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Pityacka
Tinkerer
Username: Pityacka
Post Number: 9
Registered: 05-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2013 - 12:28 pm: | 
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I have recently bought a Yashica Electro 35 model; and also a Yashica MG1. I know the 'Pad of Death' is a problem with the Yashicas, but are there similar problems/faults with other makes of rangefinders ? Obviously not the POD for other makes, as I understand it only relates to Yashicas. I have just bought a Minolta Hi-Matic 9, and have been looking at Petris, and Ricoh models. Anything to watch out for ? |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 644
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2013 - 09:25 pm: |
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If they are metered, then bad battery wires are the main culprit, with the corrosion from an old cell working it's way up to the meter. And sticky shutters, from all the gunk that collects in the gears of the escapement, and delay timer (if there is one). Then there is the problem of haze and/or fungus on the lens elements. Also, rangefinders out of adjustment. Those are the four main ones that affect the mechanical abilities of the camera.
Dirty viewfinders, faded rangefinder patches, corrosion on the exterior, and bad coverings are the cosmetic problems that usually occur.
These are all general things that could be wrong with any camera, though some brands are more prone to them than others. Agfa cameras have the dreaded Bayer helical grease that turns into green cement after a couple of decades. The Canon Serenar lenses for their LTM models have a haze problem. And FSU cameras are catch-as-catch-can on whether they are any good at all (a good working one is a joy to use).
Just search around for any sites where cameras are discussed, such as https://kyp.hauslendale.com/modules.php?name=Jig and you will find a wealth of information on certain camera makes and models, folks opinions on whether they are any good or not, and if there are any endemic problems with them.
Once you get your Yashica's sorted out, they are good cameras to use. Have fun with them.
PF |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 308
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2013 - 10:11 pm: |
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I've dealt with a few rangefinders, and one that can be a problem is the Voigtlander of various models, including the Vito CLR and the Vitomatic II, both of which I have. Briefly, these cameras have a range and viewfinder made with glued-together glass blocks. It is wonderful when it works, but impossible to repair if it comes unglued from dropping or abuse. I would beware of any Voigtlander that has rangefinder misalignment, especially vertical. The lenses and shutters on these vary from very good to superb, and they're great if the rangefinder is not broken. On the ones I have, the coupled selenium meters are good, too. Small in size but very dense, made of thick metal, a joy to hold. If you can find a good deal on a Vitomatic II in good trim, consider it. Three possible lenses appear on various of these: The Lanthar is decent but not great, and often appears in a shutter with fewer speeds than the others. The Skopar, most common on the Vitomatic II, is similar to a Zeiss Tessar, and awfully good. The Ultron, rare in any form, is said to be about as good as anything ever was, but I cannot vouch for it, never having seen one. The normal lens on these is 50/2.8
The Sears 35RF, which is a Ricoh 500G in drag, is sometimes incredibly cheap, and a great little rangefinder. Like many smaller rangefinders, it has a shorter lens, around 40 millimeters.
The Olympus 35RC is another really nice one, with manual and automatic exposure, a trick flash coupling setup, and a meter that, despite being made for mercury batteries, works pretty well. The rangefinders in these can be a bit dim. Watch out for pieces like the shutter speed dial coming loose and falling off. Check screw tightness.
The Olympus XA rangefinder also can be a bit dim, but it's good, very very compact, and tough, hard to beat as a shirt-pocket camera. Uses modern batteries and has a very good meter. Fixed 35 mm. lens is very sharp but a wee bit wider than many.
I have only had one Petri RF and it was broken. I've tried a few at sales, and they were always broken. I had one Petri SLR and it was broken too. I suspect this may say something about Petris.
If you want something bigger, you might try the Argus C-Four. Not the ubiquitous Brick, but the later one that actually looks like a fairly decent camera. Surprisingly, it is. Although rather coarsely made by European standards, it's tough, the 50 mm. lens is pretty sharp, and it's roomy inside, made of big brass and steel pieces that seem to hold up well. The rangefinder is easy to adjust.
I also have a Yashica Minister D. I don't know about the "pad of death." If mine has one, it has not tolled its last yet. I have only run one roll of film through mine (too many cameras!) but it worked quite decently. |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 647
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 03, 2013 - 07:57 am: |
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quote from M_Currie "I also have a Yashica Minister D. I don't know about the "pad of death." If mine has one, it has not tolled its last yet. I have only run one roll of film through mine (too many cameras!) but it worked quite decently."
This is only a problem on the Electro 35 series of rangefinders. The Minister (or M) series does not have this. They are rock solid cameras though, and if the meters are working, you can get some excellent results.
PF |
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