And I love that he is (seems to be) so quick and casual with it, I'll be paranoid about scratching the lens!! But with the presenter you can see that it's many many years of experience and confidence. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for this informative video about this camera . I had the good fortune to find an immaculate GTN version at my local car boot sale for the grand total of £2 ! I made up a battery adapter as you described from a lip balm stick and all the lights are working perfectly and then carefully followed your steps to clean the viewfinder and now I have the most beautiful camera . Thank you 🙏
thank you. your instructions were thorough and helpful. I cleaned my grandpa's 45 year old yashica electro 35 GSN. however, current challange is adjusting the reangefinder horizontaly and verticaly for focus.
Thank you so much, for creating this video. Picked up this camera on Ebay, disassembled per your instructions, and discovered the "Pad" was missing . Struggled a little, but got replaced (fashioned from rubber lens shade), now the shutter speeds sound normal. Will run a roll of film soon. Only issue was difficulty adjusting the horizontal range finder . The ghost image doesn't completely come together at infinity . Vertical adjusted okay.Thanks. KB
I am not complaining, as it offers me a good repair project per your above instructions, but the GSN I purchased from you has a loose Flash Wire. The hotshoe has a sporatic connection, i can actually press lightly on the camera body and the flash will go off when either mounted in the hot shoe or connected via the flash cable port. Other than that, the camera is in beautiful condition and works perfectly.
Great vid for us DIY ers! thanks. Sure most of it is pretty straight forward common sense, but there's a few gems of pro' experience there. I have a Minister 3 which has a misty rangefinder, so I'll use your tips. Thanks.
Thanks for the useful video, I used three thin strips of Gorilla tape to replace the pad of death and cleaned the inside of the viewfinder at the same time.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and talent. I've just purchased this model in fantastic condition with the only issue I've found being the light seal's have turned to dust. After watching your upload I feel I have the confidence to strip and clean the glass/ view finder.. Best wishes and thank you again👍🍀😁
THANK YOU SO SO MUCH You're a legend, I've been trying to figure out problems witht he camera for years, keep comming back to it and failing, this video, (and you) has finally helped me fix the camera! i'm so happy! Thanks!
Thanks a lot for another interesting and very instructive video. I own an identical camera and am now encouraged to clean and adjust it. Unfortunately on my copy the glass on the rangefider and viewfinder window is broken and a piece of glass is missing, I wanted to replace it but I didn't know that half of the glass was blurred ☹️ if you have any advice I would be grateful. I wish you all the best and keep making interesting videos 👍
Thanks for all these videos, I picked up a GS off of Ebay untested and have been fidgeting with it. Everything is now working as far as I can tell. Waiting for new door seals to come next week then I can finally shoot my first roll with it. I had a weird different issue with the battery cap, someone had mis-threaded it and left it stuck so I was expecting a exploded battery inside but it was pretty clean. I ended up having to take the bottom off anyway but then I was able to get the battery cap between my fingers and snap it into the proper threads while flexing the bottom plate slightly. When I finally got the battery/exposure lights to work I was so damn happy, video doesn't really show how vibrant the lights/viewfinder frame really are. Only bad spot on the camera is the viewfinder which is a bit hazy, I'm going to leave it alone for the moment though and wait until I have a more serious issue to deal with like the pad going bad.
The Electro 35 GSN beam splitting mirrors maybe robust but the Yashica Lynx 14 aren't robust, I found that out the other day even though I used Zeiss lens cleaner. So i've gone from a Lynx that was really hard to focus to one that can't be focus at all. You know of a replacement beam splitter?.. Was looking at a Canonet 28 (far greater beam splitter has a coating on each side, one side yellow semi mirrored and the other side blue) but was too small 24mm as the Lynx looks to be 27mm x 12mm x 1mm. Maybe best for me to look out of a "spare or repairs" Lynx or better still the Electro 35GSN, that's if there the same(ish) size. Note to self read up on the old cameras first before you attempt to..erm "Repair" them...
Found a good looking GSN copy for a good price, and went through with the help of your video, and got it cleaned up, and removed what was left of the POD. Cut down a small piece of rubber to a size and thickness that felt like it would be correct for the POD replacement, then placed it in there several times, to test the clearance, and did some retrimming before finally gluing it in place. After reassembling the camera, testing firing the shutter, it seemed to work, but then I noticed that I will fire the shutter and it seems to work for a couple times, then it will fire as if on bulb setting, open the shutter, but only closing on shutter button release. Then it will go back to firing normally. Is my POD replacement causing this inconsistency, or is it something else? I'd really love to get this camera working properly! Thanks
I have a GSN, and I also have a problem with the red and orange lights. I don't know anything about electronics and I'll take it to an expert electronic camera technician. I think it will not be cheap, but it is worth having this camera in perfect condition.
This is super helpful!!! My issue is that my check light is coming on, but after i do all my tests for the light meter indicators, they dont come on... could it be that the connectors are corroded or i have the wrong battery?
