[Angelic Layer]

Canonets are the other range finder of that era that I found intriguing

Yes, Canonets are smaller, I find that even the aperture priority only models to be under-ratedly good.

[Angelic Layer]

Another thing I realize today is that tele and wide converter is available for Yashica, but not other models, I see if I can get one and test it out.

[Sam_I_am]

So after going through this thread, I now have a couple I am looking at.

[Lhorn]

Anyone got advice on buying an electro 35? Seems like on EBay there are two types: $40 asking price or $125 asking price but they both are listed as untested. So it seems like a craps shoot regardless of the price you pay in many cases.

Certainly no one is going to tell you it has a pad of death problem but that’s fixable I understand. Meter is selenium right? Not fixable if burned out? No manual setting so if the meter is gone it useless except perhaps in bulb or flash mode?

Are there other Japanese 60s era range finders with great lenses like the Yashica that have manual mode?

[Angelic Layer]

Anyone got advice on buying an electro 35? Seems like on EBay there are two types: $40 asking price or $125 asking price but they both are listed as untested. So it seems like a craps shoot regardless of the price you pay in many cases.

Certainly no one is going to tell you it has a pad of death problem but that’s fixable I understand. Meter is selenium right? Not fixable if burned out? No manual setting so if the meter is gone it useless except perhaps in bulb or flash mode?

Are there other Japanese 60s era range finders with great lenses like the Yashica that have manual mode?

It depends, if the person is someone who deals with camera there's no reason they can't test it out, so they are as good as broken.
If it is something like estate sale, they probably didn't have battery or film to test it out.

There are plenty of Japanese rangefinders with interchangeable lens which are mostly screw mounted Leica or Contax copies, early Nikon or Nicca come into mind, there may be other brand like Chiyoka Leotax etc hadn't try them all.
Fixed lens full manual rangefinder is much rarer, and they are pretty old by now, I've seen a Olympus 35-S, which is quite bulky, Kowa Kallo which is quite rare even in Japan, Ricoh 35S and Deluxe, there are a few bellows range finders as well, never tried them but they are pretty old, probably not up to the quality to camera of the 70's.
I would look at Kiev or Zorki (in good condition) if full manual is what you are looking for.

[Lhorn]

Thanks for the advice. I’d like to stick with a major brand and a relatively common model mostly because if there’s anything wrong with it, the internet might be more likely have some info or YouTube videos about the camera or fixes.
There was a really fantastic looking Yashica kit on shopgoodwill (included add on lenses etc) that really looked like the prior owner cared for it. Went for a little more than I wanted to spend for an untested item.
I think I’m more likely to go the route of our own Ishmael and find a camera that no one bids on because it looks bad enough that no one else bids on it and see what I can do with it. For the starting bid plus shipping should be less than $20 so no harm done if it doesn’t work.

[Angelic Layer]

Thanks for the advice. I’d like to stick with a major brand and a relatively common model mostly because if there’s anything wrong with it, the internet might be more likely have some info or YouTube videos about the camera or fixes.
There was a really fantastic looking Yashica kit on shopgoodwill (included add on lenses etc) that really looked like the prior owner cared for it. Went for a little more than I wanted to spend for an untested item.
I think I’m more likely to go the route of our own Ishmael and find a camera that no one bids on because it looks bad enough that no one else bids on it and see what I can do with it. For the starting bid plus shipping should be less than $20 so no harm done if it doesn’t work.

They aren't that expensive, all the best on your purchase.

[Sam_I_am]

You know what they say about bad association. The Yashica Electro 35 that is on it's way to me speaks volumes about that very thing.

:-)

[Sam_I_am]

So the camera arrived today. I pulled the dead battery out expecting to find the normal 625, to my surprise this monster battery falls out. Duracell PX32 mercury 5.4 volt. WoW.

I googled replacement batteries and see that they are all 6volt. Has anyone had any problems using these?

[Astro-Baby]

What you need is a convertor adaptor and the same battery as a Canon AE1 which is a 6v stack from memory made up from 4x SR44s but you will need the adaptor.

On reliability dont underestimate the Pad of Death, its not too hard to fix but dont be fooled into thinking its easy. Doing it without taking the camera to bits is nigh impossible so be prepared for some dis assembly work.

