Yashica 35W / Just A Pretty Face

I once owned a camera that I loved so much to look at, but disliked to use. Technically speaking, it wasn't really anything out of the ordinary. Visually though, it was a stunner!

Behold the Yashica 35W film rangefinder style camera.

What is a "rangefinder"?

The best way to explain what a range finder camera is, is to compare it to the other popular style of camera - the SLR. In the case of an SLR, when you look into the viewfinder, you are seeing through the lens of the camera. So what you are looking at, is what will be exposed exactly unto the film (kind of, sometimes the view is a little cropped). The light going in through the lens is reflected to the viewfinder, and to your eyes, through either a mirror, or a pentaprism. When the shutter button is pressed, the mirror or prism move out of the way, allowing for the light to reach the photographic film. You can also see if your subject is in focus or not, since you're looking through the lens.

In a rangefinder on the other hand, when you look into the viewfinder, you are looking straight through to the other side. That means what you are seeing is slightly different from what the lens is seeing. The difference in the two images is referred to as "parallax error". Said parallax error is corrected for by the presence of "parallax guide lines" in the viewfinder to help you compensate and compose your image correctly. In rangefinder, focus is achieved by aligning two images that move as the lens is focused. When the two images come to alignment, that object is in focus.

Why use a rangefinder?
It may seem to some that the SLR is a better system. And, in many cases it is. What you see is what you get, and you can make sure that your subject is actually in focus. However, there are certain instances when rangefinders have an advantage, including the following:

1. Size: Because there is no mirror or prism in a rangefinder, they are usually much smaller and lighter than SLRs. Their lenses are also usually much smaller and have a flatter profile.
2. Looks: They look much better (subjectively) hanging around your neck.
3. Faster: In some cases, focusing with a rangefinder is faster and more accurate.
4. Iconic: Well, sometimes it's just a matter of taste. Thanks to cameras like the Leica M or Voigtländer Bessa R series cameras, rangefinders have become iconic amongst street photographers and photo journalists. Mind you, some SLRs like the Olympus OM-1 and Nikon F2 are also iconic.
   
   

So what's the deal with the Yashica 35W?

Well, I only ever used it once before selling it off on eBay. The only reason I was keeping it around was because of it's amazingly cool looks. It served me well as a photography prop, but it just had to go to a better home.

A lot of cameras like this one have been termed the "poor man's Leica", because they are infinitely cheaper than a Leica, but perform 70-90% as well. This one, despite the awesome design, wasn't one of Yashica's greatest work.

That's a wrap.

Adé

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Peace and Love ✌🏿
Adé

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