Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The User's Review: Yashica TL Electro X 35mm camera, released in 1968

This Yashica body is heavy and well built with a lot of metal.
It has a screw-thread mount for lens.
Two arrows in the viewfinder indicate over/under exposure.
To me, they are confusing.

The TL Electro X in a bottom case was used by
Arnold in Sept. 1968 when he moved to USA.

Press down the black lever above the self-timer to check the exposure
in the viewfinder. The lever also works as DOF preview.

The chrome knob below the green light is a mirror lock. 
Turn it upward to flip up the mirror.
To return it to its original position, turn the knob down.

The mirror should be in up position when a wide angle lens (e.g., 21 mm) is mounted. 

A conventional layout of its top plate.

Press the red button to check battery. If the green lamp lights, the battery is ok .
Otherwise, the battery needs to be changed in order to operate electric exposure indicator. 

The battery chamber is located right under the film rewind knob.
It takes a 6 v silver oxide battery (Eveready 544 or equivalent).
Battery power is needed to operate the shutter. Otherwise, it fires only at B.
A simple bottom without many buttons, covers and connectors. 
A few years later, Yashica released all black TL Electro X ITS.
To me, all the changes are on the surface, black color,  roof sign,
ITS label, and the surfaces of shutter dial and battery cover. 

1 comment:

  1. I'm a fan of the black, having grown up at a time when it was rare and a "professional" only feature. Beside, I just like the look, although on that the TL ElectroX, I think it would have looked better w/o the big gold medalion on the pentaprism!

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