Yashica FX-1

35mm MF film SLR camera

Specification

Production details
Announced:1975
System: Contax/Yashica (1975)
Imaging plane
Maximum format:35mm full frame
Mount and Flange focal distance:Contax/Yashica [45.5mm]
Imaging plane:36 × 24mm film
Shutter
Type:Focal-plane
Model:Electronically controlled
Speeds:2 - 1/1000 + B
Exposure
Exposure metering:Through-the-lens (TTL), open-aperture
Exposure modes:Aperture-priority Auto
Manual
Physical characteristics
Weight:695g
Dimensions:145x94x51mm

Manufacturer description #1

Lens: YASHICA LENS ML standard lens. Fully automatic diaphragm action. Yashica/Contax bayonet mount. Interchangeable with a wide range of lenses.

Shutter: Electronic focal plane shutter with horizontal run rubberized cloth curtains. Affords operation on either auto or manual mode. Continuously variable shutter speeds from LT (2 sec. at F1.4) to 1/1000 sec. on Auto. 12 clickstop settings from 1 to 1/1000 sec. and B on manual. X sync. Direct X contact shoe. Built-in self-timer.

Exposure Control: Through-the-lens full aperture average light reading with CdS sensors built into the pentaprism housing. Fully automatic exposure control through aperture preselection (Semi-automatic control through shutter speed preselection also feasible). ASA range from 12 to 3200. Exposure compensation provision (four settings from 4X to 1/4X). EV range from EV 0 to 18 (F1.4 at ASA 100). Operates on one 6V silver oxide or alkaline battery (Eveready 544, Mallory PX28, Alkaline Eveready 537 or equivalent).

Focusing: Focusing with the aid of the microprism focusing spot.

Viewfinder: Through-the-lens reflex viewfinder. Viewfinder display includes shutter speed readout (from LT to 1/1000 sec.), aperture display (from F1.2 to F32), over- and under-exposure warning (red zones), 'Manual' LED display.

Film Advance: Film advance lever permits film winding in one sweeping stroke or several ratchet action. Multi-slot take-up spool for easy film leading. Auto resetting exposure counter. Crank-handle film rewind.

Other Features: Battery checker lamp doubles as exposure counter illuminator. Double lock camera back.

***

The Yashica FX-1 is a high quality 35mm single-lens reflex camera providing fully automatic exposure through preselection of the lens aperture. It offers the advantage of through-the-lens average light reading at full aperture, regardless of what type of Yashica ML lens (featuring multi-layer anti-reflection coating) is in use.

On 'Auto', the shutter speed varies continuously and automatically over the range from 1/1000 sec. down to LT (Approx. 2 sec. at f/1.4). The shutter speed set automatically, as well as the f-stop preselected, can be previewed by observing the display in the viewfinder.

For backlight and spotlight photography, a comprehensive, easy-to-use dial is provided for exposure compensation.

The FX-1 features a unique bayonet mount which permits most convenient interchanging of lenses merely by matching the index dots on the camera body and the lens barrel.

A wide range of interchangeable Yashica ML lenses (from ultra wide-angle to super telephoto) and a full system of accessories (Auto-Bellows, close-up lenses, etc.) are available for a wide scope of system application.

Manufacturer description #2

The Yashica FX-1 marks a new trend in Yashica's SLR design. It is the first model featuring the Contax/Yashica mount developed by mutual cooperation between Carl Zeiss and Yashica.

FX-1 offers the full advantage of Thru-the-Lens full aperture light reading with two CdS sensors positioned on both sides of the viewfinder eyepiece.

Full coordination of the electronic, optical and mechanical function is assured by virture of the Contax/Yashica mount. As soon as anyone of the Yashica ML or Carl Zeiss interchangeable lenses is mounted on the camera, it becomes an integral part of the body sytem.

Electronically, the FX-1 is by far the most advanced among the series of SLR developed by Yashica. Its IC memory computer brain consists of a large number of electronic components built on a polyimide flexible circuit board which is folded flush over the pentaprism. This brain precisely controls the exposure, times the shutter accordingly on both Auto and Manual and displays the correct shutter speed in relation to the selected f-stop.

Although, in normal use, the camera provides fully automatic exposure control, it can be set for manual operation.

The information-packed viewfinder shows all necessary exposure information, including the maximum aperture of the lens in use, the preselected f-stop and correct shutter speed in relation to the preset lens aperture.

