Great to see someone embracing the square format. It's a challenging format that can create some challenges in terms of composition. I struggled at first, but now I love using my Bronica SQ Ai and newly acquired Mamiya C330. Great Video.
Probably greatest film camera purchase I’ve ever made. For months I saved up to find a Rolleiflex 2.8C (dream camera) but was disappointed after purchasing a $1000 Rollei-brick. Luckily got my money back, but I still wanted to get into medium format photography with a functional camera that wasn’t too much money. Randomly found a listing in September 2021 for a $400 Yashica Mat 124G with a lens cap, leather carrying case, and original strap. Did I mention that it came in the original box? Took it to get CLA’d only for my camera guy to tell me that he doesn’t think a roll of film has ever been inside the camera. Basically, I got a brand new camera that had been sitting in someone’s closet for years and just so happened to make its way online. It may not be my dream camera but it has not disappointed me so far.
I recently got an autocord off Craigslist for $70. Won’t lie it’s in rough shape mechanically. The leatherette on the front is missing, the rest of the panels are VERY dirty. The focus lever is stuck so until I disassemble the camera, I can only take pics of things 3.5ft away lol. Also, the shutter speed seems to be stuck at 1/125 regardless of what I set it to. Just finished a test roll after cleaning it a bit and besides some light leaks, it has incredible potential. Can’t wait to slowly make it better and better
Nice - I know what you mean about pricey. I got a cheap “fully working” Yashica Mat 124G on eBay which I had to give a lot of love and repair. Got it working and love it!
I love my Yashicamat 124G!!! I got mine in 1978 (it was $125 new then) and it still works, use it a lot!!! You got great results!!! get a lens shade, it really does better with one!!!
When we were moving from a two story house to an apartment I found my fathers 124g, it is in good shape despite being unused for 20 years! The camera is lovely to use, great viewfinder and if I find any 220 rolls I can shoot that too! The only thing and this is a bit silly is that the focusing dial is on the "wrong" side as I am so used to my 1950s rolleicord III! Keep up the good work!
My yashica 124G developed a now trendy 'promist' effect a few years ago. I sent it to a guy in Scotland who did a very good job for a reasonable price cleaning the aperture oil off the lens (apparently not uncommon with the 124G). It developed the same again last year, but he said this time its actually more terminal and not oil on the lens :( He didnt charge though which was good.
Not sure if I commented on one of your other videos but not long ago I picked up my first TLR. I haven't had much time to use it so far but love it when I do. I just got a cheap Seagull but the price was right and to dip my toe in the 6x6 water, it worked for me and I'm really happy with it. Like you said about the Yashica Mat 124, it's just this nice small box, about the same size as an SLR so I can take it anywhere and it weighs nothing. Very basic camera so very little to go wrong. Only used (Ilford) black and white with it so far, but your pictures from Greece were gorgeous and I think I'll pick up my first roll of Gold 120 for a little trip this weekend.
I bought a Yashica-Mat LM at an estate sale about a year ago. I don't shoot with it a lot, since 120 is so expensive, but I love the look. It reminds me of my grandparents' old snapshots from back in the '50s. And such an amazing piece of engineering!
The Yashica MAT 124 G was my first medium format camera. Amazing intro to medium format film. I prefer shooting with my Hasselblad now but I often go back to the Yashica for the ease of use and portability.
Shhh! Don't push the prices up, man! I'm hoping to get one of these when I find one I can afford and is in working condition. Actually I'm looking at a number of TLRs, so who knows what I'll eventually get. It's great to see this camera in action, so great video.
About 7 years ago, I found someone selling a pair of Yashica Mat 124g on Craigslist in mint condition with the cases. They were asking $100 for the pair. When I checked the batteries for the light meter, both cameras had the metal converter that allowed the camera to take cheap button batteries. It decreases the voltage from 1.5v to 1.35v like the Wein air cells that are expense and hard to find. These used to take the mercury cells but they were banned. I looked at the price at the time and those little converters were selling for $35 so I got quite a bargain. I gave one to my daughter who used it extensively when she was interning for Africare in Washington, D.C. She got good exposures from the meter on scenery using the averaging meter on the camera. Very much loved your photos of Greece as well as your food tour. Someday, I'd like to eat my way through Greece. Love Greek food, for now, I will just have to dine at our Greek festivals in Los Angeles.
Thanks for another informative video! You got some great shots on your trip and congrats on the baby which should be keeping you both busy by now! You seem to get ahold of and make videos of cameras I'm interested in! The 124G looks like a totally capable camera that is fun to use, what else can you ask for! Cheers my friend!
Great video Ribs! Those Greece shots were so cool! I really need to go back there and shoot some film! I have really been loving using my non-G Yashica Mat-124! It’s such a light and satisfying camera to use when you’re out and about and want to shoot some sweet 6x6 images
Glad that you got snagged this. It’s and excellent camera and for the money has good image quality. It’s a whole lot lighter than a rolleiflex and a Hasselblad. Forgot to mention that filters are available for this camera in case you want to combine them with B&W film.
When I saw your video about the Mamiya C330 I was hooked, now I have one myself. It’s my first medium format camera and I just got the 2 first rolls from lab. The few shots that went out good was really nice! Thanks for the inspo! That one will be a great complement to my Leica M10!
I’m going back through and scanning some negatives I took in college in the ‘80s. Some of them are from a visit to Balboa Park in San Diego, taken on my Uncle’s Yashica 124, and they are amazing! Great contrast, sharp focus. Great camera. Yesterday I took delivery of a C3 in okay shape (cheap!) and am excited to get out there with it. I’ve had two others but seem to keep getting rid of them!
I lucked out with mine. My dad bought one at a yard sale for $10 when I was a kid, and when I got into photography, he gifted it to me. Similarly, it was and is in great condition. I find it hard to use for informal shooting, but for more prepared sorts of shots, it’s a joy.
