This has been so helpful! I bought a Yashica Electro GS and had been looking for tutorial on how to use it and this one is the best out there. Thanks for sharing this great video!
Great little camera 📷 I must look out for one to add to my collection. I've added your channel, it's always good to connect with other retro film photographers 📸
Awesome, thank you! Yes it is a great camera :) it's always great to connect. unfortunately in my area i can't find anyone to make more interesting videos with so im waiting for the summer to do some traveling to take great photos in many beautiful places :)
Nice presentation of the info. It would be especially useful to know what size battery you are using and where you got that adapter. Heading over to the loading and unloading film video now.
I got the adapter with the camera but you just search yashica 35 adapter on ebay or google and you get a lot of different offers :) im glad you like it 😃
I was given one of these by a teacher, works flawlessly after I diy’d some new light seals and cut up some pennies to make spacers for the cr123 battery, though I’m really slow at focusing it. Got given a nikon f2 and pentax k1000 too
Didnt know pennies can work as spacers but thinking about it then yeah its possible xp for me focusing is faster on a rangefinder than a regular slr unless it has a split image focusing screen ;p
@@grainificenti can focus with a spit image way faster than the overlay, it’s just hard for me to tell if it’s alligned without being able to see out of the lens
Yes, it you have the overexposure light that just means that you would need a faster shutter speed or you should close down the aperture. But since films usually hande 2-5 EV overexposure well, you ahould still get a photo. Red light only means that the shutter speed is maxed out at 1/500s. Yellow light just means that the camera will take a photo with the shutter open for longer than 1/30s. It can keep the shutter open for up to 30s. So if you want to take a photo with the yellow light on, you should use a tripod or put the camera on something to prevent blur from hand shake.
@@grainificent thanks for the speed clarification. I thought there is some sort mechanism that prevents to take a photo if there is over or underexposure. btw have ever fixed that battery check light?
Nope :) nothing stops you from taking a photo :) unfortunately i dont have the time to take apart cameras currently since im doing 2 university degrees at the same time plus working a full time job and making videos 🤣 but the check light not working can either be a circuit issue, button issue, led issue or even the adapters can cause this not to work. Someone fell in love in it and bought it off me :) i got myself a Leica CL in its place :) but with the current line of videos, the leica cl will be shown in july or august :)
So I've very recently purchased the GS variant and I found an issue that every image is just... Blury mess? I really can't tell why, it doesn't look like viewfinder alignment is off because when I match the split image with the subject it aligns perfectly... Thank you for the video though, it really helped me get into using my one... I hope I can find a way to fix it.
after you focus, check on the lens is the distance of focus is about right with the actual distance of the subject to the camera. if that is about right, at least you will know that the rangefinder is calibrated. your shutter speed might have been very slow. check if your low shutter speed light works well. after all those checks, shoot a roll in bright daylight and see if you have the same problem.
I had the yashica FX-1 back in '78. Carried it during my deployment to Clark Air base Philippines. Was there 13 months and 2 months in Korea. Then to Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. Took great pictures but when the winding mechanism broke they said it would cost more than I paid for it. I never got it fixed but I think it's laying around in the archives 🤣. The battery back then was like $11.00 to $13.00 somewhere around there.
Great camera as well! I get sentimental to things and would pay even over their value to get them fixed ;p it is THE camera that served you well while you yourself served :)
@@grainificent yes it did. I was still learning different settings and little tricks that made some of my pictures look like a professional took them 😁. It lasted 10 - 15 years and survived two foreign countries before it broke. I'm old now and don't go anywhere so my time is over. But you never forget a piece of equipment like that.
no, you do not. the rangefinder is completely manual. if you don't even see the rangefinder patch in the center of the viewfinder, that means your rangefinder is blocked/damaged. is is the diamond shaped window right next to the viewfinder on the front.
I had the GTN (same camera, black version) and I wasn't impressed. I found the diamond focusing system very difficult to see even in good light. Also, the notorious 'pad of death' (which WILL fail if it hasn't already) needs to be repaired by someone qualified to do it and will probably cost more than the camera is worth.
Like with every old camera, repairs will almost always be worth more than the camera :) a leica m5 service in many countries costs more than the camera itself in mint condition :) yashica’s are cheap cameras so in most countries 1 hour of labor will go over its value ;p i seen online how to repair the pad of death by yourself with a ton of patience ;p but still they are great cameras to play with and they are beautiful as well :)
@@grainificent Thanks for responding so quickly. However, I don't feel that the beauty of it's appearance negates it's unreliability issues, and if I just wanted something to 'play with' I'd buy a Rubik Cube.!!