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35mm full frame

43.27 24 36
  • Dimensions: 36 × 24mm
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Diagonal: 43.27mm
  • Area: 864mm2

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Image stabilizer

A technology used for reducing or even eliminating the effects of camera shake. Gyro sensors inside the lens detect camera shake and pass the data to a microcomputer. Then an image stabilization group of elements controlled by the microcomputer moves inside the lens and compensates camera shake in order to keep the image static on the imaging sensor or film.

The technology allows to increase the shutter speed by several stops and shoot handheld in such lighting conditions and at such focal lengths where without image stabilizer you have to use tripod, decrease the shutter speed and/or increase the ISO setting which can lead to blurry and noisy images.

Original name

Lens name as indicated on the lens barrel (usually on the front ring). With lenses from film era, may vary slightly from batch to batch.

Format

Format refers to the shape and size of film or image sensor.

35mm is the common name of the 36x24mm film format or image sensor format. It has an aspect ratio of 3:2, and a diagonal measurement of approximately 43mm. The name originates with the total width of the 135 film which was the primary medium of the format prior to the invention of the full frame digital SLR. Historically the 35mm format was sometimes called small format to distinguish it from the medium and large formats.

APS-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the film negatives of 25.1x16.7mm with an aspect ratio of 3:2.

Medium format is a film format or image sensor format larger than 36x24mm (35mm) but smaller than 4x5in (large format).

Angle of view

Angle of view describes the angular extent of a given scene that is imaged by a camera. It is used interchangeably with the more general term field of view.

As the focal length changes, the angle of view also changes. The shorter the focal length (eg 18mm), the wider the angle of view. Conversely, the longer the focal length (eg 55mm), the smaller the angle of view.

A camera's angle of view depends not only on the lens, but also on the sensor. Imaging sensors are sometimes smaller than 35mm film frame, and this causes the lens to have a narrower angle of view than with 35mm film, by a certain factor for each sensor (called the crop factor).

This website does not use the angles of view provided by lens manufacturers, but calculates them automatically by the following formula: 114.6 * arctan (21.622 / CF * FL),

where:

CF – crop-factor of a sensor,
FL – focal length of a lens.

Mount

A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a camera body and a lens.

A lens mount may be a screw-threaded type, a bayonet-type, or a breech-lock type. Modern camera lens mounts are of the bayonet type, because the bayonet mechanism precisely aligns mechanical and electrical features between lens and body, unlike screw-threaded mounts.

Lens mounts of competing manufacturers (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony etc.) are always incompatible. In addition to the mechanical and electrical interface variations, the flange focal distance can also be different.

The flange focal distance (FFD) is the distance from the mechanical rear end surface of the lens mount to the focal plane.

Lens construction

Lens construction – a specific arrangement of elements and groups that make up the optical design, including type and size of elements, type of used materials etc.

Element - an individual piece of glass which makes up one component of a photographic lens. Photographic lenses are nearly always built up of multiple such elements.

Group – a cemented together pieces of glass which form a single unit or an individual piece of glass. The advantage is that there is no glass-air surfaces between cemented together pieces of glass, which reduces reflections.

Focal length

The focal length is the factor that determines the size of the image reproduced on the focal plane, picture angle which covers the area of the subject to be photographed, depth of field, etc.

Speed

The largest opening or stop at which a lens can be used is referred to as the speed of the lens. The larger the maximum aperture is, the faster the lens is considered to be. Lenses that offer a large maximum aperture are commonly referred to as fast lenses, and lenses with smaller maximum aperture are regarded as slow.

In low-light situations, having a wider maximum aperture means that you can shoot at a faster shutter speed or work at a lower ISO, or both.

Closest focusing distance

The minimum distance from the focal plane (film or sensor) to the subject where the lens is still able to focus.

Closest working distance

The distance from the front edge of the lens to the subject at the maximum magnification.

Magnification ratio

Determines how large the subject will appear in the final image. For example, a magnification ratio of 1:1 means that the image of the subject formed on the film or sensor will be the same size as the subject in real life. For this reason, a 1:1 ratio is often called "life-size".

Manual focus override in autofocus mode

Allows to perform final focusing manually after the camera has locked the focus automatically. Note that you don't have to switch camera and/or lens to manual focus mode.