Ribsy I’ve watched nearly all your great vids and for me these photos are by far the best I think you’ve taken. Expose, composition, are spot on, and your portraits wow 🤩. I had one of these camera’s some years ago. Got it from a friend who photographed weddings. It’s now on my sisters shelf. I’m going to get it back service it, and take it out of retirement. It great for everything, think Vivian Maier. Ps no wild life.
It's a great camera. I have two small issues with it: 1) Aperture and shutter speed settings are very hard to read in bad light because the characters are so tiny that I have to search for my reading glasses every time before I can change any of these settings 😅 2) You cannot replace the magnifying glass of the viewfinder with a different one with a diopter correction as it possible for example with the Zenza Bronica SQ-A. So once again I need to search my reading glasses all the time before I can focus reliably with the Yashica Mat 124G.
@@ribsy Good luck! 👍 However unfortunately it's likely that you'll need reading glasses when you're 45-50 years old. And then suddenly all cameras without diopter correction become unusable (if you don't want to search for your glasses all the time). That's why for example my Canonet isn't used very much anymore even though it's a great little camera.
congrats on the Mat 124G :) if you enjoy it even half as much as i enjoy my Mat 124, you'll have a wonderfull experience with it :) thx for the video :)
I’m relatively local just outside of London but head in quite often to do street. Would you ever consider meeting up do like a group walk around or anything with some of your viewers? Keep up the awesome work!
I bought my 124G back in college in the 70s. It's in storage. Haven't used it for years. Recently I've been considering breaking it out/ Gave away all my darkroom gear, but still have a tank. I used it for weddings along side a couple of 35mm.
Bought mine new back in the day. Took it everywhere. Cleaning lady knocked it off the shelf and broke it. Tried to have it repaired twice to no avail. Then, like you, I found Mark Hama the wizard. Should have it back any day. Plan to use it for infrared photography.
Using the lens hood for the lens is a must. Also, if you have the patience for it, you should flock the interior to reduce the reflections from it's shiny interior.
It's improved my images a lot, bringing it almost to the level of a Rolleiflex. If you can safely paint the interior black mat, that's a possibility. I didn't take a chance. I think I saw a video about it. Once you order the black flocking material (cheap -for telescopes) you cut little paper patterns matching the interior of the camera and then use that to cut the flocking paper. Remove the backing and glue to the inside.@@ribsy
The 124G is def a well built camera. While hiking in the Adirondacks, mine slipped out of its case and tumbled 15 feet down the trail. I picked it up, looked it over, and didn't see any damage so I kept shooting with it. That was 1+ year ago and probably 40 rolls of film since.
Ohh Man I start my Photography Carrier in 1974 With the Same Camera 46 years ago . Shooting Schools and some other Projects with my Dad . 1975 i start in The Darkroom . Man what a feeling . Enjoy it My Freind . That Camera teaches you how to be a Great Photographer . Quality vs Quantity . 👍👍👍💪💪💪 one thing before you put the Camera away make sure you pull the Focus Back . ( Flat to the Body 👍)
Aye thank you for sharing my comment Ribsy! 🙏 Now that you mention it emulsion looks more like Tofu! Tofu in soy sauce is the ONLY way to eat Tofu. Also loved the Ektar in Greece man, what a great damn combo looks like you had such an incredible time 🇬🇷
I got lucky with my Rolleiflex 2.8D. someone local was selling a relative's collection, and I got the Rollei and a Nikon FM with 3 lenses for $160. Needs a CLA, but truly an epic find.
My 124 had jammed crank and common self timer faulty, I fixed them all but not sure what went wrong during reassembly, now it can wind counterclockwise infinitely, which means mine can do double exposure!!! 😊
Great video thanks and some lovely photos. I have the 124G and also a Minolta Autocord and find it very difficult to choose between the two in terms of image quality, although the Autocord has different and more to my preference, controls for shutter speed, aperture and focusing. I think the 124G emulates the Rolleiflex in that respect. If you get the chance, try an Autocord!
By all means, try the Autocord. The 124G is actually a cheapened down version of its former self, so if you have to get one, look for the earlier 124 or 12 and avoid the plastic gears pjut in the film advance of the 124G. The video seems to offer faint praise and appology for the 124G lens: "It's from the 80's." Not so, it is from the late 1950's. It;s the same 4 element Tessar copy Yashica first used in the 50's. As for value at $400 lightly used, note that the last of the 124G units were sold by B&H in 1989 for $80, and were still had to move then. All the money put into the 124G went into copying the style of the Rolleiflex. If the Rollei is a Cadillac, the 124G is a shiny Yugo.
I bought a Mat 124G mint (with the leather carry case mint too) in the early 2000s. It still looks like it came fresh out of the box. I love that camera. It's lightweight, the focusing screen is decent. I don't need a light meter so I don't bother with Weincell batteries. The image quality is great. If 80mm on 6x6 is all you need, look no further than this camera. I got a mount adapter for the image taking lens to mount filters, great for BW photography.
I bought my 1st TLR (Yashicaflex A) a little over a month ago and have been loving it. Now I just need to get used to it so that I can get a decent image. lol Size is great and I can easily put together my "travel kit" in a simple over the shoulder camera bag. In goes the Yashicaflex A, the Yashica Electro 35, and the Canon G7X. That allows me to have multiple options.
I just picked one up for $250, and it is in excellent condition. I am waiting for the development of my first two rolls of BW. This is my first time shooting medium format, and it's challenging, but in a good way.
i have Yashica A, old school TLR, even have a red eindow, no winding knob. Shutter go up to 1/300. its hard to use 3.5 apperture in bright sun without overexposing. but anyway very happy with Yashica, mine is mint too
Lovely video. Loved the footage from Greece. Will there be a video of feasting in Greece :D Since I am from Turkey and all the food is nearly identical to us due to geography and culture, would like to learn your opinions on that.
