230-AF Differences
Aug 12, 2021 21:30:31 GMT
on Aug 12, 2021 21:30:31 GMT
Last Edit: Aug 12, 2021 21:32:00 GMT by lumiworx
There have been a few cases noted by biggles3 recently, where Yashica branded Point-n-Shoots started showing up with Kyocera branding as either 'top-billing' between both company names, or as the only brand showing. It seems that a similar tact was taken in the SLR line, with the 230-AF bodies. There are only 2 things that differentiate them cosmetically, but otherwise I see nothing in function, optics, or mechanics, to suggest they aren't identical underneath.
The most obvious distinction is the nameplate on the prism housing, with the other being the glossy finish on the battery cover/grip on the Yashica, over the satin finish on the Kyocera. You probably wouldn't notice it if they weren't sitting next to each other. The glossy finish makes it appear to be a darker black, but in fact, the colors alone are identical in-person, and they just photograph and reflect the highlights differently.
A little background... The 2 bodies pictured here, the 35-70 AF Macro, and the CS-110 flash, were bundled as a lot. There's no real details from the seller on the what/where/why, so it's anybody's guess if the flash was separate or came with one of the bodies, or if it did, which one. It was attached to the Kyocera body when it arrived, which makes both bodies appear to be Yashica's in that context. There's no real clues to account for much other than the usual serial number differences. The two 50mm lenses shown here were part of another 3 lens lot (all 3 were Yashica AF 50's for $11 each, shipping included), so there's nothing from the included lens to suggest anything more than the flash offers about branding, but it is marked as a "Yashica Lens", and oddly as a "Macro c". I'm not sure what to make of the lower-case 'c', so I'll have to dig out what I have and see if it's something unique.
For reference - the factory origin and serials on these 2 bodies, and from another 230-AF I got quite some time ago...
Kyocera: Japan - 045581
Yashica: Japan - 086503
Earlier Yashica: Japan - 016108
There's nothing to suggest that the Kyocera version is made in another factory (i.e., Thailand, China, H.K.) from the origin stamp of Japan on its body, So I presume that at some point in time a decision was made to either switch branding totally to Kyocera, or perhaps they produced two versions simultaneously for some unknown reason. Does anyone have anything in either documentation or packaging stuff to attribute the change in branding? I'd guess that there might also be a CS-110 that had Kyocera printed onto it to make up a Kyocera branded kit...anyone seen one?
The most obvious distinction is the nameplate on the prism housing, with the other being the glossy finish on the battery cover/grip on the Yashica, over the satin finish on the Kyocera. You probably wouldn't notice it if they weren't sitting next to each other. The glossy finish makes it appear to be a darker black, but in fact, the colors alone are identical in-person, and they just photograph and reflect the highlights differently.
A little background... The 2 bodies pictured here, the 35-70 AF Macro, and the CS-110 flash, were bundled as a lot. There's no real details from the seller on the what/where/why, so it's anybody's guess if the flash was separate or came with one of the bodies, or if it did, which one. It was attached to the Kyocera body when it arrived, which makes both bodies appear to be Yashica's in that context. There's no real clues to account for much other than the usual serial number differences. The two 50mm lenses shown here were part of another 3 lens lot (all 3 were Yashica AF 50's for $11 each, shipping included), so there's nothing from the included lens to suggest anything more than the flash offers about branding, but it is marked as a "Yashica Lens", and oddly as a "Macro c". I'm not sure what to make of the lower-case 'c', so I'll have to dig out what I have and see if it's something unique.
For reference - the factory origin and serials on these 2 bodies, and from another 230-AF I got quite some time ago...
Kyocera: Japan - 045581
Yashica: Japan - 086503
Earlier Yashica: Japan - 016108
There's nothing to suggest that the Kyocera version is made in another factory (i.e., Thailand, China, H.K.) from the origin stamp of Japan on its body, So I presume that at some point in time a decision was made to either switch branding totally to Kyocera, or perhaps they produced two versions simultaneously for some unknown reason. Does anyone have anything in either documentation or packaging stuff to attribute the change in branding? I'd guess that there might also be a CS-110 that had Kyocera printed onto it to make up a Kyocera branded kit...anyone seen one?