@@sputumtube i understand :) everyone likes playing with different things :) mine hasn't failed me me and from the people i know who have them for years, it hasn't failed anyone yet as well :) i like playing with film photography. even shooting large format and playing in the darkroom just for fun :)
you canot shoot this camera without a battery since the lightmeter won't work, it is called ELECTRO 35 ffs, the shutter will only work at about 1/500 without the battery...
you can take photos without the battery :) i mentioned that the shutter speed will be locked at 1/500s without the battery :) you can use an external light meter or use the sunny 16 rule :) the shutter is the only thing you won't be able to change without the battery :)
@@blackframes5658 yes, without battery the shutter is at 1/500 so just input iso and that shutter speed into a lightmeter app and it will tell you the proper F stop :)
@@grainificent thank you a lot. I shot like 16 exposures and it was my first time trying film i absolutely love it! (My grandpa gave this camera to me)
What is your favorite film camera?? 😃
Minolta 7S!
@@AlexanderFarley that is a beautiful rangefinder! 😃
@@grainificent the pentax k1000 my father gave me when I was 18
@@acceptingseeking great camera! need to get one in my hands as well to take some photos and make a few videos 😃
This has been so helpful!
I bought a Yashica Electro GS and had been looking for tutorial on how to use it and this one is the best out there.
Thanks for sharing this great video!
you are welcome! :)
Great little camera 📷 I must look out for one to add to my collection.
I've added your channel, it's always good to connect with other retro film photographers 📸
Awesome, thank you! Yes it is a great camera :) it's always great to connect. unfortunately in my area i can't find anyone to make more interesting videos with so im waiting for the summer to do some traveling to take great photos in many beautiful places :)
recently bought an electro 35 GT, this was super helpful. thanks!
Im glad i could help 😃
Awesome informative video! Thank you for making this! Subscribed!!
Im happy you like it! Thank you! 😃
Just bought this camera today, this video helped a lot!
I’m glad i could help! 😃
I just picked one of these up over here in Japan and I can’t wait to start using it
Congrats! I wish you lots of great photos! 😃
@ thank you I hope they come out great I’m just getting back into photography after such a long time
i was never disappointed in mine :)
Nice presentation of the info. It would be especially useful to know what size battery you are using and where you got that adapter. Heading over to the loading and unloading film video now.
I got the adapter with the camera but you just search yashica 35 adapter on ebay or google and you get a lot of different offers :) im glad you like it 😃
I was given one of these by a teacher, works flawlessly after I diy’d some new light seals and cut up some pennies to make spacers for the cr123 battery, though I’m really slow at focusing it. Got given a nikon f2 and pentax k1000 too
Didnt know pennies can work as spacers but thinking about it then yeah its possible xp for me focusing is faster on a rangefinder than a regular slr unless it has a split image focusing screen ;p
@@grainificenti can focus with a spit image way faster than the overlay, it’s just hard for me to tell if it’s alligned without being able to see out of the lens
There is always something for everyone :)
Thank you!
Thank you as well! 😃
was my mom's family camera i am now using! i am used to using my canon ae-1 tho
both are great cameras :)
Hi there! Was wondering where you got your battery converter? I just got a yashica electro and have been struggling to find batteries/adapters
You can find a lot of them on ebay :)
Thank you for the video...
You are welcome 😃
Does the camera let you shoot even if it still there is possibility to under or over expose photo?
Yes, it you have the overexposure light that just means that you would need a faster shutter speed or you should close down the aperture. But since films usually hande 2-5 EV overexposure well, you ahould still get a photo. Red light only means that the shutter speed is maxed out at 1/500s.
Yellow light just means that the camera will take a photo with the shutter open for longer than 1/30s. It can keep the shutter open for up to 30s. So if you want to take a photo with the yellow light on, you should use a tripod or put the camera on something to prevent blur from hand shake.
@@grainificent thanks for the speed clarification. I thought there is some sort mechanism that prevents to take a photo if there is over or underexposure. btw have ever fixed that battery check light?