I'm in the cuse. My father went to RIT for graphic arts & has a crown graphic & a tlr (yasi or rollei?) I scammed not 1 but 2 sinar 4x5s & 6 lenses from work scrap. So, Im gonna get into it & dig your work.
Nice! glad to see you are joining team Yashica (I roll with an FX-3 so not quite as cool as the Mat 124 G but still pretty cool), also, how do you deal with the added complexities of shooting with a square format? I find a rectangle hard enough for composing lol.
Mint condition, very nice! I am using a very beat up 124g which (after some repairs) is working fine. No functioning lightmeter but you can’t have it all :-)
I had a YashicaD amd after sending it to repair. All the plastic parts of the internals is why I wont go back. Picked up a second Rolleicord and waiting for a Rolleiflex to fall in my price range
Do you think you could do a review on a camera called the "Arax 645" it's a modified Kiev 60 (6c In the states) you can buy them from Arax. I trust your opinions on cameras but it you don't want to take the plunge I respect that, gotta save money for the tonzzzzze
I’m on the fence on selling mine. I recently got a 645 1000s and I think I need to lighten up my camera load. And the market is slowly swaying me to sell.
Regarding illford and colour film. I met them at the analog weekend a few weeks ago (roadshow) and got a bit of cheeky info. Harman who produce ilford film under lisence won't be able to make colour under the ilford name, but they can under their own Kentmeer branding. "Watch this space..."
One of the problems with a Rolleiflex is that most of them, as professional cameras, have been beaten to death, so expect to pay for a very expensive repair and a CLA. I've got two 'Cords-a II(d)(mutant) that was a factory "parts" camera from just after WWII. Its Triotar lens is amazing for portraits. And a "Cord V with the Xenar lens. I use a side-grip on mine for comfort, which helps with stabilizing the shots. I've got the full kit of filters and close-up lenses ,which let me shoot flowers and the like. The big, fat negatives and the bokeh you can get when shooting wide open provide a lot of options for available light shooting. Developing my own black and white gives me a fair amount of control over my results, and running some period emulsions (like Ilford Ortho) through it is just fun for portraits. And of course, the comments you get in parks when kids and anyone under 40 sees you shooting a TLR are priceless. Ribsy, Iflord used to make color film. And of course, Ilfochrome.
My only experience with TLR was Mamiya C330 I have a SQA and ETRS but the 124G intrigues me as the lenses seem quality prices are strong at the moment but I can wait I have a itch for one lol 😂
If you don't need the meter, get an old Yashicamat. I used to have one and it was superb. I got rid of it when I got a Rollei, because I didn't use it any more. Now, of course, I regret selling it. I think the 124G may have more modern lens coatings, but that makes very little difference most of the time.
RIBSY! I watched this before I bought mine. Did you know Davy Crockett Used one of these Yashica cameras during the siege of the Alamo in 1836!? Using just one roll of Kodak Eastman 5222 black and white 35mm motion picture film he shot enough sprocket holes to stave off General Santa Anna and his army of 2000 men for THIRTEEN DAYS! Thank you so much for sharing! More people need to learn about the Yashica and its rich AMERICAN history of nearly 200 years. Learn more in my new youtube short "the untold history of the Yashica Mat 124G" Been subbed and watching for a while. Love your stuff!
@@ribsy i cannot believe you replied! I am honored Mr Ribsy! The TLR gods have shined upon me. In all seriousness love your stuff. Please excuse my manic history lesson. Hope you have a blessed day!
Ribsy how do you compose your shot since the taking lens is under the viewing lens.. Do you have to raise the camera up to get a proper frame..? Thanks..
If you are up close to your subject then you have to account for the parallax and aim down a little. Or you can use the built-in parallax corrector depending on which camera you have
Is the light meter dial basically the same like using a Zenit, where it gives you the suggested aperture next to the shutter-speed once you align the two things?
I got one a couple of years ago. I bought it from my photography teacher for about 150 bucks. One day I took it out for a walk and somehow it fell out of the leather harness. Totall loss. It was horrible because that thing was my favorite camera. I loved that thing more than my Hasselblad which I had recently sold because I needed a digital camera for art documentation. The gods of photography smiled upon me though, because last year I walked into a thrift store and they had one for about 60 bucks in impeccable condition (it came with a completely destroyed leather harness which must have taken most of the damage and must have been the reason for the low price). I still got a picture proving I got it that cheap. I've seen them go for up to 400 bucks already in similar condition.
Re: Ilford. 100% agree with all the points mentioned. I will empty out my stock of Kodak and Fuji BW film. All new BW purchases will go towards Ilford.
2.8 is a hair more than 2/3 of a stop larger than 3.5. F4 would be a full stop difference from 2.8. And looking at the video, was it a boy or a girl (you rascal you :) Yeah, my 330 is a load around the neck and I usually carry it by the hand grip. But then I'm not doing street photography. The 220 is lighter and I carry that more often.
I just got the non G 124, freshly CLAd as my first medium format camera and I've had really big issues. I just get so many blurry colors with off colors and ugly artifacts that look like leaks. My local camera store guy said the camera looks really good and it's probably user error. Any idea what I could be doing wrong to miss so many shots?(like all of them)
Have you ruled out issues with developing? If so, make sure when you load the film that it’s flat and tight by holding the film spool as you wind to the start position. If the backing paper/film is not tight it can affect the sharpness of your images.
@@sinjon2112 the last roll of Tmax I did was pretty good, spare missing a focus on 2 shots. I think it was a combination of a curly film stock that didn't scan well, and not holding steady enough.
