Yashica Electro 35 GSN: My Redscale Buddy

Rangefinder cameras are best known for the exceptionally sharp images that they produce, making them much sought after analogue goodies by lomographers and professional photographers alike. But for me, my beloved rangefinder, the Yashica Electro 35 GSN, is one best for redscaled photos. Let me show you why after the jump!

The Electro 35 GSN is a satin-chrome aperture priority rangefinder camera introduced by Japanese camera maker Yashica in 1973. It was part of the Electro 35 line first introduced in 1966, and was upgraded to have a hot shoe (but the PC socket was not omitted). Basically, as many previous reviews from the community have pointed out, it has:

• a 1:1.7 lens with a focal length of 45mm
• a quiet copal leaf shutter
• shutter speeds of Bulb to 1/500 second; the Electro 35 is capable of setting the exposure automatically from 30 seconds
• ASA range of 25 to 1000
• a simple light meter which warns you against overexposure (red arrow lights up) or indicate underexposure/use with a tripod (yellow arrow lights up)

Perhaps it’s not a top choice for lomographers who delight in the convenience of compact point-and-shoot cameras like the LC-A+ (especially for instances when you need to be quick), but many film photographers adore the Yashica Electro 35 GSN for the beautifully sharp images that it can produce. As someone who also loves the feel of solid cameras, I understood why it has gained a cult following: it feels pleasantly heavy in one’s hands, its weight helpful in making it stable while shooting. Match this with a silent shutter and a reasonably low price, and you have a trusty rangefinder camera that makes a great companion when you’re out for some leisurely shooting around town.

Nearly 3 years after we got together, I find that some of the best photos I’ve taken with the Yashica Electro are the redscaled ones. Maybe not only because this popular rangefinder camera is capable of exposing redscaled film properly (thanks to low ISO settings), but also rendering them sharply in crisp tones.

But, that’s enough talk from me; allow me to let my photos do the talking!

Information for this review were taken from Yashica Electro 35 on Wikipedia, Yashica Guy, and Yashica Electro 35 Reviews on Lomography.

written by plasticpopsicle on 2012-03-12 #gear #yashica #35mm #rangefinder #review #redscale #lomography #electro #rangefinder-camera #staff-review #gsn #electro-35