Yashica FX-D Quartz

 This is an in-depth review of the Yashica FX-D Quartz. I based this review on various resources on the Internet and my personal experience of using this camera for the last two months.

As it is usually the case, this camera is a car-boot sale find. The lady who sold it to me told me that I can have it for a pound since it was not working. Actually all it needed were new batteries.

With the acquisition of Contax by the Kyocera Group back in the early 70's, Yashica and Contax started the production of very similar products for two very different client groups. Yashica focused in the production of cameras for the amateurs / enthusiasts while Contax focused in the production of hi-end cameras for the Pros. In line with this policy, both companies produced cameras that bear a big amount of similarities to the point of being named sister cameras, if not twin sisters. Think of the Contax RTS and the Yashica FR (reviewed on this blog). Both Contaxes and Yashicas bear the same mount which means that the world famous Carl Zeiss lenses can be used on all Yashica SLRs and the compatibility between accessories and even spare parts is striking. The Yashica FX-D has therefore a big sister, it is the Contax 139 Quartz, but as we will see in a while those cameras are more than sisters - to me they are twins.

On the July 1981 issue of Modern Photography we find a four pages review of the Yashica FX-D that gives us a few details regarding the difference between the two cameras. The Contax maintains a sophisticated Off-The-Film-Plane TTL flash while it is dropped on the FX-D. Also, the Contax has aperture readouts on the viewfinder while Yashica doesn't. Contax has a small pneumatic shock absorber that makes the return of the mirror smoother than the Yashica. Contax has a top plate made of metal while Yashica's is plastic. But to tell you the truth, this is an excellent plastic material impregnated with glass fibres. It actually fooled me into believing that it is metal, it even feels cold in my hands just like metals do. Finally, Contax has the shutter speeds on the left while Yashica keeps the old orthodox placement of the shutter speeds on the right.

These are the obvious differences between the two cameras. The September 1982 issue of Popular Photography performed a complete strip down of the camera which revealed a few more differences. Contax uses a pentaprism while Yashica has a pentamirror which results in the viewfinder being a bit brighter in Contax. Also Contax's film advance level has a ball bearing that makes it smoother to operate. And this is where the differences end. Both cameras share the same shutter unit, same mirror box and mirror system (sans shock absorbers) and film advance system (sans ball bearing). To tell you the truth, the film advance system on the FX-D is excellent, it has a very small stroke cycle, smaller than the Olympus or the Pentax MX and almost as small as the Minolta XD-7. To my eyes, these make the two cameras being twin cameras. Not identical twins but twins nevertheless.

Pulling a few more comments from the lab report performed by Popular Photography, the "camera's workmanship appears flawless" and "in each case the plastic and design parts are above criticism". Finally "while having certain functional differences from the 139, the FX-D is by no means made to lower standards. Its flexible board bears a very strong resemblance to the more expensive model and the various switches and controls are first rate".

Comparing this camera to the older sister, the FR, the FX-D maintains a feature that I liked (the electromagnetic button for tripping the shutter) but loses the aperture readings in the viewfinder. Together with the electromagnetic button comes what I consider to be an ergonomic flaw, that is, having a separate button to activate the light meter. Having said that, placing the button in front of the camera feels a bit better than having it on the back. Unlike the FR, the FX-D is a small camera (same dimensions as the Olympus OM-1n) and adds aperture priority exposure

 Size comparison between Yashica and Olympus OM-1n

mode which I find it to be very helpful. To top that up, there is the very useful exposure lock button that locks the exposure for as long as it is switched on. On the negative side, remember to switch it off after you take the picture otherwise you risk screwing all your film. Also, storing away the camera with the exposure lock on will drain your batteries, so always keep an eye on it. The plague of these cameras is called "leatherette". It peels off and falls even without ever using the camera. All these cameras need to have them replaced. Despite the horrible state of the leatherette, my sample has seen very little use (if any at all). When I opened the film door, the light seals on the right side of the door looked like brand new and untouched. Of course the moment I touched them with my finger they turned into sticky goo but what I am trying to say is that this camera did not have a film canister in it for decades. I stripped off the old light seals and replaced it with self-adhesive black felt. I also removed all the old leatherette and cleaned the camera with Ronsonol to dissolve all the grease and dirt. Gave it a good rub with a cotton pad with a few drops of WD-40 and left it overnight. Next morning I cleaned it with a dry cloth. Mirror and focusing screen were cleaned with a cotton bud with a few drops of Ronsonol and gently wiped. 

Source: Popular Photography Sept. 1982

Using this camera has been a real pleasure. It is what I consider to be the ideal size and has performed flawlessly. Exposure is as accurate as a centre-weighted system can be and the Yashica ML 50 f/2 which came as a standard lens is first rate. I have to admit that the previous two DSB versions that I used left me rather cold but this little lens is excellent. The only things that I found distracting were the amount of noise and vibrations produced during picture taking. According to Popular Photography (see picture) the levels of both vibration and noise are below average for a camera of this price bracket but I suppose, having being used to super-silent cameras such as the Olympus OM-1n or the Minolta XD-7, the noise and especially the vibration levels are noticeable.

I shot two test films with the camera and I really like it a lot. Fit and finish of this camera is excellent and balances nicely on my hands. Exposure was accurate all the time although I did not test it in tricky light situations (this is where exposure lock comes handy). The Yashica ML 50 f/2 is, as I said, an excellent piece of glass. I just wish there was aperture reading in the viewfinder - how much I would love that!

Conclusion

Every now and then, there will be a camera on my blog that really manage to stand out from the rest. The high pro cameras like the Pentax MX, the Olympus OM-1n, the Minolta XD-7 or the Nikon F4s (review coming soon) are some of them. But there are other cameras that are really the dark horses of this blog, coming out of nowhere and impress me with their performance. The Yashica FX-D is one of them - I never thought when I was handing over that one pound that I would love it as much as I do. The reason for that is all the above mentioned. But the Yashica FX-D has one more virtue that hasn't been mentioned yet. It is the excellent reputation for reliability that I consider the single most important feature of this camera. True, Google around and you will find out that except general wear and tear there is no known history of any major faults associated for this camera. It might not reach the collectible status of the Contax RTS but neither do you have to worry about fried up electronics. And yes, it might not be of the same building quality and functionality like the Pentax LX but you don't have to worry about sticky mirrors either. Statements like these might read as exaggerations but the truth is that considering the relatively low price it fetches on the used market, it is one of the best cameras your money can buy. Mount on them a Carl Zeiss glass and you have the sharpest shooter around.

Highly Recommended!

Lasting Impressions

 

One of the cameras that I really regret having sold. Although the extra cash is always welcome in order to keep this blog running, I seriously regretted having sold this one. It is an excellent camera and I will keep my eyes open in case I come across another one.