Thank you for this video! Helped me so much to replace the PoD on my Electro!! Do you have a video in which you lubricate the shutter mechanics of the Electro? Mine seems to have problems (getting stuck) while rewinding the shutter/transporting the film … Thank you again for this video!
This Video helped me a lot. Only part I have to fix is a stuck focus ring. Already tried some iso. alcohol to get from the outside behind the focus ring but didnt loose it up. Do you have any idea? Maybe unscrew the three little screws on the focus ring? Thanks!
Thank you, this video was very informative and a delight! Please tell me what the cost of this maintenance would be. You are much appreciated. Best Regards, Sandy
Of course, I'm a very respectful person. I was wondering if the owner of this UA-cam channel actually provided this meter light meter fix as a service?
There are half a dozen things which can cause the light meter not to work on one of these cameras, and it is labor-intensive to diagnose and repair or replace a faulty part. It's more cost effective to simply replace the camera with one which works properly.
Very useful, thank you for mentioning that the beam splitter is safe to clean, I wasn't aware of this. Mine has a wobbly lens and a bit of a stiff focusing ring, and though it doesn't affect pictures it annoys me. Is there a way to fix it without having to peel off the leatherette and other major disassembly? How difficult is it to get to the helicoid essentially?
You spoke of replacing light shields. I pulled this camera out of storage from the 70's. I remember I stopped using it because a repair shop told me it had a light leak. Will you be showing this repair on another vide
I ended up purchasing one of these off eBay and it’s in considerably worse condition than this. The battery door for one is corroded stuck. The next big thing, although I never use it, is the self timer moves to about 2/3rds of the way to the end and stops. The bulb setting also doesn’t work and finally the plate that pushes the film flat is lopsided. Haven’t fully watched your video yet, but I plan to in order to get an idea for what I’ve gotten myself into. Hopefully I can restore it
I bought one as well, still waiting to test it out because I didn’t have a Battery available, sure I do have to replace/Repair the focus ring which is loose. Any suggestions or do you have a video for this camera lens Rings ?
The horizontal adjustment is made through the hold under the flash shoe, the vertical adjustment is behind the black plate with the battery check button.
Thank you for all the info, anyway to see what the battery compartment looks like, just bought the yashica gsn and I have a stuck stack of batteries, I am tryin to determine what battery and what a battery rig job.
The battery chamber is about the size of a Chapstick tube without the cap, there is a spring inside which contacts the negative side of the battery. The normal battery is a HM4N battery, which is made up of 4 mercury batteries stacked inside a metal shell. You can use a 4LR44 battery with an adapter, or you can get an A32PX battery from amazon, this battery will fit without an adapter.
Could you help me with a problem i have with my yashica? Everything works fine except the focus ring. It got completely stuck. I have loosend The 3 screws en thightend them turn by turn. This doesn’t help because the ring will get stuck again. Hope you can help. Love your videos!
This is superb. I have a gsn with a very dull rangefinder that is hard to see when focussed. Can this be resolved by cleaning the split mirror ? Thanks
Thanks for this video. I’m currently following your method and at the time of unscrewing the lens, it doesn’t come as a whole. I tried turning back as you suggested but nothing… I had to take the elements out but the main cylinder does not move, tried rubber tools, a squash ball, some alcohol. Some people are suggesting to cut two notches on the metal but I’d like not to do that. Have you faced a similar issue before?
This happens frequently, I sometimes use a drop of super glue on the threads of the ring which comes off, then screw it back on tightly, waiting for the glue to set, and then removing the lens group as a whole.
Thank you for this, just bought a 35 GT and managed to give it a service thanks to your video. One issue I have is once the ISO dial has been replaced the inner, numbered part, spins with the outer ring. do you have any tips on how to overcome this.?
You need to make sure the small washer beween the number plate and the dial is not missing, or that the washer is not pinched, it has to be properly centered,
I’m trying to get my old Electro back in working order but the shutter stays open after taking a shot and only closes when advancing the film. Is this an issue you’ve experienced? Thanks!
Great content! thanks sir! Btw I want to ask about my Yashica electro 35GS filmcounter isn't working, just realized it after loaded and take a couple shoots of exposures, please help how can I repair it by myself after my roll on the inside already finished. Thanks in advance again sir! Have a nice day🙏🏻
Check to make sure that the light seal hasn't jammed the film counter release, you will see the release tab in the light seal channel if you open the film door, it is located below the winding lever.
Im very new to this camera, so im really confused about this shutter design and the aperture blades I cant see. And no matter what settings I put for ASA or Aperture, the shutter sound and the movement and its speed is exactly the same every time. Is there something wrong, or do these things work better with batteries? What exactly are the batteries for, if not just the exposure warning lights? I see nothing happening when I change the aperture, so im confused if the aperture is actually changing with the dial or is it hidden behind the spiral shutter
hey buddy could you help me with a problem? When reassembling the asa dial wing, the middle piece is not fixed, it seems to thread incorrectly. Is there any specific way fix, or something I'm forgetting?