I post this comment out of irritation over producers who video about virtues of cameras, where those virtues are the result of social media hype rather than camera performance. Many years ago, looking to buy a TLR, I took the opportunity to use and do on-film optical tests of a half dozen TLRs from Rolleiflex with Tessar lens down to this Yashicamat 124G, which was practically new in the box. Results: Minolta Autocord kicked ass, followed by Rolleiflex/Tessar and Rolleicord/Xenar. then a bit less resolution, Ricoh Diacord, and one other (forgotten). Finally, the Yashicamat 124G. Noting that none of these Tessar copy 4 element lenses do well wide open or for the first stop or so down, the Mat yielded performance at less than half the resolution of any other camera wide open (15-20 lpm) and no better than 70% at best aperture.The Mat is basically stamped together from sheet metal and has low tolerance mechanicals, which is why it always feels and sounds "ratchety" when film is advanced. The last Mats were sold new by B&H in 1989 for $90. That's a good price for one in decent condition today. The idea of spending $300+ on one, even like-new, today, when you can buy many better cameras for the same or less, is a classic illustration of social media hype. Sorry to see our guy buying into it. Some one asked me why there are so many Mats around for sale. Well, it was by far the cheapest TLR (4 element lens) being sold from 1960 until production ended in 1986. When a Rolleicord is selling for $250+, a Hasselblad for $500+, and a Mat for never more than $140, you sell a lot of Mats. Like the one I tested, someone bought it, put a couple of rolls through it and then boxed it away and forgotten.
@@ribsy Not a "bad guy,". Just a guy slinging a lot of bad advice, both as to relative camera performance and as to cost/price. The 124G at around $300-500 is just the most overvalued medium format camera available. For example, your remark that the 124G is fantastically make and 100% made of metal. The 124G was cheapened down from earlier versions of the 'Mat by replacing metal gears with plastic gear sets, cheaper and less wear tolerant. The body is stamped sheet metal, which means that if you drop it, it will bend or distort (my own experience), unlike cameras with solid cast frames. By the way, the lens in the last 124G made in 1986 is exactly the same as the 4-element Yashinon first introduced around 1959. it was average in 1959 and mediocre in 1986. If you could buy a 124G today for $125 and use it for negatives to scan for social media and enlargement up to 11x14 inches, it would be a great camera.
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Great to see someone embracing the square format. It's a challenging format that can create some challenges in terms of composition. I struggled at first, but now I love using my Bronica SQ Ai and newly acquired Mamiya C330. Great Video.
I can’t get enough of it
Probably greatest film camera purchase I’ve ever made. For months I saved up to find a Rolleiflex 2.8C (dream camera) but was disappointed after purchasing a $1000 Rollei-brick. Luckily got my money back, but I still wanted to get into medium format photography with a functional camera that wasn’t too much money. Randomly found a listing in September 2021 for a $400 Yashica Mat 124G with a lens cap, leather carrying case, and original strap. Did I mention that it came in the original box? Took it to get CLA’d only for my camera guy to tell me that he doesn’t think a roll of film has ever been inside the camera. Basically, I got a brand new camera that had been sitting in someone’s closet for years and just so happened to make its way online. It may not be my dream camera but it has not disappointed me so far.
Yea the extra cost of a rollei doesn’t get you anything in return. But I still love them
I recently got an autocord off Craigslist for $70. Won’t lie it’s in rough shape mechanically. The leatherette on the front is missing, the rest of the panels are VERY dirty. The focus lever is stuck so until I disassemble the camera, I can only take pics of things 3.5ft away lol. Also, the shutter speed seems to be stuck at 1/125 regardless of what I set it to. Just finished a test roll after cleaning it a bit and besides some light leaks, it has incredible potential. Can’t wait to slowly make it better and better
The 124g went for a little over $125.00 back in the 80's used it for school proms with great results.
Nice - I know what you mean about pricey. I got a cheap “fully working” Yashica Mat 124G on eBay which I had to give a lot of love and repair. Got it working and love it!
niceeeee
I love my Yashicamat 124G!!! I got mine in 1978 (it was $125 new then) and it still works, use it a lot!!! You got great results!!! get a lens shade, it really does better with one!!!
Niceeee!
When we were moving from a two story house to an apartment I found my fathers 124g, it is in good shape despite being unused for 20 years!
The camera is lovely to use, great viewfinder and if I find any 220 rolls I can shoot that too!
The only thing and this is a bit silly is that the focusing dial is on the "wrong" side as I am so used to my 1950s rolleicord III!
Keep up the good work!
That’s amazing. A great story
Awesome addition! Lovely to see how beautiful places can be captured with film, incredible.
thanks for watching
My yashica 124G developed a now trendy 'promist' effect a few years ago. I sent it to a guy in Scotland who did a very good job for a reasonable price cleaning the aperture oil off the lens (apparently not uncommon with the 124G). It developed the same again last year, but he said this time its actually more terminal and not oil on the lens :( He didnt charge though which was good.
Interesting - maybe looks cool
I love your videos and your natural way of talking directly to the viewer. Plus you are a terrific photographer.
Thank you for the comments and for watching!
You finally joined the club 👏🏾 and yes this is a fun medium format camera 👆🏾
i did! long time coming
Not sure if I commented on one of your other videos but not long ago I picked up my first TLR. I haven't had much time to use it so far but love it when I do. I just got a cheap Seagull but the price was right and to dip my toe in the 6x6 water, it worked for me and I'm really happy with it. Like you said about the Yashica Mat 124, it's just this nice small box, about the same size as an SLR so I can take it anywhere and it weighs nothing. Very basic camera so very little to go wrong. Only used (Ilford) black and white with it so far, but your pictures from Greece were gorgeous and I think I'll pick up my first roll of Gold 120 for a little trip this weekend.