Nope :) nothing stops you from taking a photo :) unfortunately i dont have the time to take apart cameras currently since im doing 2 university degrees at the same time plus working a full time job and making videos 🤣 but the check light not working can either be a circuit issue, button issue, led issue or even the adapters can cause this not to work. Someone fell in love in it and bought it off me :) i got myself a Leica CL in its place :) but with the current line of videos, the leica cl will be shown in july or august :)
can you share where you can get that particular battery adaptor?
hello, mine came with the camera, but doing a quick search on ebay, there are a lot of adapters just like mine for sale :)
So I've very recently purchased the GS variant and I found an issue that every image is just... Blury mess? I really can't tell why, it doesn't look like viewfinder alignment is off because when I match the split image with the subject it aligns perfectly...
Thank you for the video though, it really helped me get into using my one... I hope I can find a way to fix it.
after you focus, check on the lens is the distance of focus is about right with the actual distance of the subject to the camera. if that is about right, at least you will know that the rangefinder is calibrated. your shutter speed might have been very slow. check if your low shutter speed light works well. after all those checks, shoot a roll in bright daylight and see if you have the same problem.
I had the yashica FX-1 back in '78. Carried it during my deployment to Clark Air base Philippines. Was there 13 months and 2 months in Korea. Then to Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. Took great pictures but when the winding mechanism broke they said it would cost more than I paid for it. I never got it fixed but I think it's laying around in the archives 🤣.
The battery back then was like $11.00 to $13.00 somewhere around there.
Great camera as well! I get sentimental to things and would pay even over their value to get them fixed ;p it is THE camera that served you well while you yourself served :)
@@grainificent yes it did. I was still learning different settings and little tricks that made some of my pictures look like a professional took them 😁. It lasted 10 - 15 years and survived two foreign countries before it broke. I'm old now and don't go anywhere so my time is over. But you never forget a piece of equipment like that.
Never too late to get it fixed and have some fun :)
@@grainificent the thought has crossed my mind numerous times over the years lol.
It never hurts to have some fun 😃
Where did you find the battery adapter
i got mine with the camera but i see a lot of them on ebay :)
What if u accidentally push the timer it won't hurt if I did it once
What do you mean by push the timer?
@@grainificent the windup lever without fully engaging it
@@Gooberpil3 its best to wind it fully and release it so you dont have any unnecessary tension in there :)
sooooo helpful thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
do i need battery to use focus screen ? I cant see any way to focus now
no, you do not. the rangefinder is completely manual. if you don't even see the rangefinder patch in the center of the viewfinder, that means your rangefinder is blocked/damaged. is is the diamond shaped window right next to the viewfinder on the front.
can you zoom on the electro 35?
unfortunately no. it's a prime lens.
Which film do you use for this camera?
You can use any 35mm film. Fomapan is good for beginners because it’s extremely cheap.
I had the GTN (same camera, black version) and I wasn't impressed. I found the diamond focusing system very difficult to see even in good light. Also, the notorious 'pad of death' (which WILL fail if it hasn't already) needs to be repaired by someone qualified to do it and will probably cost more than the camera is worth.
Like with every old camera, repairs will almost always be worth more than the camera :) a leica m5 service in many countries costs more than the camera itself in mint condition :) yashica’s are cheap cameras so in most countries 1 hour of labor will go over its value ;p i seen online how to repair the pad of death by yourself with a ton of patience ;p but still they are great cameras to play with and they are beautiful as well :)
@@grainificent Thanks for responding so quickly. However, I don't feel that the beauty of it's appearance negates it's unreliability issues, and if I just wanted something to 'play with' I'd buy a Rubik Cube.!!
@@sputumtube i understand :) everyone likes playing with different things :) mine hasn't failed me me and from the people i know who have them for years, it hasn't failed anyone yet as well :) i like playing with film photography. even shooting large format and playing in the darkroom just for fun :)
My favorite of Peter Parker's cameras.
yes, i always look at what cameras actors are using xP
you canot shoot this camera without a battery since the lightmeter won't work, it is called ELECTRO 35 ffs, the shutter will only work at about 1/500 without the battery...
you can take photos without the battery :) i mentioned that the shutter speed will be locked at 1/500s without the battery :) you can use an external light meter or use the sunny 16 rule :) the shutter is the only thing you won't be able to change without the battery :)
@@grainificentso if i use lightmeter on a phone and set shutter speed to 1/500s in the lightmeter will it work ?
@@blackframes5658 yes, without battery the shutter is at 1/500 so just input iso and that shutter speed into a lightmeter app and it will tell you the proper F stop :)
@@grainificent thank you a lot. I shot like 16 exposures and it was my first time trying film i absolutely love it! (My grandpa gave this camera to me)
Congrats! 😃 i wish you many happy memories with it 😃