What to clean the metal top plate on a Yashica electro 35 film camera. I have cleaned mostly with water and soap but parts are still blotchy and want to be careful not to use a harsh metal cleaner.
Hello, I don't know if you can help me, I have a Yashica Electro 35 GSN with a problem with the aperture blades. The blades close correctly, but they don't open correctly, if I'm at f16 and I start to open the aperture, the blades only start to move when I go from f5.6 to f4, but to close they close normally, have you ever seen a problem like this? Would you be able to help me? Thank you very much in advance.
Very well made video thank you! I picked up a GSN not long ago that looks like it’s seen little use. It looks like it has the POD issue which I will fix but another issue is that when I turn the focus ring the focus box in the viewfinder doesn’t move. Is this a common problem and what’s the fix? Thanks.
Check the lever in under the film door near the top right, sometimes it is stuck, pull it out with a pin or small screwdriver, that may unstick it and cause the counter to reset.
Thank you for this video. I love it! One question, my Yashica has a problem with the take-up spool . Without film, the spool moves as expected when I advance the lever. But with film, the spool spins for about 2 whole turns and stop turning. It feels like it gear stops grabbing the spool due to the tension from the film. What should I do? Thank you in advance!
Hi, please tell me how to fix my shutter when I press the button the shutter opens fully but stays open I have to pull the release catch inside the lens mechanism but I have to do this every time for the shutter to close it's a yashica electro 35mm
Hi there, I have an electronic issue at the moment which the camera does light up when checking for the slow light and over light. Only the slow like flashes orange if the camera speed is too slow. Do you know how to fix it??
There are two reasons the camera may not seem to get power, usually the fault is either a bad battery check switch or lamp, or that the power lead on the battery chamber has become corroded and disconnected. You can find the power lead by removing the top cover and rangefinder. The check switch or lamp bulb can be replaced, but you need a little skill with a soldering iron.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thanks, cleaned it up, did some soldering. Had to replace the battery test switch as the terminal wire was broken as well. Got power now, but shutter gets stuck, pod of death im guessing. Going to try 2mm plexi. I love your videos, I am a huge fan.
@@TheJohnnny5 Make sure the selector ring is not on the B setting (easy mistake to make), and make sure the battery is not in backwards (another easy mistake to make).
Can i ask something ? My yashica 35 gx has some unique problem. always 4 stops slow when comparing to another yashica camera. from f1 to f16, always 4 stops delay. another things are very normal. How can i fix it? what is the reason?
Hi there, thank you so much for making this video. I have 2 Yashica Electro 35s and neither are powering with my makeshift battery (comprising of 4x LR44 batteries taped together, with a thick cylinder made of aluminium foil to fill the extra space). What other issues could potentially cause power failure? They both still had the old degraded Mercury batteries inside of them. Thank you from Tasmania.
First, make sure you have the polarity correct, the positive end of the batteries should face toward the battery cover, and not toward the spring. The electrical connections on the plastic battery chamber can sometimes corrode and disconnect, one is under rangefinder, the other is under the bottom cover, and soldered to a ring around the end of the battery chamber,
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thank you for your reply! The contacts on the bottom cover (312-308) have eroded from the old mercury battery. I tried using foil on the bottom cover to fix these contacts but it isn't working. Do I need to replace the part completely?
Hello. I acquired a very nice condition GSN and it seems to work fine, however, bulb mode does not work. When I press and hold the shutter it remains open, but when I release the shutter button it stays open, it only closes when I move the film rewind lever. Any idea what the cause of this is? Thanks.
The first thing to check is that the battery is in the right way, the second thing would be the POD, and lastly, the contact on the inside of the selector ring which switches between auto, flash, and bulb.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thank you for the input. I can rule out the battery, I've been using the camera and it works fine. I do hear the clunk when I advance the film, so I don't think the POD is the issue either. That only leaves the contact on the selector ring, I will look into it. Regards.
Great video and thanks for the all info. Only one question my yashica electro 35 gtn only goes from 1.2 meters to infinity. Doesn't pass to the 0.7 meteres, do you have any idea what it is causing the problem? Thank you and cheers👍
It could be one of a few problems. If the plastic under your film counter window has come off, it may have fallen down inside the camera and gotten itself stuck near the lens body. The problem can also be caused by misrouted wires which are in the way of the lens when it is being focused outwards.
Thank you so much for making this video. This helped me a lot to restore mine. The only problem I get on my Yasmina electro 35 GTN, is on the focusing ring. Stiff what ever the sens I turn it. I find it not so smooth as I want. Any advices on how to make this ring turn a tiny bit smoother? I wish you a really nice day. I am looking forward to read from you.
Short of completely disassembling the camera, you cannot lubricate the focusing ring. A trick which may work is to use a hair dryer to get the camera hot, too hot to touch with your bare hands, then turn the focusing ring. When the camera gets hot enough, the grease in the focusing helicoid gets soft enough that you can sometimes get it to unstick.