Thanks for watching! The seagull sounds cool
I bought a Yashica-Mat LM at an estate sale about a year ago. I don't shoot with it a lot, since 120 is so expensive, but I love the look. It reminds me of my grandparents' old snapshots from back in the '50s. And such an amazing piece of engineering!
Yea it’s a great brand of camera
The Yashica MAT 124 G was my first medium format camera. Amazing intro to medium format film. I prefer shooting with my Hasselblad now but I often go back to the Yashica for the ease of use and portability.
yea id love a hasselblad too
Wait a hot minute, you’re gonna be a dad?! Congrats brother! A little ribs on the way or ribette lol great video and nice shots as usual my guy 👍🏾
Haha yes indeed! Thanks for the good wishes 😊
Shhh! Don't push the prices up, man! I'm hoping to get one of these when I find one I can afford and is in working condition. Actually I'm looking at a number of TLRs, so who knows what I'll eventually get. It's great to see this camera in action, so great video.
prices are already up! 😅
The 124 g is a great camera used one for high school proms with great results.
Great scenes and photos from Rhodes. Threw my bod in the sea almost at the exact same spot 10 years ago (03:15 mark).
Haha that sea is great
Freaking right, glad I found the channel. Greece is my favorite place to go, I could move there if I had my way. Ethkaristo
thanks for watching
About 7 years ago, I found someone selling a pair of Yashica Mat 124g on Craigslist in mint condition with the cases. They were asking $100 for the pair. When I checked the batteries for the light meter, both cameras had the metal converter that allowed the camera to take cheap button batteries. It decreases the voltage from 1.5v to 1.35v like the Wein air cells that are expense and hard to find. These used to take the mercury cells but they were banned. I looked at the price at the time and those little converters were selling for $35 so I got quite a bargain. I gave one to my daughter who used it extensively when she was interning for Africare in Washington, D.C. She got good exposures from the meter on scenery using the averaging meter on the camera.
Very much loved your photos of Greece as well as your food tour. Someday, I'd like to eat my way through Greece. Love Greek food, for now, I will just have to dine at our Greek festivals in Los Angeles.
Such a great find! Good studf
Thanks for another informative video! You got some great shots on your trip and congrats on the baby which should be keeping you both busy by now! You seem to get ahold of and make videos of cameras I'm interested in! The 124G looks like a totally capable camera that is fun to use, what else can you ask for! Cheers my friend!
Thank you!
16:23 You read a comment from someone I know, who I didn't know was into film. I guess Makers love film too!
Haha cool!
That man had the Aguila’s jersey on! lovey campeón!!!!
Ya lo sabes!
Great video Ribs! Those Greece shots were so cool! I really need to go back there and shoot some film! I have really been loving using my non-G Yashica Mat-124! It’s such a light and satisfying camera to use when you’re out and about and want to shoot some sweet 6x6 images
Love this camera so far
Check out focusing screens from Rick Olsen. His alternative focusing screens can help focus if you struggle with other focusing screens.
Yup I’ve seen them
Glad that you got snagged this. It’s and excellent camera and for the money has good image quality. It’s a whole lot lighter than a rolleiflex and a Hasselblad. Forgot to mention that filters are available for this camera in case you want to combine them with B&W film.
Yea it really is a great camera
When I saw your video about the Mamiya C330 I was hooked, now I have one myself. It’s my first medium format camera and I just got the 2 first rolls from lab. The few shots that went out good was really nice! Thanks for the inspo! That one will be a great complement to my Leica M10!
The c330 will always have a place in my heart
I’m going back through and scanning some negatives I took in college in the ‘80s. Some of them are from a visit to Balboa Park in San Diego, taken on my Uncle’s Yashica 124, and they are amazing! Great contrast, sharp focus. Great camera.
Yesterday I took delivery of a C3 in okay shape (cheap!) and am excited to get out there with it. I’ve had two others but seem to keep getting rid of them!
C3 sounds awesome
I love my 124G. I was extremely lucky to find a mint one in a local house clearance place...for £10. It's a joy to use.
Wow that’s an amazing find!
@@ribsy It took all my effort to maintain a poker face
I lucked out with mine. My dad bought one at a yard sale for $10 when I was a kid, and when I got into photography, he gifted it to me. Similarly, it was and is in great condition. I find it hard to use for informal shooting, but for more prepared sorts of shots, it’s a joy.
yea def good for prepared shots
Ribsy I’ve watched nearly all your great vids and for me these photos are by far the best I think you’ve taken. Expose, composition, are spot on, and your portraits wow 🤩. I had one of these camera’s some years ago. Got it from a friend who photographed weddings. It’s now on my sisters shelf. I’m going to get it back service it, and take it out of retirement. It great for everything, think Vivian Maier. Ps no wild life.
Thanks for watching. I liked these photos too!
Beautiful camera and photos bro! Yashinon glass too!
Thanks for watching
It's a great camera. I have two small issues with it:
1) Aperture and shutter speed settings are very hard to read in bad light because the characters are so tiny that I have to search for my reading glasses every time before I can change any of these settings 😅
2) You cannot replace the magnifying glass of the viewfinder with a different one with a diopter correction as it possible for example with the Zenza Bronica SQ-A. So once again I need to search my reading glasses all the time before I can focus reliably with the Yashica Mat 124G.
good point! hopefully my vision stays solid over time
@@ribsy Good luck! 👍 However unfortunately it's likely that you'll need reading glasses when you're 45-50 years old. And then suddenly all cameras without diopter correction become unusable (if you don't want to search for your glasses all the time). That's why for example my Canonet isn't used very much anymore even though it's a great little camera.
Nice composition. Thanks for sharing. 😀🥳
Thanks for watching!
Awesome vid mate, do really like the look of the TLRs.
