First Results from the Chinon CS-4

 As previously posted, this is my second Chinon CS-4.  Of course, there's more to testing it than knowing that the meter and shutter is working properly.  How does the camera feel in the hand when using it? How easy it is to use the stop-down metering button?  Does the film move easily through the camera? That's why film-testing a camera is important.  Too many cameras are sold on eBay that are not film-tested.  Many are sold as-is, or as "un-tested." Granted, there are a lot of sellers out there that don't know a damn thing about photography, let alone how a camera ought to perform.  Leaving all that behind for a moment, let's just see how THIS camera performed.

I started with a roll of Tasma NK-II from the Film Photography Project. The Tasma film is a panchromatic b&w film on a tough polyester base, with an ISO of 100.  I used it because it was a 24-exposure roll, and also because it was one of the rolls that I picked up in November. So, onward.  If I am trying out a camera for the first time, I often go into my Libre Office program and type up a description as shown below:

That gets photographed on the first frame or so of the roll so that I know exactly that information if I end up waiting some time to develop the film.  In this case though, I finished the roll of Feb. 6, and developed it the same day -- which is not usual for me.  I took a short trip to the River Arts District (RAD) of Asheville, which is a great place to test cameras and film.  The RAD is still recovering from the flood/Helene of September, 2024.  Some places have reopened after much restoration/renovation, and other are either erased, or in need of major repairs.  Some of these photos show that.

This mural is on the now closed French Broad Outfitters in Riverside Drive.

Alien landers or fermentation tanks? On Foundy Street.

This area was well-known for the street art. Most of it disappeared after Helene. Some is new.

Part of the building below.

I do not think this one will be rebuilt.

That Dell went to hell.

There will be more piles of bricks

Bad views from the inside and out.

Nature finds a way.  I've always been interested in nature reclaiming our abandoned places.

What is now a field used to be a series of low buildings used to store recycled materials. That place used to look like this image below, taken a few years before Helene.

2022, Nikon F4, Eastman 2374 film

Present day, waiting for reconstruction

Whodat?  

Using the Chinon CS-4 is a breeze.  The stop-down metering is not a problem, as it works much like a Pentax Spotmatic, except there are red/green LEDs that show up in your peripheral vision as you look through the view finder.  Pretty much like a +/- in the viewfinder.  The Tasma NK-2 was developed in HC-110B for 10 minutes, and it is a really sharp film with good tonality.    A successful outing, and just as I was pretty much done, a squall line came in and it started to rain.  

This camera is a keeper in my M42 arsenal, and I look forward to  using it more.  

The world’s first auto-focus camera - Konica C35 AF

Introduced in 1977, Konica manufactured the first auto-focus 35mm camera, the C35 AF.  It was followed by the C35 AF2 in 1980, which really only differs cosmetically, with all features being the same.  I picked this camera up from a box of cameras that my brother-in-law gave to me in July.  All of them had been purchased at an estate sale by him for about $25, and he only wanted the Minolta AF lenses.  There was a variety of cameras ranging from a Nikon F to Instamatics, and all had been stored in a garage, with lots of accumulated grime.  This Konica C35AF2 was fairly cruddy, and had a severe battery corrosion problem.  At first I was going to toss it, but after a while I sat down with it, cleaned it up, and was able to remove the corrosion and battery gunk.  I was pretty surprised that it started working, and after a few months, shows no signs of unreliability.  

About the C35 AF and AF2:

Considering that this camera broke new ground in compact 35mm cameras, the price reflected that.  In 1981, B&H listed the Konica C35 AF2 for $115.95 Compare that to a Pentax K1000 with a 50mm f/2 Takumar lens that was listed by B&H for $139.00.  [January 1981 Popular photography]

Specifications

 The Konica C35 AF is an auto-focus auto-exposure 35mm camera with built-in pop-up flash

    • Lens: Hexanon 38mm f/2.8, 4 elements in 3 groups

    • Shutter: Programmed leaf shutter with 3 speeds-- 1/60s, 1/125s & 1/250s

    • Exposure: Fully automatic, 25 - 400 ISO,  ISO set by turning ring around lens.