Excellent, this already answers most of the questions I had (my GTN has a burned out battery light), but one thing I’m not yet sure about: my ASA ring is getting more and more hard to turn. I am not sure how to best approach this. I might try the hair blower tip you gave to get the focus ring moving again, but is there anything I can buy here in Japan to lubricate this part? Thank you in advance 😄
The lubricant is easy to find, the hard part is disassembling the camera to the point you can reach the focusing helicoid gears, which require removing the top and bottom covers, the leatherette, unsoldering a few wires, and a few other things. The ASA ring is simple, just remove the screw, ASA plate, washer, and dial, you'll see the brass ring underneath with holes in a circle for the detent, just put a drop of oil through a couple of the holes, and turn the ring back and forth to lubricate it, then put it back together,
Hello mate, Iv recently bought one and it’s in good condition however the battery cap has corroded also so nothings happening how can I replace it or fix it. Do you know where I can get a new one if possible, tbx
I used to have a stock of these battery caps, but have used them all when doing repairs. Usually you can clean them up enough to get good contact, a file or sandpaper can remove the corrosion. But sometimes if the corrosion is bad enough, it can cause the power wire on the top of the battery chamber to become disconnected, this requires removing the rangefinder and doing some soldering. You can use battery caps from several of the Electro models, you can find these cheap at thrift shops, yard sales, and other places.
Thanks for the video! Do you know what to do if the lock mode is not disengaging properly? (The switch surrounding the shutter button turns but has no effect, the film rewind and shutter remain locked)
The locking mechanism may be faulty, or something like the plastic window under the frame counter has fallen in and gotten jammed up somewhere. You can take off the top cover and see if the mechanism is okay from the bottom side, and also if there is anything jammed up. If the camera is not winding, it means the shutter blades may be stuck. You can unstick the blades by removing the lens elements on the front and applying solvent or lighter fluid with a cotton swab to the shutter blades, then them clean with a blower brush or canned air. Lastly, is there film in the camera? I have received more than one camera which was jammed and wouldn't wind anymore because it had filmed loaded in it, and had been wound to the end of the roll.
I’ve just purchased an electro 35 GSN and the battery light comes on but not the metering lights, also I don’t think the shutter speed is changing, not even in bulb mode. Can you suggest how to repair? Cheers AG
Thank you for this interesting video. I have an Electro 35 , but it seems to only close the shutter when I take my finger off the shutterbutton. Do you have any idea what problem this might be?
I’m having the same issue. Set to auto, the shutter will sometimes open and close with press of shutter button, other times it will open on press and only close on release. I can do it 10 times in a row and it will about 50% of the time work correctly. Are the shutter blades sticking?
I am in the process of cleaning and reviving this camera and would greatly appreciate your advice if you can provide it. All seems to have gone smoothly except for re-assembling the ASA dial. I note in your video you state that the brass pin should be at the 9:00 o'clock position whereas in my case the brass pin is more at the 8:00 o'clock position. I am not able to rotate the dial any further. Your red marker falls at the 5 -5:30 position , mine more at the 3:30 position. The end result is that I am unable to place the 1000 ASA value at the 5 o'clock position. If I loosen the two small locking screws on the film speed selector will I then be able to rotate the brass pin into the 9 o'clock position. In addition I note when rotating the ASA base there is no change occurring in the masks of the Cd photocell window. Thanking you in advance if you provide comment. I accept all responsibility.
Hey there! While attempting to restore an Electro 35 earlier today with help of your video, I made a mistake and could use some help. After reassembling the camera, the only thing that doesnt seem to function right is the "over" light. It worked whenever I first got power back into the camera from soldering the main white power wire, however I did not test it right after replacing the POD with a glued in strip of hard foam. What I believe to be the problem is that while cleaning the top case and preparing it for re-assembly I got some rubbing alcohol on the frosted glass, ruining it. Would this be the issue or is there a chance that my new POD is defective or I broke something else? Also, if it is just the glass, where could I find a replacement piece? Thank you for all the help already.
The indicator lights in these cameras can burn out unexpectedly, and sometimes need to be replaced. You can test the bulb by running current through it. The "over" lamp is rather necessary to be able to use the camera, as the maximum shutter speed is rather limited, the "low" lamp is less necessary as the shutter will stay open much longer than you can hold the camera still. You might be able to find the bulbs on Amazon in your country, they are simple 6 volt bulbs with short leads attached. Otherwise you can get one from a donor camera.
I just replaced mine using black yarn and stuffing them into the spacing where the light seals should be. You could also use foam with a sticky side and put them on like a sticker to seal.
I just bought my electro, and I noticed that the exposure ring that has the bulb and auto mode just free spins. I am not sure if that affects the shooting mode of the camera. How do you repair it? I have not found anything about it.