If you had one film camera out of your collection, what would it be any why?
def keepin the yashica
congrats on the Mat 124G :) if you enjoy it even half as much as i enjoy my Mat 124, you'll have a wonderfull experience with it :) thx for the video :)
oh yea i def enjoy it
I’m relatively local just outside of London but head in quite often to do street. Would you ever consider meeting up do like a group walk around or anything with some of your viewers?
Keep up the awesome work!
I’m leaving london very soon 😅
@@ribsy thats a shame man but I am sure you'll have opportunities to do local meet ups in your new place!
Looking forward to seeing more shots from it. I had a Rolleicord and regret selling it now.
yea will be using it alot
that was my very first TLR camera!! I own rolleiflex now, but not using it much.. thanks for the video!
Yea my rolleiflex is in storage usually
@@ribsy 😳
I bought my 124G back in college in the 70s. It's in storage. Haven't used it for years. Recently I've been considering breaking it out/ Gave away all my darkroom gear, but still have a tank. I used it for weddings along side a couple of 35mm.
thats some good gear
I just got my first TLR (Rolleicord) and man! It’s fun!! It def has its pros and cons for candid street tho.
Yea it’s a beast of its own
I've had a few. Latest got here then went right out to Mark Hama. It operates like brand new. By far my favorite camera ever.
Niceeee
Bought mine new back in the day. Took it everywhere. Cleaning lady knocked it off the shelf and broke it. Tried to have it repaired twice to no avail. Then, like you, I found
Mark Hama the wizard. Should have it back any day. Plan to use it for infrared photography.
amazing video as always. that camera takes some incredible images, God I want one now 😭
*I take amazing images lol
@@ribsy haha yes sorryy. but to be fair you can't make images like this on just any camera. it's a combination of talent and tools
Using the lens hood for the lens is a must. Also, if you have the patience for it, you should flock the interior to reduce the reflections from it's shiny interior.
Interesting
It's improved my images a lot, bringing it almost to the level of a Rolleiflex. If you can safely paint the interior black mat, that's a possibility. I didn't take a chance. I think I saw a video about it. Once you order the black flocking material (cheap -for telescopes) you cut little paper patterns matching the interior of the camera and then use that to cut the flocking paper. Remove the backing and glue to the inside.@@ribsy
I just got one ☝🏻 like yours for myself in hardly used condition. 🥳
nice!
The 124G is def a well built camera. While hiking in the Adirondacks, mine slipped out of its case and tumbled 15 feet down the trail. I picked it up, looked it over, and didn't see any damage so I kept shooting with it. That was 1+ year ago and probably 40 rolls of film since.
Amazing! Thing is a tank
Ohh Man I start my Photography Carrier in 1974
With the Same Camera 46 years ago . Shooting Schools and some other Projects with my Dad . 1975 i start in The Darkroom . Man what a feeling . Enjoy it My Freind . That Camera teaches you how to be a Great Photographer . Quality vs Quantity . 👍👍👍💪💪💪 one thing before you put the Camera away make sure you pull the Focus Back . ( Flat to the Body 👍)
Awesome. Thanks for the tip
Got a mint example at goodwill for $10 bucks! Scooped it up and ran to the register as fast as I could. Lucky day 🍀
nice!
B&H sells a lens hood for it new helps with the flare
Oh good to know
Aye thank you for sharing my comment Ribsy! 🙏 Now that you mention it emulsion looks more like Tofu! Tofu in soy sauce is the ONLY way to eat Tofu.
Also loved the Ektar in Greece man, what a great damn combo looks like you had such an incredible time 🇬🇷
hahaha yea more like tofu
Great photos!!
thanks!
I'm expecting one in the post during the next couple of days! Fingers crossed the condition is OK.
Oh nice. Enjoy!
I got lucky with my Rolleiflex 2.8D. someone local was selling a relative's collection, and I got the Rollei and a Nikon FM with 3 lenses for $160. Needs a CLA, but truly an epic find.
wow thats is crazy price
My 124 had jammed crank and common self timer faulty, I fixed them all but not sure what went wrong during reassembly, now it can wind counterclockwise infinitely, which means mine can do double exposure!!! 😊
Oh interesting
I have one of those, also in excellent condition. They’re great for what they are.
They are def great
Great video thanks and some lovely photos. I have the 124G and also a Minolta Autocord and find it very difficult to choose between the two in terms of image quality, although the Autocord has different and more to my preference, controls for shutter speed, aperture and focusing. I think the 124G emulates the Rolleiflex in that respect. If you get the chance, try an Autocord!
By all means, try the Autocord. The 124G is actually a cheapened down version of its former self, so if you have to get one, look for the earlier 124 or 12 and avoid the plastic gears pjut in the film advance of the 124G. The video seems to offer faint praise and appology for the 124G lens: "It's from the 80's." Not so, it is from the late 1950's. It;s the same 4 element Tessar copy Yashica first used in the 50's. As for value at $400 lightly used, note that the last of the 124G units were sold by B&H in 1989 for $80, and were still had to move then. All the money put into the 124G went into copying the style of the Rolleiflex. If the Rollei is a Cadillac, the 124G is a shiny Yugo.
Yea the cameras are very similar
I have the Yashica 124B, can't complain about it !!!
Cool! I don’t know much of it
Amazing pics. Really, Rosaria
thank you!
I bought a Mat 124G mint (with the leather carry case mint too) in the early 2000s. It still looks like it came fresh out of the box. I love that camera. It's lightweight, the focusing screen is decent. I don't need a light meter so I don't bother with Weincell batteries. The image quality is great. If 80mm on 6x6 is all you need, look no further than this camera. I got a mount adapter for the image taking lens to mount filters, great for BW photography.
it really is great!
I have a yashikamat 120. Love it!
yea thats dope
I bought my 1st TLR (Yashicaflex A) a little over a month ago and have been loving it. Now I just need to get used to it so that I can get a decent image. lol Size is great and I can easily put together my "travel kit" in a simple over the shoulder camera bag. In goes the Yashicaflex A, the Yashica Electro 35, and the Canon G7X. That allows me to have multiple options.
