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on Feb 3, 2018 2:09:51 GMT
Posted: Feb 3, 2018 2:09:51 GMT
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on Mar 31, 2018 3:24:27 GMT
Posted: Mar 31, 2018 3:24:27 GMT
I just purchased the 60mm Yashinon, it should arrive tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to putting it through its paces!
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on Dec 5, 2023 10:34:42 GMT
Posted: Dec 5, 2023 10:34:42 GMT
Macro-Yashinon 60 mm f/2.8  Sorry for reviving such an old thread, but it was the only one I was able to find with that lens in the title (even though I'm certain it is mentioned a lot of times, given its great quality)... I've not realized it before, but my Macro-Yashinon actually has a weirdly low serial number No.486066. I've looked but not spotted any list of Tomioka serials yet (they're mostly irrelevant to the lenses I'm covering, which usually lack serials anyway) but perhaps I just haven't looked long enough. But from a quick research EVERY other Macro-Yashinon lens I've found an image online has a Number starting with No. 68**** I've tried, but so far wasn't able to find an exception. So here are my questions: 1.) Does anyone here know if indeed (almost) all Macro Yashinon 60 mm serials start with 68 2.) if not, do you know what the distinction is? Are lower serials usually older when it comes to Tomioka, or have they used serials almost as randomly as they made their inscriptions? 😅 2.) Could the 68 be an indicator of the year when those lenses were made? From what I could gather the lens was produced somewhere after 1961 but I wasn't able to find an exact date when production started. I'm sure there are catalogs or price lists where it first appears, but so far I wasn't able to find something definitive. Thanks a lot for helping me out once again! |
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on Dec 5, 2023 14:44:16 GMT
Posted: Dec 5, 2023 14:44:16 GMT
Hi simplejoy I can confirm that all production models of the lens start with 68. Being Tomioka it's not easy to decipher the meaning of the 68 prefix - with some lenses like the Tomioka Yashinon DS-M 55mm f1.2, all the lenses start 552 which it's assumed to be for 55 f1. 2. That could mean that the macro starts 68 because it's a 60mm f2. 8. As to its year of introduction it was sometime between December 1968 and the beginning of 1971; I can suggest that only because I have a US November 1968 price list and the lens does not appear and nor is it listed in the 1968 TL-Electro X manual. However, it makes its first appearance in the TL-Electro X ITS manual of 1971 and in a brochure of DX lenses that appears to be from the end of 1970. So, unless Yashica manufactured the lens in 1968 and withheld its introduction for at least 2 years, it seems unlikely that the 68 refers to a year. Your lens number is certainly odd; usually such anomalous numbers are attributed to replacement parts/repairs which could suggest that the lens was worked on by the Yashica factory after having suffered from an issue. Prototype Yashica lenses were rarely numbered; if multiples had to be manufactured for marketing/testing purposes, they would tend to be numbered 000 plus the relevant digit(s) for each lens in sequence. Sorry I can't be more definitive; however, it's fun to have such a rare - perhaps unique - serial number... |
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on Dec 6, 2023 9:56:22 GMT
Posted: Dec 6, 2023 9:56:22 GMT
Hi simplejoy I can confirm that all production models of the lens start with 68. Being Tomioka it's not easy to decipher the meaning of the 68 prefix - with some lenses like the Tomioka Yashinon DS-M 55mm f1.2, all the lenses start 552 which it's assumed to be for 55 f1. 2. That could mean that the macro starts 68 because it's a 60mm f2. 