A Guide to Yashica TLRs

A Guide to Yashica TLRs

We get a lot of Yashica TLRs in stock so we wanted to make a quick guide to common models. But first lets start with the basics!

What is a TLR?

TLR stands for twin lens reflex, these film cameras have 2 (twin) lenses. The bottom  lens is for taking the photo, the other is for composing the image which is done by looking through a waist level viewfinder on the top of the camera. Photos are taken on a roll of medium format film and produce 12 square 6x6 images per roll.

Waist level viewfinder on a Yashica Mat 124G

The Rolleiflex made TLRs famous after the first of many models was released in 1927, but after the second world war a large number of brands in Japan, including Yashica, started to produce their own versions. While Yashica produced a huge range of models we are just going to go through the cameras we see most often starting with the simplest, and therefore cheapest, model.

All models that we are going to cover are fitted with a 80mm f/3.5 lens, which roughly equated to a 50mm field of view on 35mm film. They are also fitted with a Copal shutter but different models have different specifications. All models have a focusing knob on one side of the camera and either a film advance knob or a crank handle.

Yashica A

The Yashica A was first released in 1956 and is a simple to use TLR. It has shutter speeds ranging from 1/25s to 1/300s, plus bulb.

Copal shutter and 80mm lens on a Yashica A
The film advance and the shutter cocking mechanism are not intergrated. This means you have to advance the film, then cock the shutter before you can take a photo. This does have the benefit of making it easy to take multiple exposures but it does give you another thing to think about when you're out shooting. When you advance the film you need to use a red window on the back of the film door to know when you've reached the next frame.
Yashica D

The Yashica D was released in 1958 and now features shutter speeds ranging from 1 second to 1/500s, plus bulb. It also has a self timer which allows you to take self portraits or group photos. All the models we cover after this will have the same shutter specifications. Additionally you no longer need to use the film window to know when to stop advancing the film as it will automatically stop on the next frame. 

Yashica Mat

The Yashica Mat was released in 1957 and now has a crank handle film advance which cocks the shutter at the same time!

Yashica 635

The Yashica 635 was released in 1958 and does not have an integrated film advance and shutter cocking mechanism like the Yashica Mat. However, it does have the ability to shoot both medium format film and 35mm film using an adapter kit. The Yashica 635 was the first TLR I ever owned and you can read more about why I love this camera in this dedicated blog article.

 

How to cock the shutter on a Yashica 635

  

 

Yashica Mat 124G

The Yashica Mat 124 was Yashica's last TLR which combined some of the best elements from its predecessors as well as a few new additions. The Yashica Mat 124G was an upgraded version which featured gold plated battery contacts. 

It features an integrated film advance and the ability to shoot 120 and 220 film. But the most significant addition is a built in, battery-powered light meter! The waist level viewfinder hood acts as the on/off switch for the light meter to prevent your battery from running out. In order to get a correct exposure you need to align the two light meter needles found on the top of the camera.

 

If you looking to purchase you own professionally tested and refurbished Yashica TLR make sure to check out out medium format section as we try to always have some available!

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