I added two more cameras to my collection!

[nerwin]

I couldn't help myself. I came across a good deal on ebay for the Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 for $30 without a lens. The only thing that was wrong was the battery cover was stripped. I ended up having to drill two holes in it and using a spanner tool to remove it. There was some corrosion which concerned me from the listing but it never made it to the bottom of the battery compartment where the positive contacts where it was clean as new. So I cleaned the corrosion and rust up on the ground contacts. The metal was thin so I even build it up using some solder so it had a better ground. Installed fresh batteries and voila! The meter worked PERFECT and its spot on accurate. Other than the battery thing, the camera is in nearly new condition...even the seals look good but I can tell the film door has been closed for some time so I decided to order new light seals and just replace them. Everything works great on the camera, zero issues.

The camera is growing on me to be honest. It does feel rather cheap and plasticky, but its really light weight which is nice and its quite small but very comfortable to handle. On the plus side its a fully mechanical camera so even if the batteries die, the camera will still be fully functional. For $30..I think I scored big time!!

I tried to source a new battery cover for the camera but haha yeah impossible. UScamera used to sell them but no longer do. So I ended up using some 5 minute epoxy, mixed it together and filled in the striped slot and the two holes I made. I let it cure for a couple days and it was hard was plastic So I used a file and a dremel to make a new coin slot and then after successful testing, I painted it using some model paint.

Other than waiting on the light seals to arrive, the Yashica FX-3 Super is ready to be used!

So on to the Yashica FR-II....This is sort of an interesting camera. Its not WIDELY known but it's generally a rather good reliable camera but requires a battery, a A544 or 28L which is readily available to power not only the meter but the electromagnetic shutter release and the electronic shutter itself. There is no mechanical function meaning without batteries its a brick. However its a cool camera but limited to 1/1000th unlike the FX-3 Super's max 1/2000th. But the FR-II can use shutter speeds in between say 1/500th and 1/1000th to nail perfect exposure. It's quite accurate from my testing. Anyways I paid $47 for this camera with another DSB 50mm f/1.9 lens.

The camera was in great shape, just needed to be cleaned exterior wise. The seals were completely garbage, turned into oil basically so I have those seals ready to be installed soon. The BIGGEST issue with these cameras was the film counter, they just simply break. Yashica cheaped out and used plastic gears and so they just break and then as you advance the film it wont turn the counter. It's an easy fix but kind of a pain to get it aligned properly so it sides in and out with the rear door opening and closing.

Here are some pictures from that process.

There is a lot more electronics in this thing!

This is the part in question, as you can see its split in half. I fixed it using some of my 5 minute plastic epoxy and it cure overnight and reinstalled it in the camera as you can see below.

And now the camera works perfectly!! It counts the frames just fine...it shouldn't break again. That epoxy is some though stuff. It could break on the opposite side, but I epoxied the entire gear to the metal shaft so I doubt it.

Does any of this matter? Nah..you can use it without it but you'll have to either remember how many photos you took or just wait until you feel tension when you advance then you'll know haha. But I don't plan on keeping this camera. I thought it would be fun to fix it up and eventually sell it as film tested. By the way the viewfinder is spotless, its like brand new. I did take the eyepiece out and give it a good cleaning as well as front of the pentaprism.

I think I did pretty good with these two cameras. Anyways that's enough of my little journey into reviving these classic cameras. I think I had enough of Yashica cameras though, time to move on...Nikon maybe?

(I'm getting quite a camera collection here....and too many 50mm)

 

[smoke665]

Interesting write up.

 

[nerwin]

Interesting write up.

Thank you! I have another camera and lens on its way that I'm excited about. Can't wait to shoot with that one, I'll be sure to write about it! Luckily this one wont/shouldn't need any repair besides replacing the light seals out of precaution.

It's been fun and I've learned a lot about film cameras that I never got to experience.

 

[ClintLloyd]

I won't ever be venturing this way as I have my hands full with all my passions and interests already, but I love hearing about anything that ignites a fire in people's hearts. Cool write up and really nice to hear you're having fun with this.

 

[nerwin]

I won't ever be venturing this way as I have my hands full with all my passions and interests already, but I love hearing about anything that ignites a fire in people's hearts. Cool write up and really nice to hear you're having fun with this.

I don't plan on keeping them, hoping to test them out and flip them for a profit. Not a terrible hobby, keeps me busy and still involved with photography enough though I am not actively shooting at the moment.

 

[Don Fischer]

I keep thinking I'd like to do film again. Still have an old Nikon F5 and a Yashice 635, even have some very old film in the fridge, 620 stuff. But getting processed around here is a joke. Last time I tried I had to send the film back east and they sent my finished product to Texas! But now and then the urge still hit me. Be better if I had a dark room and could do my own. used to in my step dad's dark room but it's long gone now. Digital is so convenient and I'm liking what I'm getting and took up frame building years ago, was just to expensive back then to have them made and even worst now that I'm retired. Beside, I like doing it! I think one of the best photo's I ever took was with that old Yashica twin lens, had it in Talking Picture's in Sutterbug Magazine in Jan 2002.

Same place last fall but done digital and printed myself. My own frame from old fence pickets too.

 

[jeffashman]

Very cool!

 

[greybeard]

I remember those especially the FRII. This camera was a dead ringer for the Contax that YASHICA was also making at the time.

 

[smoke665]

The thing I'm finding with my current project (Yashica Mat LM), is that there's a lot of previous &^%$ attempts at repairs by previous owners. You don't know what's supposed to be right and what you need to fix.

 

[Brooklyn Albertan]

Bravo!!

Like a '62 Fargo pickup, or an early 30s Supertone parlour guitar in need of some love - keep these old relics functioning, as "daily drivers"!