    • Meter: CdS

    • Sensitivity: EV9 - EV 17 with 100 asa film

    • Viewfinder: Bright Line 0.41 Magnification

    • Underexposure warning light, Parallax Correction Mark, Focus measuring square

    • Flash: GN14,  Exposure determined by range measured by auto-focus

    • Film Winding: Manual lever-wind + rewind crank

    • Dimensions: 132 x 76 x 54mm

    • Weight: 375 grams

In Use

Of the many AF point and shoots that I have used over the years, the Konica C35 AF stands out as bridging the gap between the manual focus automatic exposure cameras such as the Minolta Hi-Matic G, and the auto-wind, auto-focus, auto-exposure cameras such as the Nikon L35 AF.   It was the first AF camera, and focuses from 1.1m to infinity.  It really does fit comfortably in the hand and is very quiet, due to the manual film advance lever.  If you are in a low light situation, a red led lights up in the viewfinder to alert you to use the flash.  I like that the pop-flash requires one to manually select it.  The viewfinder is bright with easy to see frame-lines and parallax correction markings.  I like that the body is sturdy metal and it has a bit of heft to it.  The filter ring on my camera is dented, otherwise I would use a skylight filter or a yellow filter with b&w film.  It normally takes 46mm screw-in filters, and since the CdS photo cell is within the front lens bezel, it would accurately meter with filters in place.  

Okay, so how has this 40 year old camera worked for me?  I’ve shot two rolls of film with it -- a roll of Tasma NK-II 100 ISO b&w film, and a roll of really expired Kodak Royal 400 rated at 80 ISO.  Every image came out quite satisfactory, even the old Kodak Royal 400 (though I had to adjust the color for fade correction).    It’s not as full featured as one might hope, with only 3 shutter speeds, but under most situations it would work just fine, and the 38mm Hexanon lens is quite good. Right now, I have a roll of expired Kodak Plus-X in it.  It’s definitely a camera to have as an extra in the bag, and yes, it could be a pretty good street camera.  The only downside is that there is no automatic override or B setting.   However, it does what it is supposed to do quietly and competently.  

The going eBay price for this camera is fairly low -- from $25-$85, depending on condition and whether or not it’s from Japan sellers.  It’s 40+ years old, so seals may need replacing (I did that, too).  If it comes with the original lens cap which blocks the viewfinder, that’s a plus.  That’ll keep you from shooting with a lens cap still attached.

I am glad that I took the time to get this camera working.  It’s easy to use, images are in focus, and the lens is great.

Images:

Yashica Fun - The FX-7 Super

It has been a while since I have shot with a Yashica SLR.   My experience with them to this point, was with the older M-42 screw-mount cameras, most notably the TL Electro X.

I recently came into possession of a very nice and refurbished Yashica FX-7 Super.  I certainly wasn't looking to expand into the realm of Contax/Yashica mount cameras (C/Y), but this one looked so beautiful that I had to have it for a while and try it out.  After doing some online research, I discovered that the FX series of cameras were made by Chinon (who also made the Canon T-60, Nikon FM-10, and numerous other low-end 35mm SLRs).  This is after Kyocera took on the Yashica brand.  I used to own a (Kyocera) Contax G1 rangefinder, and while it had many attributes that I liked, it was slow with the AF, and the top LCD was exhibiting bleeding. However, the Zeiss Planar 45mm T* lens was excellent. 

With Kyocera taking on the Contax marque, they of course, released some very fine 35mm SLRs under the Contax name, all with lovely Zeiss T* lenses.  Meanwhile, the Yashica bodies, aimed for a lower price point, came with Yashica-branded lenses. Mine has Yashica ML 50mm f/2.  The beauty is that the two brands shared the same C/Y mount, meaning that a lightweight, inexpensive body could have a fine Planar T* lens on it. That is certainly one attraction for the FX bodies.

My FX-7 Super has been recovered in dark blue leatherette by a previous owner, and new foam seals installed.  The camera is in excellent condition.  As a small SLR, it has the following features:

• Shutter speeds - B, 1 - 1/1000 sec.
• Flash Sync Speed - 1/125th sec
• Top deck shutter release with threads for remote
• Self-timer [10 sec]
• Hot shoe with extra control contact
• molded hand grip on right side
• +/- LEDs for exposure indication in viewfinder
• manual exposure mode only
• viewfinder with center focus spot - split-mage microprism
• requires 2 LR-44 cells for meter only
• half-press of shutter release activates meter
• Through-the-lens, full-aperture center weighted light metering with SPD cell
• ISO range of 12-1600 set on shutter speed dial
• 52mm filter thread on the lens with this body.
• tripod socket centered on the bottom

This is a fairly basic set of features, but in practical use, it's all you really need to take photos.  The camera body has no sharp edges, and it is nice to hold.  Its fairly quiet copal square vertical metal shutter sounds "snappy". The camera weighs just over a pound, and it really is a joy to use. 

