Yashica Electro 35
The Yashica Electro 35 is the most popular fixed-lens rangefinder camera that Yashica ever produced. Over the course of its production run, from 1966-1977, it is reported that Yashica sold over 8 million of the various Electro 35 cameras. Even today, despite a battery issue, these cameras remain sought after and widely used.
When it was first introduced in the 1960s, the Yashica Electro offered a convenience that was pretty unheard of at the time: electronically-controlled auto exposure. The Yashica Electro 35 is an aperture-priority camera. The user gets to pick the aperture of choice manually, on the lens, and the camera then meters and calculates the correct shutter speed all on its own. This is accomplished via a CdS meter cell, located above the lens (not TTL). The camera has a stepless leaf shutter, capable of a top speed of 1/500th and extending shutter speeds out well beyond one minute, depending on the chosen aperture. All the while, the shutter itself is whisper quiet and introduces no vibration.
Of course, the metering and shutter are only but a part of the Electro 35's allure. Mounted on the front of the camera is an excellent Yashinon 45mm f/1.7 lens. It is because of this lens that Electro 35 cameras are still sought after and used today. When it comes to fixed lens rangefinders, it is hard to find a faster, sharper lens on a less expensive camera.
Over the decade of its production run, there were six different variations of the Electro 35: the 35, 35 G, 35 GT, 35 GS, 35 GSN, and 35 GTN. The differences between these variations are pretty minor. The GSN and GTN models are the only versions to have a hotshoe. The GT, GS, GSN, GTN have expanded ISO ranges of 25-1,000, while the earlier 35, 35 G, and very first 35 GT have ranges of ISO 12-500.
It is the battery that dissuades many photographers from pursuing Electro 35 cameras. The Yashica Electro 35 originally used a 5.6v PX32 mercury cell. Not only is the PX32 style of battery very difficult (but not impossible) to find these days, mercury batteries were banned in the 1990s and replaced with alternate styles of batteries. Today's modern alkaline or silver batteries tend to have slightly higher voltages, usually around 6v. The battery issue with the Electro 35 is far from insurmountable and there are several workarounds on the internet for supplying the necessary power to this camera, of which the shutter and meter both require.
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