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on Aug 26, 2018 10:14:49 GMT
Posted: Aug 26, 2018 10:14:49 GMT
Hello, I've been searching on the net about the manufacturing dates of the Yashica Mat line in general, most interested in the 124G production. Usually based on the serial number, but the what I've found so far is not very clear. From the below two sites, I am able to get an idea of what was the production order, which serials came first but not the dates: yashicatlr.com/SerialNumbers.htmlwww.tlr-cameras.com/japanese/Paul_Sokk_Yashica_6x6_History.htmAs an example, I have 3 Yashica TLR but with different characteristics and numbers: - Yashica Mat, serial # MT3031916, view lens without serial, taking lens with serial # 1102973 - Yashica Mat 124G, serial # 4120310, view lens without serial, taking lens with serial # 1170957 - Yashica Mat 124G, serial # 138479, view lens without serial, taking lens without serial. OK, maybe it is not possible to find the exact year, but it would be nice to know an approx. like: " early", " middle" or " late" 70's or 80's. Any help will be much appreciated
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on Sept 6, 2018 17:17:31 GMT
Last Edit: Sept 13, 2018 9:04:03 GMT by Ariel
Bueller... Bueller...
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on Sept 13, 2018 8:14:14 GMT
Posted: Sept 13, 2018 8:14:14 GMT
Mate, I am responsible for both those sites, well the second one is a page attached to Barry Toogood's excellent TLR site but which is totally wrong about Yashica TLRs. My page that you referenced is not much better, it was my first attempt before I started www.yashicatlr.com in 2011. Don't go there again Most Yashica serial numbers for all types of cameras from 1957 and all from mid-1958 until the 1970s (1980 for the 124G and not including Hong Kong numbers) use a date code of some type followed by a 4 or 5 digit sequence which counts up from either the beginning of the month e.g. TLRs, or the beginning of that model e.g. Pentamatic. The date codes up to the beginning of 1961 are tricky (SLRs are tricky different, still explained on the Serial Numbers page) with bits of both western years and Showa years used separately and intermingled. But you should always be able to spot the months. I say all this to explain that it's not simple to get across what after a number of years I am able to visualise with the help of a database of some thousands of cameras. BUT, believe it or not, the answer is on the Serial Numbers page, it just takes some work. Yashica-Mat MT 3031916: The "MT" is the model code for the Yashica-Mat. That commenced with the new 7 digit serial numbers on 1 Jan 1961. "3" could be either 1963, or it could be 1973, that is the problem with single digit year codes. Lens numbers are not that helpful for dating but they are useful, the 7 digit lens number (instead of 6 digit for most of them) tells me from my database that your body number is a 1973 number, one of the last made. My prediction is that it is the last type with f/2.8 viewing lens, textured nameplate, black locking knob on the base and the focusing knob from the 124G (silver DoF scale still). (If it was a 1973 number, it would have the dull silver control wheels and narrow "Y" on blue background hood logo). "03" stands for March and "1916" is the 1,916th camera made in March. If you go to www.yashicatlr.com/SerialNumbers.html#serialnumbers on the serial numbers page, there are tables of found numbers. At the end of the Yashica-Mat section is one other camera like yours, they are the only two I have found from 1973, both from March. Yours is actually the higher number for the month, so the very last one (in my database). Yashica Mat-124G 4120310: The 124 was actually the first of the "modern" models to dispense with the model code, followed by the 124G. "4" stands for 1974, "12" stands for Dec and it is the 310th made that month. If it has the original battery cap, it will be plain. Yashica Mat-124G 138479: Dunknow! In 1980, Yashica seems to have realised that it was going to start repeating 1970 serial numbers (first 1970 number in my database is that of the camera in the first user manual, 0054398, 1970, May, 4398, first production camera is 009xxxx - 1970 Sep). The last 7 digit 1980 serial number in my database is 004xxxx - 1980, Apr (1970 taking lenses have serial numbers, 1980 don't plus there are a couple of other things explained on the site on the Yashica Mat-124G page). From that point to the end of production in 1986, the serial numbers are 6 digit and appear to be consecutive. They run from 05110x through to 23500x. On a simple pro-rata basis and making some adjustments for the first and last year, I am guessing that your serial number is from early 1983. Hope that helps!