There are lots of sites with information on the FX-3 and FX-7 series, and I am not going to repeat it all here.  One feature they all share is the discussion on the disintegration of the leatherette.  If you have one, you would be wise to recover it, and I have to say that the navy blue on mine is gorgeous.

Shooting experience

This is an all-manual SLR camera that is compact, precise in operation, and everything is located just right.  It makes a Pentax K1000 seem like a cloddish camera.  I have been carrying it around with me for a few weeks now, and it's definitely going places.  The 50mm f/2 lens is just fine, and maybe in the future I will acquire a Zeiss T* 50mm lens for it.  For now though, it's all I need. 

Photos

Here are a smattering of b&w images taken in NJ and MI, and I have to say that the camera works great.   I can recommend this camera to anyone looking for a manual SLR that is lightweight and of relatively recent manufacture (mid-1980s).   While the Yashica C/Y mount may not have as many lenses and accessories as the Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Olympus systems, you will find the lenses that you need for most types of shooting.  Aside from the Yashica and Contax brands, there are lenses from Tamron (Adaptall-2), Soligor, Sigma, and others that have the C/Y mount.

Mat, hotel room, expired Plus-X

Mike's hula girl, expired Plus-X

hydrant, expired Plus-X

Mike Raso, expired Plus-X

 shadows on steps, Tasma NK-2

Ann Arbor Subraru, Tasma NK-2

Argo trestle, Tasma NK-2

somewhere in Ohio on I80, in the rain, Tasma NK-2

Tasma NK-2 Film Review

Over the past few years I have been able to sample the interesting films from the Film Photography Project store.  The Svema films such as the FN64 and Svema 400 are really nice films in my opinion, and I have been using them rather frequently.  One film that I have not tried until now is the Tasma NK-2 100 ISO b&w film.  I am not sure why I hadn't tried it earlier, but after shooting two rolls of it in the past week, I feel that I can offer a quick review.

First of all, the Tasma film originates from Russia, and is described as a b&w motion picture film.  The Russian site says that the factory dates from 1933, so Tasma has a long history. The film is on a PET base, not acetate, and consequently is extremely tough and will not tear like an acetate-based film.  It's also thinner than typical 35mm films, much like the Svema stocks that I have used, but seems not as flimsy as the Svema.  The Tasma NK-2 film is fresh stuff, according to the FPP site, and has a sort of cult-status. 

The Tasma NK-2 rolls are in 24-exposure cassettes from the FPP, and are DX-coded.  I would prefer 36-exposure rolls, but then again, with these limited-availability films, the shorter rolls are a good idea, especially for testing.  The film loaded easily onto the take-up spool in the Nikon F3HP and the Yashica FX-7 cameras that I used.  I set the ISO on the cameras to the box speed of 100. 

DEVELOPING

I checked the Massive Development Chart, and the information on the Tasma NK-2 seemed rather odd, so I consulted the FPP pages on Flickr, and found two developers that I use: D-76 and XTOL.  Leslie Lazenby's recommendation was XTOL stock at 7.25 minutes.  Another photographer (Tom Napier) recommended D-76 straight for 7 minutes.   I find the MDC listing a bit odd, as I have only seen examples with people shooting it at box speed.

Other developers and times that I have found (all at 20°C):
HC-110 B for 10 min
D76 Stock for 10 min
Diafine - 4 min each in A & B

I developed in D-76 for 10 minutes, and did a water stop, followed by 7 minutes in fixer.  I washed in water and used Permawash to remove any fixer followed by a good rinse.  Both rolls came out beautifully. The film dries perfectly flat, and scans beautifully on my Espon V700.

Nikon F3HP with 19mm Vivitar lens:

Yashica FX-7 Super with 50mm f/2 lens.

Overall, the Tasma NK-2 is a very easy film to work with, especially now that I have a developer or two that I can use to get satisfactory results.  The tonality is certainly acceptable, and it is fine-grained.  I can see no reason why anyone would not want to try some.  The fact that it scans so well should be a key point in using it.  I think a bulk roll of it from the FPP store is next on my list.