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Yashica TL



Reviews
Posted by Bengt Köhler Sandberg 2014-06-13

Yashica TL

Have not found much info when this was made but one site said 1968-1969 which I think is quite accurate.

Technical info

Lens mount: M42
Shutter: 1/500s to 1/2s + B
Light meter: Through the lens, center weighted (ISO 25 - 800)
Battery: One 1.5v SR44
Flash: Hot shoe + PC sync connection (sync 1/60 sec)
Weight: 690g

Self-timer

Takes standard 135 film
24×36 mm negative size.

Operating
Yashica TL


Viewfinder:

Good size and brightness for the late 60s standard.
So the viewfinder work well, the focus aid system is very nice and easy to read in normal light conditions.

Info:
Right side have the match needle info for the light meter.

Focus aid:
Microprism


Shutter type:

Focal plane
Horizontal traveling cloth curtain.

All mechanical.


Build quality:

All metal and has a very good build quality.

Look, feel and sound:
A classic look that I find very nice.
Operating the camera has a quite good feel.
Shutter and mirror sounds are not exactly quiet but have tested SLR's that are way noisier.





Usability:

Very usable for those that like a full manual camera like this.
Light meter uses a standard silver battery which are cheap and very easy to find today.

The camera feels good in your hands and buttons and levers are well placed.


Conclusion:


Find this to be a very nice camera, both to use and to look at.
It seems to be a little brother of the older Yashich TL-Super camera which looks the same and has some more features.
But this somewhat simpler camera has what most use and need.

However it do lack any mirror lock or equivalent which I like to use with longer shutter speeds.
But the mirror and shutter on this camera don't make very much vibrations so this is not really a problem.




Thumbs up:
Build quality
Look and feel
All mechanical shutter
Light meter takes a modern battery

Viewfinder

Thumbs down:





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