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on Sept 13, 2018 9:01:18 GMT
Posted: Sept 13, 2018 9:01:18 GMT
Paul, I have three words for you: " Thank You!!" and " Wow!!". That is much more than just help, I was expecting to get the year as maximum but this is really good info and details, great analysis!. I do not recollect from memory all the little details from the cameras, but I remember that one of the 124G has a plain battery cap and the other one has a checkered pattern, and the Mat has the focusing and locking knobs made of blackish plastic (I would say more like deep dark grey) but all the rest is chromed metal. I will take some pictures and post them here. Thanks again!
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on Sept 13, 2018 19:39:16 GMT
Last Edit: Sept 13, 2018 19:42:50 GMT by Ariel
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on Sept 14, 2018 1:44:04 GMT
Posted: Sept 14, 2018 1:44:04 GMT
I pity the poor person who winds up with my rebuilt 635. There were three versions made, and mine is a combination of the last two, with the donor camera supplying the serial number board. I left notes on the inside about the fact it is cobbled together from two different cameras.
Welcome to the Forum, PaulS, and thanks for helping out with that information.
PF
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on Sept 17, 2018 4:34:17 GMT
Posted: Sept 17, 2018 4:34:17 GMT
Thanks for posting the photos. They confirm that your Yashica-Mat, as it came, is typical of the 1970 and later examples. The f/2.8 viewing lens, textured nameplate, black locking knob, cross headed screws and the focusing knob from the 124G clearly sets it apart from the 1969 and earlier cameras. For me, finding a second 1973 number is quite exciting, production was originally thought to have ended in 1971. Looking at my database, it is possible that series production did end in Sep 1971 and then restarted a couple of times (there are some big gaps, 7 months in the first half of 1972).
The back and the focusing hood with the "Y" on the blue background could be from any Yashica D, 635, E, Mat or Mat-LM from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1965.
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on Sept 17, 2018 8:23:41 GMT
Posted: Sept 17, 2018 8:23:41 GMT
I pity the poor person who winds up with my rebuilt 635. There were three versions made, and mine is a combination of the last two, with the donor camera supplying the serial number board. I left notes on the inside about the fact it is cobbled together from two different cameras. Welcome to the Forum, PaulS, and thanks for helping out with that information. PF Thanks for the welcome! Leaving a note inside is a great idea.
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on Sept 18, 2018 16:40:27 GMT
Last Edit: Sept 18, 2018 16:45:47 GMT by Ariel
PaulS, thanks again for the detailed analysis. Just in case this could be useful for your database, few days ago a friend from Argentina bought the following Yashica Mat with Serial # MT1071116 and Taking Lens with Serial # 705555: So, from the dates on your website and based on the body and taking lens serial numbers... is it correct to say that this camera was the unit 1116 made on July 1971?
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on Sept 18, 2018 23:27:03 GMT
Posted: Sept 18, 2018 23:27:03 GMT
Yep, that's it! In fact it's now the last one in my database with the traditional Yashica-Mat focusing knob before the change to the 124G type. Thanks for sharing!
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on Sept 21, 2018 17:54:52 GMT
Posted: Sept 21, 2018 17:54:52 GMT
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on Sept 22, 2018 0:42:42 GMT
Posted: Sept 22, 2018 0:42:42 GMT
Mate, that is not a Yashica-Mat! It's a knob wind Yashica C from mid 1957 or a little earlier (still has a counter reset button) with a Mat nameplate from 1963 (the 1971-73 numbers duplicate 1961-63 numbers because of the single year first digit but 1971-73 nameplates have a textured finish, as yours is, and the earlier ones have this "hammertone" style paint).
All the models shared the basic parts so it is not uncommon to see such specials. Matters to collectors but not for picture taking.
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on Sept 22, 2018 13:33:09 GMT
Posted: Sept 22, 2018 13:33:09 GMT
It is a big advantage to have common parts between models, just to keep the cameras working, but it will get very complicated in the future to recognize a full original one from a repaired one, especially with small changes.
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