There is a detent ball which is supposed to catch in the 3 different positions. If the ring turns too freely, you can use a piece of tape to hold it in place. Yashica often put stickers on this ring to hold it in the A position because new buyers often accidentally moved it to the B or sync settings and complained that their cameras didn't work right.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Hi again, I figured out that there is an issue for the film advance lever. I put in a dead roll to test my camera some more. But it seems that when I advance the lever, it seems like the mechanism slips so it does not fully advance. If you had any tips to fix that I would really appreciate it. I just got the camera and I guess I have to restore it if I want it in fully functional condition.
When I pull the lever to pass the film, the shutter opens and only closes when I take the photo. The shutter remains open for the entire time between the moment I pull the camera lever and take the picture. Do you know how I solve this issue?
The light meter of my electro 35 only lights up briefly after taking a shot. Is it just the bulb? The slow and over bulb goes away when I properly expose.
The contacts may be dirty. You can clean them by removing the bottom cover. Near the bottom opposite the shutter button you can see where the shutter shaft is attached on the front inside of the camera, and the wires which attach to it. Simply put a few drops of lighter fluid or clean paint thinner on this area, wind the cocking lever to the end of its travel, hold it there, and then push the shutter button rapidly a few times. But the bottom cover back on, and everything should work properly.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thanks for the answer, It is working, It's just me, I wasn't pressing it down enough. I sent it for CLA and I can;t wait to use it.
They were made to use with 5.6V mercury cells but those are illegal now, so: Pick up 4 LR44 batteries and stack them. You can tape them together, or do what I did and clean an old chapstick tube and stack them inside. Most people just tape em and since the batt stack won't reach both contacts, you can stick a wad of tin foil to fill the rest.
Try scraping the spring inside the batter chamber with a screw driver, and scrape the contact around the battery cap, these often have corrosion around them which prevents current from getting through.
Your vIdeos are great. I got gts and gtn soon to be shot again. Plan is take girlfriend to take pictures with second one and have nice day. Then compare what we got 😍. Perfect date in my opinion
And I love that he is (seems to be) so quick and casual with it, I'll be paranoid about scratching the lens!! But with the presenter you can see that it's many many years of experience and confidence. Thanks again.
I thought my camera wasn't working. Then I noticed in your video that I had put in my battery backwards! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this informative video about this camera . I had the good fortune to find an immaculate GTN version at my local car boot sale for the grand total of £2 ! I made up a battery adapter as you described from a lip balm stick and all the lights are working perfectly and then carefully followed your steps to clean the viewfinder and now I have the most beautiful camera . Thank you 🙏
Thanks to your video I was able to repair my camera that had the same problem. I'm like new. Thank you very much friend, from Mexico. .
thank you. your instructions were thorough and helpful. I cleaned my grandpa's 45 year old yashica electro 35 GSN. however, current challange is adjusting the reangefinder horizontaly and verticaly for focus.
Thank you so much, for creating this video. Picked up this camera on Ebay, disassembled per your instructions, and discovered the "Pad" was missing . Struggled a little, but got replaced (fashioned from rubber lens shade), now the shutter speeds sound normal. Will run a roll of film soon. Only issue was difficulty adjusting the horizontal range finder . The ghost image doesn't completely come together at infinity . Vertical adjusted okay.Thanks. KB
Thank you. Had the battery adapter in upside down and thought the camera was broken until I watched your video.
I am not complaining, as it offers me a good repair project per your above instructions, but the GSN I purchased from you has a loose Flash Wire. The hotshoe has a sporatic connection, i can actually press lightly on the camera body and the flash will go off when either mounted in the hot shoe or connected via the flash cable port. Other than that, the camera is in beautiful condition and works perfectly.
This was great! Can you make a video on how to actually adjust the rangefinder. Thanks!
Absolutely excellent tutorial on this camera, clear precise at the right cadence to absorb the detail, really good, thank you.
I now discovered that my rangefinder is full of roach poop, how marvelous!
Great vid for us DIY ers! thanks. Sure most of it is pretty straight forward common sense, but there's a few gems of pro' experience there. I have a Minister 3 which has a misty rangefinder, so I'll use your tips. Thanks.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video!! I partially restored a Yashica that I got :)
Thanks for the useful video, I used three thin strips of Gorilla tape to replace the pad of death and cleaned the inside of the viewfinder at the same time.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and talent. I've just purchased this model in fantastic condition with the only issue I've found being the light seal's have turned to dust. After watching your upload I feel I have the confidence to strip and clean the glass/ view finder.. Best wishes and thank you again👍🍀😁
Your videos are excellent!❤
THANK YOU SO SO MUCH You're a legend, I've been trying to figure out problems witht he camera for years, keep comming back to it and failing, this video, (and you) has finally helped me fix the camera! i'm so happy!
Thanks!
Great video. Come at good time as I have to repair a camera left to me Thanks for upload.
Thank you for sharing this and teaching some excellent cleaning techniques!
Excellent tutorial to clean this extraordinary camera. Thanks.