Manual focus override in autofocus mode

Allows to perform final focusing manually after the camera has locked the focus automatically. Note that you don't have to switch camera and/or lens to manual focus mode.

Electronic manual focus override is performed in the following way: half-press the shutter button, wait until the camera has finished the autofocusing and then focus manually without releasing the shutter button using the focusing ring.

Manual diaphragm

The diaphragm must be stopped down manually by rotating the detent aperture ring.

Preset diaphragm

The lens has two rings, one is for pre-setting, while the other is for normal diaphragm adjustment. The first ring must be set at the desired aperture, the second ring then should be fully opened for focusing, and turned back for stop down to the pre-set value.

Semi-automatic diaphragm

The lens features spring mechanism in the diaphragm, triggered by the shutter release, which stops down the diaphragm to the pre-set value. The spring needs to be reset manually after each exposure to re-open diaphragm to its maximum value.

Automatic diaphragm

The camera automatically closes the diaphragm down during the shutter operation. On completion of the exposure, the diaphragm re-opens to its maximum value.

Fixed diaphragm

The aperture setting is fixed at F/ on this lens, and cannot be adjusted.

Number of blades

As a general rule, the more blades that are used to create the aperture opening in the lens, the rounder the out-of-focus highlights will be.

Some lenses are designed with curved diaphragm blades, so the roundness of the aperture comes not from the number of blades, but from their shape. However, the fewer blades the diaphragm has, the more difficult it is to form a circle, regardless of rounded edges.

At maximum aperture, the opening will be circular regardless of the number of blades.

Weight

Excluding case or pouch, caps and other detachable accessories (lens hood, close-up adapter, tripod adapter etc.).

Maximum diameter x Length

Excluding case or pouch, caps and other detachable accessories (lens hood, close-up adapter, tripod adapter etc.).

For lenses with collapsible design, the length is indicated for the working (retracted) state.

Weather sealing

A rubber material which is inserted in between each externally exposed part (manual focus and zoom rings, buttons, switch panels etc.) to ensure it is properly sealed against dust and moisture.

Lenses that accept front mounted filters typically do not have gaskets behind the filter mount. It is recommended to use a filter for complete weather resistance when desired.

Fluorine coating

Helps keep lenses clean by reducing the possibility of dust and dirt adhering to the lens and by facilitating cleaning should the need arise. Applied to the outer surface of the front and/or rear lens elements over multi-coatings.

Filters

Lens filters are accessories that can protect lenses from dirt and damage, enhance colors, minimize glare and reflections, and add creative effects to images.

Lens hood

A lens hood or lens shade is a device used on the end of a lens to block the sun or other light source in order to prevent glare and lens flare. Flare occurs when stray light strikes the front element of a lens and then bounces around within the lens. This stray light often comes from very bright light sources, such as the sun, bright studio lights, or a bright white background.

The geometry of the lens hood can vary from a plain cylindrical or conical section to a more complex shape, sometimes called a petal, tulip, or flower hood. This allows the lens hood to block stray light with the higher portions of the lens hood, while allowing more light into the corners of the image through the lowered portions of the hood.

Lens hoods are more prominent in long focus lenses because they have a smaller viewing angle than that of wide-angle lenses. For wide angle lenses, the length of the hood cannot be as long as those for telephoto lenses, as a longer hood would enter the wider field of view of the lens.

Lens hoods are often designed to fit onto the matching lens facing either forward, for normal use, or backwards, so that the hood may be stored with the lens without occupying much additional space. In addition, lens hoods can offer some degree of physical protection for the lens due to the hood extending farther than the lens itself.

Teleconverters

Teleconverters increase the effective focal length of lenses. They also usually maintain the closest focusing distance of lenses, thus increasing the magnification significantly. A lens combined with a teleconverter is normally smaller, lighter and cheaper than a "direct" telephoto lens of the same focal length and speed.

Teleconverters are a convenient way of enhancing telephoto capability, but it comes at a cost − reduced maximum aperture. Also, since teleconverters magnify every detail in the image, they logically also magnify residual aberrations of the lens.

Lens caps

Scratched lens surfaces can spoil the definition and contrast of even the finest lenses. Lens covers are the best and most inexpensive protection available against dust, moisture and abrasion. Safeguard lens elements - both front and rear - whenever the lens is not in use.