Yashica LTM Yashica YF , how much to pay???

[photobizzz]

I find myself really wanting a Yashica YF but am not sure how much is too much to pay. There is only a few on evilbay and havent really found any on the net anywhere else. Anyone have any ideas where one is available or how much I should pay?

GAS....

 

[xayraa33]

around 500 to 600 dollars for one in excellent condition with a clean 50mm f1.8 Yashinon lens.
I missed my chance to get one still in its original box with owners manual for 100 canadian dollars in 1989.

 

[photobizzz]

There is one body for $625 that looks to be in great condition from kevinscameras but due to rarity and cost I went ahead and bought a Bessa-R.

 

[David Murphy]

There is one body for $625 that looks to be in great condition from kevinscameras but due to rarity and cost I went ahead and bought a Bessa-R.

If you want a really solid classic metal and glass LTM rangefinder, but modern in most respects (such as a hinged backs, decent finders and frame-lines, rapid advance) check out the late model Canons, i.e. the post-bottom loader Canon era. The exception being the Canon 7 models, which are not quite as well made (but pretty good and also very convenient to use). I'm talking here about the P, the VT, VI-L, VL, etc. -- there were many models and variations. This link has links to details:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/iannorris/leica_copies/index_c.htm

I used to own a VI-L and it was rock solid and easy to use. I hope to get another from that era when I can, maybe a P, but they are all pretty nice. Prices for decent ones start at about $250 and up depending on condition, etc.

 

[furcafe]

"Thirded" on the YF's chintzy/cheesy build quality. However, I find the YF's VF/RF to actually be pretty good in use. It's certainly not an M3, but the RF patch on my YF has has certainly held up better than that every Nikon SP I've ever encountered (I'm no mechanical expert, but a side-by-side look through the VFs indicates the design is similar), though I doubt the YF has been through as much wear & tear as any SP. The YF's film advance & shutter release are also smooth & the 50/1.8 Yashinon seems to be a fine lens (like the Canon 50/1.8). I think the YF could have been a strong contender to the likes of the Canon P (the main weakness of which is the pretty crappy framelines IME) if Nicca/Yashica had used 1st-rate materials as they had on the earlier Nicca bodies.

Seconded. Believe it or not, I had two of them, about 30 years ago in the days before they were valuable. I bought one from London Camera Exchange in Bristol for GBP 40; it didn't work; I took it back, and they REPLACED IT with another one they had in stock. The only two I've ever seen! They must have come from the same person, I assume.

Unless you're buying for rarity value alone, they're pretty indifferent cameras. Like another poster, I'd rather have a Canon. And for use; well, it has to be Leica.

Cheers,

R.