arhphotographic

The Yashica FX-2 is a manual focus camera originating from the mid 1970’s. As such it is a basic camera offering through the lens metering of the match needle type. The meter can be powered by a single LR44 battery that is actually slightly higher that the original 1.3v mercury cell that would have originally been used. Shutter speeds range from 1 Second to 1000th of a second. It is a substantial camera weighting just under 2lbs with the 50mm f1.9 lens pictured above and even heavier with the 85-300 f5 zoom lens pictured below.

The Yashica FX 2 includes a useful depth of view preview button. The film wind on mechanism has a 180° movement and the meter has a large on/off switch. The viewfinder isn’t the brightest neither is it the darkest. It has the Contax/Yashica mount. Apart from that there is not much to recommend it above other cameras of the time, at least not on paper. However when you get it in your hand, it exudes a quiet confidence. The shutter/ mirror return produces a very satisfying “Clack”

Lets have a look at some of the photos that came from using the 50mm and 85-300 lenses and a roll of Ilford HP5+

Before using the Yashica FX 2 for the first time I found that the meter was exposing about 2 stops under exposure when compared to my trusty Weston Master III light meter. This is probably due to using the LR44 1.5v battery. In the images above and the first one below I found I could compensate by matching the cameras light meter dial so that it just touched the + on the +/- scale in the viewfinder.

For the remaining images I decided to use the cameras meter knowing they would be underexposed. However I’m really pleased with the results. Perhaps testimony to the latitude of the HP5+

So for a camera that on paper wouldn’t be the first I would think of using, it delivered the goods, whether exposing with a handhold meter or knowingly underexposing with the camera’s meter.

In summary, a nice time with a no nonsense camera 🙂