will say they are not worth the cost, just buy another. My opinion is that if you just buy another, you end up with another dirty, decrepit camera to use for a year or two. I would rather buy once, get it reconditioned, and have a dependable camera for years to come.

I just received a 124G and a 124 back from KEH repair. Both had a good CLA and minor repairs done. Quick turn-around, excellent work. $110 each. I've had cheaper CLAs done on other cameras and by other shops, but KEH has been dependable.

My usual TLR guy has retired. Garry's Camera Repair has done SLR work for me with excellent results and excellent price. Didn't check with him about TLRs. Might be worth a call.

 

[benjiboy]

+1, If you want a usable reliable camera get it serviced

 

[Jim Jones]

A hundred dollar CLA on a Rollei is a far better investment than the same CLA on a Yashica.

 

[LyleB]

But you can pick up a good Yashica124 for $60 or $70 bucks. How much for the beater Rollei?

 

[Sethasaurus]

Get a quote from Mark. I suspect a CLA from him is going to be less than $100 and a Yashicamat is a great camera.
You might opt to buy another working one on ebay for less money, however, most of the Yashicas going at this price need a CLA anyway, or will do within a short time of buying them.
The simple problem is 40-50ish years of gravity, dragging the grease into places it shouldn't be, added to several years of drying out of said grease into stiff gunk.

Rolleis are great cameras too. Your budget will dictate what to get, but old cameras almost always need some attention if they are going to be used.

 

[mgb74]

I got a quote from Mark Hama a while back for a CLA on a 'mat 124 (can't remember if "G" or not). As I recall, it was significantly more than $100. That said, he doesn't just fix 1 thing, he goes over the whole camera.

 

[kassie18]

there is a bloke who calls himself Yashica guy who is really good at replying and knows his YASHICAS give him a go.

 

[nosmok]

Funny, my beater Yashicamat with the Lumaxar keeps going, although it can seem like it's jammed every once in a while. Try turning the crank backwards a bit, then back forward, then mash the shutter button kinda hard (but without forcing any part of this). That always does it for me. I have a Rolleicord that has a sticky shutter (every speed is about 15 seconds) but the Yashicamat takes such good pics I'm not in a hurry to fix it.

--nosmok

 

[benjiboy]

A hundred dollar CLA on a Rollei is a far better investment than the same CLA on a Yashica.

That's true Jim as a proportion of the value, but how much would it cost him to buy a Rollei ?, and if he buys another Yashica TLR who knows what other faults it may have, because very few of these cameras have ever had any maintenance in over twenty years since they were manufactured.

 

[BrianL]

If you are going to use it, I'd vote yes. As to the Rollei vs Yashica comparisons I'd say it is meritless as buying any used Rolleiflex today unless it has been gone through will be in the age range where it should be gone through. The Yashica is a good user and until you've moved beyond its capabilities I'd not fret. I used a MatG for a few years and an earlier version, can not remember the model and other than I happened to fall into a Rolleiflex Automat and a T, I'd be using it just as happily as when I owned it not the Rollei.