Things that go wrong include the following;

Ruined rangefinders due to muppets messing with the adjusters or worse destroying the coatings with clueless cleaning.
Messed up parallax adjustment due to one of the tiny springs falling out when idiots take the top off.
Blown up ICs on later versions which are not fixable
Blown capacitors on early versions
Bloody complicated and antiquated electronics
Its a mechanical monster in some ways and its bat far the worst one to debug IMHO and there is very little solid advice on these.

Watch out out for people telling you its Pad of Death based on their inexpert opinion. Its a handy catch all to lure the unwary into thinking they can fix it. Its like people telling you that the biggest issue in a Minolta is the capacitors...yes they can be a problem but chances are its almost always a deal more complicated.

[Angelic Layer]

So the camera arrived today. I pulled the dead battery out expecting to find the normal 625, to my surprise this monster battery falls out. Duracell PX32 mercury 5.4 volt. WoW.

I googled replacement batteries and see that they are all 6volt. Has anyone had any problems using these?

From Ken Rockwell:

One PX32, E164, V164PX, TR 164, HM-4N, 4NR52 or 1404M 5.6 Volt mercury battery.

Works with today's alkaline replacements. My Electro 35 has a 4LR52, EN164A, A32, PC164, TR164A, 1404A alkaline in it. These are made with four stacked LR52 or 640A-P cells in series.

The specifications for today's alkaline battery are 335 mAH, 25.5g, 17.1mm diameter, 44.9mm height.

You can use a more common, smaller (170 mAH lithium, 150 mAh alkaline) PX28 if you jam in an extra spring and wrap the smaller battery in something to keep it centered in the Electro 35's larger battery hole.

The correct PX32 costs only $9.99 and lasts twice as long as the wrong $8 PX28 that doesn't fit without a kludge, so order two PX32s and keep the spare handy so you won't have to pay $15 for a PX28 at retail if your battery dies.

Many tried it say it will work, I would personally get an adapter though.

[Sam_I_am]

What you need is a convertor adaptor and the same battery as a Canon AE1 which is a 6v stack from memory made up from 4x SR44s but you will need the adaptor.

On reliability dont underestimate the Pad of Death, its not too hard to fix but dont be fooled into thinking its easy. Doing it without taking the camera to bits is nigh impossible so be prepared for some dis assembly work.

Things that go wrong include the following;

Ruined rangefinders due to muppets messing with the adjusters or worse destroying the coatings with clueless cleaning.
Messed up parallax adjustment due to one of the tiny springs falling out when idiots take the top off.
Blown up ICs on later versions which are not fixable
Blown capacitors on early versions
Bloody complicated and antiquated electronics
Its a mechanical monster in some ways and its bat far the worst one to debug IMHO and there is very little solid advice on these.

Watch out out for people telling you its Pad of Death based on their inexpert opinion. Its a handy catch all to lure the unwary into thinking they can fix it. Its like people telling you that the biggest issue in a Minolta is the capacitors...yes they can be a problem but chances are its almost always a deal more complicated.

I looked at videos for repairing the p.o.d. and there are very many on YouTube ranging from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. Ha!

Battery with adapter has been ordered.

[Jonathan Mac]

I had a black one a few years ago but didn't like the lack of manual control and the ease with which it switched into bulb mode, resulting in pictures taken with bulb when I thought it was in auto. I have a Lynx 14 now which is much nicer as it allows full manual control and isn't battery-reliant. Still, the Electros have a lot of fans and I had no trouble selling mine, even several years ago when the prices for film gear were still very low.

[Angelic Layer]

I had a black one a few years ago but didn't like the lack of manual control and the ease with which it switched into bulb mode, resulting in pictures taken with bulb when I thought it was in auto. I have a Lynx 14 now which is much nicer as it allows full manual control and isn't battery-reliant. Still, the Electros have a lot of fans and I had no trouble selling mine, even several years ago when the prices for film gear were still very low.

Agree that the Lynx is better, but it is larger and more prone to flare.

[Jonathan Mac]

Agree that the Lynx is better, but it is larger and more prone to flare.

I'll take manual control with a bit more weight over automatic and lighter any day. Flare is a shame but not unsurprising, the Electro will have newer and better coatings.