Thanks a lot for another interesting and very instructive video. I own an identical camera and am now encouraged to clean and adjust it. Unfortunately on my copy the glass on the rangefider and viewfinder window is broken and a piece of glass is missing, I wanted to replace it but I didn't know that half of the glass was blurred ☹️ if you have any advice I would be grateful. I wish you all the best and keep making interesting videos 👍
If your camera is working, you should hunt for a parts camera which is broken or not working. It is not difficult to swap in a new glass window.
Thanks for all these videos, I picked up a GS off of Ebay untested and have been fidgeting with it. Everything is now working as far as I can tell. Waiting for new door seals to come next week then I can finally shoot my first roll with it.
I had a weird different issue with the battery cap, someone had mis-threaded it and left it stuck so I was expecting a exploded battery inside but it was pretty clean. I ended up having to take the bottom off anyway but then I was able to get the battery cap between my fingers and snap it into the proper threads while flexing the bottom plate slightly.
When I finally got the battery/exposure lights to work I was so damn happy, video doesn't really show how vibrant the lights/viewfinder frame really are.
Only bad spot on the camera is the viewfinder which is a bit hazy, I'm going to leave it alone for the moment though and wait until I have a more serious issue to deal with like the pad going bad.
Tremendous breakdown
The Electro 35 GSN beam splitting mirrors maybe robust but the Yashica Lynx 14 aren't robust, I found that out the other day even though I used Zeiss lens cleaner. So i've gone from a Lynx that was really hard to focus to one that can't be focus at all.
You know of a replacement beam splitter?..
Was looking at a Canonet 28 (far greater beam splitter has a coating on each side, one side yellow semi mirrored and the other side blue) but was too small 24mm as the Lynx looks to be 27mm x 12mm x 1mm. Maybe best for me to look out of a "spare or repairs" Lynx or better still the Electro 35GSN, that's if there the same(ish) size.
Note to self read up on the old cameras first before you attempt to..erm "Repair" them...
I need a video like this on the Fuji GW690ii
Fabulous instructional video. Just purchased a GT and will be giving a refurb before use. Thanks for your content 👍
I would love to see how your shutter tester works.
Thank you very much to share this video
Found a good looking GSN copy for a good price, and went through with the help of your video, and got it cleaned up, and removed what was left of the POD. Cut down a small piece of rubber to a size and thickness that felt like it would be correct for the POD replacement, then placed it in there several times, to test the clearance, and did some retrimming before finally gluing it in place. After reassembling the camera, testing firing the shutter, it seemed to work, but then I noticed that I will fire the shutter and it seems to work for a couple times, then it will fire as if on bulb setting, open the shutter, but only closing on shutter button release. Then it will go back to firing normally. Is my POD replacement causing this inconsistency, or is it something else? I'd really love to get this camera working properly! Thanks
I have a GSN, and I also have a problem with the red and orange lights. I don't know anything about electronics and I'll take it to an expert electronic camera technician. I think it will not be cheap, but it is worth having this camera in perfect condition.
This is super helpful!!!
My issue is that my check light is coming on, but after i do all my tests for the light meter indicators, they dont come on... could it be that the connectors are corroded or i have the wrong battery?
Thank you for this video! Helped me so much to replace the PoD on my Electro!! Do you have a video in which you lubricate the shutter mechanics of the Electro? Mine seems to have problems (getting stuck) while rewinding the shutter/transporting the film … Thank you again for this video!
This Video helped me a lot. Only part I have to fix is a stuck focus ring. Already tried some iso. alcohol to get from the outside behind the focus ring but didnt loose it up. Do you have any idea? Maybe unscrew the three little screws on the focus ring? Thanks!
Thank you, this video was very informative and a delight! Please tell me what the cost of this maintenance would be. You are much appreciated.
Best Regards,
Sandy
Of course, I'm a very respectful person. I was wondering if the owner of this UA-cam channel actually provided this meter light meter fix as a service?
There are half a dozen things which can cause the light meter not to work on one of these cameras, and it is labor-intensive to diagnose and repair or replace a faulty part. It's more cost effective to simply replace the camera with one which works properly.
Thank you for making this video. but i have one question. is that liquid is alcohol ? or kind of liquid spray to clean up our eyeglasses ?
I'm looking forward to your Video about restoring the Yashica TL Electro X. 🙃
Very useful, thank you for mentioning that the beam splitter is safe to clean, I wasn't aware of this. Mine has a wobbly lens and a bit of a stiff focusing ring, and though it doesn't affect pictures it annoys me. Is there a way to fix it without having to peel off the leatherette and other major disassembly? How difficult is it to get to the helicoid essentially?
You spoke of replacing light shields. I pulled this camera out of storage from the 70's. I remember I stopped using it because a repair shop told me it had a light leak. Will you be showing this repair on another vide
I ended up purchasing one of these off eBay and it’s in considerably worse condition than this. The battery door for one is corroded stuck. The next big thing, although I never use it, is the self timer moves to about 2/3rds of the way to the end and stops. The bulb setting also doesn’t work and finally the plate that pushes the film flat is lopsided. Haven’t fully watched your video yet, but I plan to in order to get an idea for what I’ve gotten myself into. Hopefully I can restore it
I bought one as well, still waiting to test it out because I didn’t have a Battery available, sure I do have to replace/Repair the focus ring which is loose. Any suggestions or do you have a video for this camera lens Rings ?
can you make a video about adjusting the reangefinder horizontaly and verticaly for focus ?