It really is great for travel
Just got gifted the non-G version of this camera. Can't wait to put a roll through
Pretty cool, enjoy
I just picked one up for $250, and it is in excellent condition. I am waiting for the development of my first two rolls of BW. This is my first time shooting medium format, and it's challenging, but in a good way.
Well done!
i have Yashica A, old school TLR, even have a red eindow, no winding knob. Shutter go up to 1/300. its hard to use 3.5 apperture in bright sun without overexposing. but anyway very happy with Yashica, mine is mint too
Yea they are great
It was my first medium format camera I bought, love how bright the waist level finder is.
yea its great!
You’ve inspired me to get mine out and shoot. Is the Aegean as blue as it looks?
It is! Such a beautiful sea
Lovely video. Loved the footage from Greece. Will there be a video of feasting in Greece :D Since I am from Turkey and all the food is nearly identical to us due to geography and culture, would like to learn your opinions on that.
No FOF from Greece Altho you get a quick snippet in this video
The food was great BTW 😀
@@ribsy Thanks for the reply.
I'm in the cuse. My father went to RIT for graphic arts & has a crown graphic & a tlr (yasi or rollei?) I scammed not 1 but 2 sinar 4x5s & 6 lenses from work scrap. So, Im gonna get into it & dig your work.
very cool!
@@ribsy plus ordered the instax back so tnx for the review.
I was really lucky three years ago to get an older Ciroflex TLR for $50. I've put a few rolls of HP5+ through it with some good results.
Yea there are so many good ones
Nice! glad to see you are joining team Yashica (I roll with an FX-3 so not quite as cool as the Mat 124 G but still pretty cool), also, how do you deal with the added complexities of shooting with a square format? I find a rectangle hard enough for composing lol.
Oh I don’t find it complex. 6x6 is more intuitive I find
Mint condition, very nice! I am using a very beat up 124g which (after some repairs) is working fine. No functioning lightmeter but you can’t have it all :-)
Haha yes we can’t have it all
I just have a semflex. It seems super clean however i don’t know a lot about anything film.
Oh I don’t know it
It needs a Rollei bayonet 1 lens hood. They are around $45 on ebay but will improve your pictures and make the camera look even cooler
Haha maybe
awesome shots! side note, you have to pick ONE football team, you can't be wearing different team shirts especially rivals! haha
LOL ... man, i don't know the first thing about any of these teams. my only rule is one per nation
Nice presentation. What kind of film do you use in this ? (ISO wise)
Oh I don’t remember
I had a YashicaD amd after sending it to repair. All the plastic parts of the internals is why I wont go back. Picked up a second Rolleicord and waiting for a Rolleiflex to fall in my price range
gotcha. i don't think rolleiflex is going to drop in price 😅
@@ribsy Price is inflated?
Great video
Thanks!
Do you think you could do a review on a camera called the "Arax 645" it's a modified Kiev 60 (6c In the states) you can buy them from Arax. I trust your opinions on cameras but it you don't want to take the plunge I respect that, gotta save money for the tonzzzzze
I don’t know it but maybe one day
I’m on the fence on selling mine. I recently got a 645 1000s and I think I need to lighten up my camera load. And the market is slowly swaying me to sell.
Interesting. Very different cameras
Is there anyway you could do a short video about your light meter?
Yea prob will do so soon
Thank you!
Regarding illford and colour film. I met them at the analog weekend a few weeks ago (roadshow) and got a bit of cheeky info.
Harman who produce ilford film under lisence won't be able to make colour under the ilford name, but they can under their own Kentmeer branding. "Watch this space..."
Yup 😃
What stock have you been shooting looks really vibrant
A lot of ektar 100
Ribsy, do you ever use a monopod?
I think he should use a monocle when using a TLR. lol
Na never
One of the problems with a Rolleiflex is that most of them, as professional cameras, have been beaten to death, so expect to pay for a very expensive repair and a CLA. I've got two 'Cords-a II(d)(mutant) that was a factory "parts" camera from just after WWII. Its Triotar lens is amazing for portraits. And a "Cord V with the Xenar lens. I use a side-grip on mine for comfort, which helps with stabilizing the shots.
I've got the full kit of filters and close-up lenses ,which let me shoot flowers and the like. The big, fat negatives and the bokeh you can get when shooting wide open provide a lot of options for available light shooting. Developing my own black and white gives me a fair amount of control over my results, and running some period emulsions (like Ilford Ortho) through it is just fun for portraits.
And of course, the comments you get in parks when kids and anyone under 40 sees you shooting a TLR are priceless.
Ribsy, Iflord used to make color film. And of course, Ilfochrome.
I Wasn’t aware of the ilford color film!
My only experience with TLR was Mamiya C330 I have a SQA and ETRS but the 124G intrigues me as the lenses seem quality prices are strong at the moment but I can wait I have a itch for one lol 😂
they are very intriguing!
If you don't need the meter, get an old Yashicamat. I used to have one and it was superb. I got rid of it when I got a Rollei, because I didn't use it any more. Now, of course, I regret selling it. I think the 124G may have more modern lens coatings, but that makes very little difference most of the time.
Yea the 124g is the most modern one. Def not necessary tho
RIBSY! I watched this before I bought mine. Did you know Davy Crockett Used one of these Yashica cameras during the siege of the Alamo in 1836!? Using just one roll of Kodak Eastman 5222 black and white 35mm motion picture film he shot enough sprocket holes to stave off General Santa Anna and his army of 2000 men for THIRTEEN DAYS! Thank you so much for sharing! More people need to learn about the Yashica and its rich AMERICAN history of nearly 200 years. Learn more in my new youtube short "the untold history of the Yashica Mat 124G" Been subbed and watching for a while. Love your stuff!
