In Defense of the Phoenix

The Yashica Electro 35 is a very underrated, and the the same time overrated, camera.  From all my readings, I've found the camera to be very popular in certain circles, while fairly reviled in others.  The cameras are said to be robust, well built cameras that take beautiful pictures, meter well and last for ages.  On the other side of the fence, I've read about the camera being poorly built, designed, made out of poor materials and clunky.  I've got a few things to say about the camera.

For those of us who are part of the meager working class, Leicas are unobtainable dreams.  Cameras like the Canonet and Fed 3 offer affordable alternatives to the Leica, but the Yashica has an underdog approach to it.  It's a company that isn't around anymore and one that didn't blatantly copy a more famous camera.  It is, for all intents and purposes, a well made camera.  The biggest failings being more about its era of manufacture than its actual manufacture.  The Electro seems to suffer more from failures due to material failure than anything else, deteriorating plastic and rubber, shutters becoming stuck by grime and electrical connection corroded by viscus batteries. This is an interesting youtube video about the pitfalls of the Yashica.

It's true that a camera made in Germany or even Russia with fewer electrical components to go wrong in them will probably last longer and require less work, but the Yashica has ease of use on its side.  While some photographers will scoff at the idea of an automatic rangefinder, shooting in aperture value mode still allows control over depth of field.  Shooting without being able to control exposure value and shutter speed may outrage some, but for a photographer like me who shoots in Av mode 90% of the time, this camera seems like a good idea.

I was able to shoot according to the "Sunny 16" rule without metering, but lost that ability with the use of digital cameras.  Using an Av rangefinder to ease back into using film will probably help with the transition back to film.

I feel that the biggest pitfall of the camera is the large size and heavy weight.  The camera is roughly the size of my 60D with a Canon 40mm STM lens, and nearly the weight.  It's amazing.  I was expecting a much smaller camera.  Considering my 60D is almost always at my side, I don't see a problem with that.

I think this is bigger than my last DSLR

The lens is repeatedly praised by many for how sharp it is.  This is possibly due to the simplicity of the lens.  The camera is surprisingly simple and easy to repair, there are several sources for information on repairing the camera.  This is a boon to the robust nature of the camera.

I'm happy to have it, look forward to working on it and can't wait to see how my pictures turn out.  I can't afford a nicer camera, and a fun project for the summer seems like a good idea.