The horizontal adjustment is made through the hold under the flash shoe, the vertical adjustment is behind the black plate with the battery check button.
Have you had to repair the self-timer on the lens? I have a first model electro 35 that on top of having a bad POD is stuck down on the self-timer
Thank you for all the info, anyway to see what the battery compartment looks like, just bought the yashica gsn and I have a stuck stack of batteries, I am tryin to determine what battery and what a battery rig job.
The battery chamber is about the size of a Chapstick tube without the cap, there is a spring inside which contacts the negative side of the battery. The normal battery is a HM4N battery, which is made up of 4 mercury batteries stacked inside a metal shell. You can use a 4LR44 battery with an adapter, or you can get an A32PX battery from amazon, this battery will fit without an adapter.
Could you help me with a problem i have with my yashica? Everything works fine except the focus ring. It got completely stuck. I have loosend The 3 screws en thightend them turn by turn. This doesn’t help because the ring will get stuck again. Hope you can help. Love your videos!
Is it possible to remove the lens off these cameras? I've seen many yashinon DX lens with adapters on modern cameras is why I ask.
Have the same query if this can get answered please
This is superb. I have a gsn with a very dull rangefinder that is hard to see when focussed. Can this be resolved by cleaning the split mirror ? Thanks
My Y E35 has a focusing ring that is loose ... not operating the lens focus. Any videos on this problem? The three tiny screws all seem to be there.
Thanks for this video. I’m currently following your method and at the time of unscrewing the lens, it doesn’t come as a whole. I tried turning back as you suggested but nothing… I had to take the elements out but the main cylinder does not move, tried rubber tools, a squash ball, some alcohol. Some people are suggesting to cut two notches on the metal but I’d like not to do that. Have you faced a similar issue before?
This happens frequently, I sometimes use a drop of super glue on the threads of the ring which comes off, then screw it back on tightly, waiting for the glue to set, and then removing the lens group as a whole.
Thank you for this, just bought a 35 GT and managed to give it a service thanks to your video. One issue I have is once the ISO dial has been replaced the inner, numbered part, spins with the outer ring. do you have any tips on how to overcome this.?
You need to make sure the small washer beween the number plate and the dial is not missing, or that the washer is not pinched, it has to be properly centered,
I’m trying to get my old Electro back in working order but the shutter stays open after taking a shot and only closes when advancing the film. Is this an issue you’ve experienced? Thanks!
A set of JIS screwdrivers is a good investment.
Great content! thanks sir! Btw I want to ask about my Yashica electro 35GS filmcounter isn't working, just realized it after loaded and take a couple shoots of exposures, please help how can I repair it by myself after my roll on the inside already finished. Thanks in advance again sir! Have a nice day🙏🏻
Check to make sure that the light seal hasn't jammed the film counter release, you will see the release tab in the light seal channel if you open the film door, it is located below the winding lever.
Im very new to this camera, so im really confused about this shutter design and the aperture blades I cant see. And no matter what settings I put for ASA or Aperture, the shutter sound and the movement and its speed is exactly the same every time. Is there something wrong, or do these things work better with batteries? What exactly are the batteries for, if not just the exposure warning lights? I see nothing happening when I change the aperture, so im confused if the aperture is actually changing with the dial or is it hidden behind the spiral shutter
hey buddy could you help me with a problem? When reassembling the asa dial wing, the middle piece is not fixed, it seems to thread incorrectly.
Is there any specific way fix, or something I'm forgetting?
What to clean the metal top plate on a Yashica electro 35 film camera. I have cleaned mostly with water and soap but parts are still blotchy and want to be careful not to use a harsh metal cleaner.
Hello, I don't know if you can help me, I have a Yashica Electro 35 GSN with a problem with the aperture blades. The blades close correctly, but they don't open correctly, if I'm at f16 and I start to open the aperture, the blades only start to move when I go from f5.6 to f4, but to close they close normally, have you ever seen a problem like this? Would you be able to help me? Thank you very much in advance.
Very well made video thank you! I picked up a GSN not long ago that looks like it’s seen little use. It looks like it has the POD issue which I will fix but another issue is that when I turn the focus ring the focus box in the viewfinder doesn’t move. Is this a common problem and what’s the fix? Thanks.
Good camara and I'm having it
Thanks for the video, I tried finding the "scraper tool" on line, no luck, any tips for finding one? Thanks!
Dentist picks?
Do you have any suggestions or resources for how to fix a counter on this model that doesn’t change (stuck on 36)? Thanks for the video!
Check the lever in under the film door near the top right, sometimes it is stuck, pull it out with a pin or small screwdriver, that may unstick it and cause the counter to reset.