8. As to its year of introduction it was sometime between December 1968 and the beginning of 1971; I can suggest that only because I have a US November 1968 price list and the lens does not appear and nor is it listed in the 1968 TL-Electro X manual. However, it makes its first appearance in the TL-Electro X ITS manual of 1971 and in a brochure of DX lenses that appears to be from the end of 1970. So, unless Yashica manufactured the lens in 1968 and withheld its introduction for at least 2 years, it seems unlikely that the 68 refers to a year. Your lens number is certainly odd; usually such anomalous numbers are attributed to replacement parts/repairs which could suggest that the lens was worked on by the Yashica factory after having suffered from an issue. Prototype Yashica lenses were rarely numbered; if multiples had to be manufactured for marketing/testing purposes, they would tend to be numbered 000 plus the relevant digit(s) for each lens in sequence. Sorry I can't be more definitive; however, it's fun to have such a rare - perhaps unique - serial number... Thank you very much - that's really helpful! Makes a lot of sense with the initial numbers for the serial. I doubt they produced all of those lenses in one batch. There seem to be too many around for that. On the other hand, it's likely that it wasn't produced in really high numbers, given the absence/rarity of differing serials. |
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on Dec 6, 2023 16:49:18 GMT
Posted: Dec 6, 2023 16:49:18 GMT
One thought comes to mind... The prefix may change due to whomever the marked 'maker's model' is. Standard Yashica Yashinon (i.e., non "Yashica Tomioka") model lenses may have different prefixes from Tomioka/Tominon models - which would presumably be different than all versions of the Revuenon or Mamiya branded ones, or any other 3rd party rebrands. I can't currently verify it, but memory tells me that not all Yashica 60mm macros have "Tomioka" labels nor do all the Tomioka models have "Yashica/Yashinon" markings.
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on Dec 6, 2023 23:20:38 GMT
Posted: Dec 6, 2023 23:20:38 GMT
One thought comes to mind... The prefix may change due to whomever the marked 'maker's model' is. Standard Yashica Yashinon (i.e., non "Yashica Tomioka") model lenses may have different prefixes from Tomioka/Tominon models - which would presumably be different than all versions of the Revuenon or Mamiya branded ones, or any other 3rd party rebrands. I can't currently verify it, but memory tells me that not all Yashica 60mm macros have "Tomioka" labels nor do all the Tomioka models have "Yashica/Yashinon" markings.
Many thanks! While I haven't found any of the Macro Yashinons straying from the labeling "Macro Yashinon 1:2.8 f=60 mm Tomioka Japan" labeling, I found another interesting serial number:  It has one more digit - and it almost looks like that 7 has been painted on after the fact... What do you think - might this be a case of altering the lens number by the seller for some reason? (If it was via post-processing why adding a number instead of replacing one is anybody's guess) or could this be what biggles3 was talking about with the lens having been worked on? Would also be weird if it was visible... |
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on Dec 7, 2023 12:12:00 GMT
Posted: Dec 7, 2023 12:12:00 GMT
One thought comes to mind... The prefix may change due to whomever the marked 'maker's model' is. Standard Yashica Yashinon (i.e., non "Yashica Tomioka") model lenses may have different prefixes from Tomioka/Tominon models - which would presumably be different than all versions of the Revuenon or Mamiya branded ones, or any other 3rd party rebrands. I can't currently verify it, but memory tells me that not all Yashica 60mm macros have "Tomioka" labels nor do all the Tomioka models have "Yashica/Yashinon" markings.
Many thanks! While I haven't found any of the Macro Yashinons straying from the labeling "Macro Yashinon 1:2.8 f=60 mm Tomioka Japan" labeling, I found another interesting serial number: It has one more digit - and it almost looks like that 7 has been painted on after the fact... What do you think - might this be a case of altering the lens number by the seller for some reason? (If it was via post-processing why adding a number instead of replacing one is anybody's guess) or could this be what biggles3 was talking about with the lens having been worked on? Would also be weird if it was visible... That is a strange serial number...it appears to have been applied badly by hand (the 7 is formed very differently from the correct font) and unless some facility needed to use at least 7 copies of the lens and added a digit to make each one identifiable, I can't fathom why someone would do that. Had it come from the Tomioka production facility, the font would surely have been matched. Looks like some amateur bungling to me... |
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