Group: Moderator
Post: 2,040 (562 liked)
Join date: April 2014
Status: Long, long time Contax and Yashica user; glad to be here and hope to contribute.
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on Nov 20, 2016 20:08:45 GMT
Posted: Nov 20, 2016 20:08:45 GMT
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Group: Member
Post: 214 (23 liked)
Join date: October 2016
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on Nov 21, 2016 1:23:49 GMT
Posted: Nov 21, 2016 1:23:49 GMT
What is it?
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Group: Moderator
Post: 2,040 (562 liked)
Join date: April 2014
Status: Long, long time Contax and Yashica user; glad to be here and hope to contribute.
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on Nov 21, 2016 10:53:58 GMT
Posted: Nov 21, 2016 10:53:58 GMT
It was Yashica's first foray into half-frame cameras and went on sale at the beginning of the 1960s. It looks a bit odd as shown on the Ebay listing, as the lens and controls are covered by that large hood.
The lens was a Yashinon 28mm f2.8 which was manually focused. I've attached an ad I found on Google that shows it in use which makes it easier to understand.
The reason I decided not to bid on the camera was that the wind-on/shutter cocking mechanism is missing; check out the ad: you can see the woman has the 'carrying strap' looped around one of her fingers. That is the photographer's end of the wind-on/shutter cocking mechanism - you give it a sharp tug to reset the camera for the next shot. As you can see from the images on Ebay, the strap is missing and as the photos are not too clear, it's a guess as to whether there's enough of the mechanism showing to enable the shutter to be cocked. The Ebay listing states that the camera's working but I'd be curious to know how they tested it and why the lens and front controls were hidden... By all accounts, it takes a nice photo.
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Join date: August 2016
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on Nov 22, 2016 17:16:20 GMT
Posted: Nov 22, 2016 17:16:20 GMT
Yashica Rapide
(1961) Yashica's first half-frame was a vertically-styled camera, similar in appearance to the Taron Chic. It has a 28mm manually-focusing (f2.8-22) lens which is marked in meters on one side and feet on the other. Close-focuing to 3.3 feet with a filter thread of 24mm. The selenium meter (on the top of the camera) produced a recommended exposure in EVs on a readout on the front of the camera. This may sound like a strange arrangement, but it works quite well since you can take a meter reading while pointing the meter at the subject. At the same time, the lens/shutter combination is pointing up at you for easy adjustment of the shutter speed, aperture, EV setting and focusing ring. The camera has manual shutter speeds of B, 1 - 1/500. During the metering, the readout displays an EV number, after selecting an appropriate shutter speed, you can dial in the EV number. At the same time, it displays the selected f-stop. If you prefer, you can select the f-stop directly. Built in cold shoe, tripod socket, PC contact, cable release connection, and self-timer. Film speeds of 10 to 800. Parallax markings in the viewfinder. M and X flash sync. This camera has it all! The camera is called Rapide, not because it used Agfa rapid cassettes (it did not), but because it had its own, unique method of film advance. To advance the film, the wrist strap (actually it's only big enough for one finger) is "yanked".
There is one on EBAY right now -- starting at $8. It's a parts camera.
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on Nov 22, 2016 17:20:55 GMT
Posted: Nov 22, 2016 17:20:55 GMT
My mistake. The camera up on EBAY right now is a Yashica Sequelle -- very similar to the Rapide.
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