Awesome! The yashica really is one of the greats
@@ribsy i cannot believe you replied! I am honored Mr Ribsy! The TLR gods have shined upon me. In all seriousness love your stuff. Please excuse my manic history lesson. Hope you have a blessed day!
Also, are you moving back to NY?!
yes indeed
Ribsy how do you compose your shot since the taking lens is under the viewing lens..
Do you have to raise the camera up to get a proper frame..?
Thanks..
If you are up close to your subject then you have to account for the parallax and aim down a little. Or you can use the built-in parallax corrector depending on which camera you have
Is the light meter dial basically the same like using a Zenit, where it gives you the suggested aperture next to the shutter-speed once you align the two things?
i think so, something like that
👍Thanks for this video !
Thanks for watching
The lightmeter is actually pretty good the only diffcult thing is to find the right batteries for it.
Gotcha
I got one a couple of years ago. I bought it from my photography teacher for about 150 bucks. One day I took it out for a walk and somehow it fell out of the leather harness. Totall loss. It was horrible because that thing was my favorite camera. I loved that thing more than my Hasselblad which I had recently sold because I needed a digital camera for art documentation. The gods of photography smiled upon me though, because last year I walked into a thrift store and they had one for about 60 bucks in impeccable condition (it came with a completely destroyed leather harness which must have taken most of the damage and must have been the reason for the low price). I still got a picture proving I got it that cheap. I've seen them go for up to 400 bucks already in similar condition.
wow 60 bucks!
Re: Ilford. 100% agree with all the points mentioned. I will empty out my stock of Kodak and Fuji BW film. All new BW purchases will go towards Ilford.
Yea good choice
Stealth street camera ;-)
yea potentially!
2.8 is a hair more than 2/3 of a stop larger than 3.5. F4 would be a full stop difference from 2.8. And looking at the video, was it a boy or a girl (you rascal you :)
Yeah, my 330 is a load around the neck and I usually carry it by the hand grip. But then I'm not doing street photography. The 220 is lighter and I carry that more often.
Congrats upcoming dad!!
Yes indeed! Gracias mano 🙌🏽
I just got the non G 124, freshly CLAd as my first medium format camera and I've had really big issues. I just get so many blurry colors with off colors and ugly artifacts that look like leaks. My local camera store guy said the camera looks really good and it's probably user error. Any idea what I could be doing wrong to miss so many shots?(like all of them)
Have you ruled out issues with developing? If so, make sure when you load the film that it’s flat and tight by holding the film spool as you wind to the start position. If the backing paper/film is not tight it can affect the sharpness of your images.
@@sinjon2112 the last roll of Tmax I did was pretty good, spare missing a focus on 2 shots. I think it was a combination of a curly film stock that didn't scan well, and not holding steady enough.
Try getting a roll developed and scanned by a lab, to confirm it isn’t user error
@@ribsy I did and it was haha
What film stock did you use in Greece?
Ektar 100
@@ribsy that’s what I thought, took some on my recent trip on the California coast. Thank you, I appreciate you.
The viewing lens is 2.8, not the taking lens. Wish it was though !
Ah yes
I post this comment out of irritation over producers who video about virtues of cameras, where those virtues are the result of social media hype rather than camera performance. Many years ago, looking to buy a TLR, I took the opportunity to use and do on-film optical tests of a half dozen TLRs from Rolleiflex with Tessar lens down to this Yashicamat 124G, which was practically new in the box. Results: Minolta Autocord kicked ass, followed by Rolleiflex/Tessar and Rolleicord/Xenar. then a bit less resolution, Ricoh Diacord, and one other (forgotten). Finally, the Yashicamat 124G. Noting that none of these Tessar copy 4 element lenses do well wide open or for the first stop or so down, the Mat yielded performance at less than half the resolution of any other camera wide open (15-20 lpm) and no better than 70% at best aperture.The Mat is basically stamped together from sheet metal and has low tolerance mechanicals, which is why it always feels and sounds "ratchety" when film is advanced. The last Mats were sold new by B&H in 1989 for $90. That's a good price for one in decent condition today. The idea of spending $300+ on one, even like-new, today, when you can buy many better cameras for the same or less, is a classic illustration of social media hype. Sorry to see our guy buying into it. Some one asked me why there are so many Mats around for sale. Well, it was by far the cheapest TLR (4 element lens) being sold from 1960 until production ended in 1986. When a Rolleicord is selling for $250+, a Hasselblad for $500+, and a Mat for never more than $140, you sell a lot of Mats. Like the one I tested, someone bought it, put a couple of rolls through it and then boxed it away and forgotten.
I’m literally offering someone an alternative to spending 1k plus on a rolleiflex. And somehow I’m the bad guy?
@@ribsy Not a "bad guy,". Just a guy slinging a lot of bad advice, both as to relative camera performance and as to cost/price. The 124G at around $300-500 is just the most overvalued medium format camera available. For example, your remark that the 124G is fantastically make and 100% made of metal. The 124G was cheapened down from earlier versions of the 'Mat by replacing metal gears with plastic gear sets, cheaper and less wear tolerant. The body is stamped sheet metal, which means that if you drop it, it will bend or distort (my own experience), unlike cameras with solid cast frames. By the way, the lens in the last 124G made in 1986 is exactly the same as the 4-element Yashinon first introduced around 1959. it was average in 1959 and mediocre in 1986. If you could buy a 124G today for $125 and use it for negatives to scan for social media and enlargement up to 11x14 inches, it would be a great camera.
Is that a Yashica?! It ain’t nuthin but a G thang. 😎
Yes indeed
The size of your Yashica-Mat 124G is right in between your C330 and your Rolleiflex. 🍻
yup!