Thank you for this video. I love it! One question, my Yashica has a problem with the take-up spool . Without film, the spool moves as expected when I advance the lever. But with film, the spool spins for about 2 whole turns and stop turning. It feels like it gear stops grabbing the spool due to the tension from the film. What should I do? Thank you in advance!
does the MG-1 has a pad of death issue also?
Hi, please tell me how to fix my shutter when I press the button the shutter opens fully but stays open I have to pull the release catch inside the lens mechanism but I have to do this every time for the shutter to close it's a yashica electro 35mm
Is this also applicable to the MG-1?
Hi there, I have an electronic issue at the moment which the camera does light up when checking for the slow light and over light. Only the slow like flashes orange if the camera speed is too slow. Do you know how to fix it??
Any idea where someone can get the nucleus square logo on the front? I just ground an Electro 35, but the small insignia has peeled off.
Do you have a video on how to repair if the camera is not getting power?
There are two reasons the camera may not seem to get power, usually the fault is either a bad battery check switch or lamp, or that the power lead on the battery chamber has become corroded and disconnected. You can find the power lead by removing the top cover and rangefinder. The check switch or lamp bulb can be replaced, but you need a little skill with a soldering iron.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thanks, cleaned it up, did some soldering. Had to replace the battery test switch as the terminal wire was broken as well. Got power now, but shutter gets stuck, pod of death im guessing. Going to try 2mm plexi. I love your videos, I am a huge fan.
@@TheJohnnny5 Make sure the selector ring is not on the B setting (easy mistake to make), and make sure the battery is not in backwards (another easy mistake to make).
Can i ask something ? My yashica 35 gx has some unique problem. always 4 stops slow when comparing to another yashica camera. from f1 to f16, always 4 stops delay. another things are very normal. How can i fix it? what is the reason?
Hi there, thank you so much for making this video. I have 2 Yashica Electro 35s and neither are powering with my makeshift battery (comprising of 4x LR44 batteries taped together, with a thick cylinder made of aluminium foil to fill the extra space). What other issues could potentially cause power failure? They both still had the old degraded Mercury batteries inside of them. Thank you from Tasmania.
First, make sure you have the polarity correct, the positive end of the batteries should face toward the battery cover, and not toward the spring. The electrical connections on the plastic battery chamber can sometimes corrode and disconnect, one is under rangefinder, the other is under the bottom cover, and soldered to a ring around the end of the battery chamber,
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thank you for your reply! The contacts on the bottom cover (312-308) have eroded from the old mercury battery. I tried using foil on the bottom cover to fix these contacts but it isn't working. Do I need to replace the part completely?
Hello. I acquired a very nice condition GSN and it seems to work fine, however, bulb mode does not work. When I press and hold the shutter it remains open, but when I release the shutter button it stays open, it only closes when I move the film rewind lever. Any idea what the cause of this is? Thanks.
The first thing to check is that the battery is in the right way, the second thing would be the POD, and lastly, the contact on the inside of the selector ring which switches between auto, flash, and bulb.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thank you for the input. I can rule out the battery, I've been using the camera and it works fine. I do hear the clunk when I advance the film, so I don't think the POD is the issue either. That only leaves the contact on the selector ring, I will look into it. Regards.
Great video and thanks for the all info. Only one question my yashica electro 35 gtn only goes from 1.2 meters to infinity. Doesn't pass to the 0.7 meteres, do you have any idea what it is causing the problem? Thank you and cheers👍
It could be one of a few problems. If the plastic under your film counter window has come off, it may have fallen down inside the camera and gotten itself stuck near the lens body. The problem can also be caused by misrouted wires which are in the way of the lens when it is being focused outwards.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 thank you, maybe I need to open one day to try to fix. I'm just losing a few cm, but I will fix in the future.
Hi, there is two red positive wire on the battery chamber. One connected on the battery check board, i couldn't figure out where the other one goes.
Thank you so much for making this video. This helped me a lot to restore mine. The only problem I get on my Yasmina electro 35 GTN, is on the focusing ring. Stiff what ever the sens I turn it. I find it not so smooth as I want. Any advices on how to make this ring turn a tiny bit smoother? I wish you a really nice day. I am looking forward to read from you.
Short of completely disassembling the camera, you cannot lubricate the focusing ring. A trick which may work is to use a hair dryer to get the camera hot, too hot to touch with your bare hands, then turn the focusing ring. When the camera gets hot enough, the grease in the focusing helicoid gets soft enough that you can sometimes get it to unstick.
Have 2 of them
Excellent, this already answers most of the questions I had (my GTN has a burned out battery light), but one thing I’m not yet sure about: my ASA ring is getting more and more hard to turn. I am not sure how to best approach this. I might try the hair blower tip you gave to get the focus ring moving again, but is there anything I can buy here in Japan to lubricate this part?
Thank you in advance 😄
The lubricant is easy to find, the hard part is disassembling the camera to the point you can reach the focusing helicoid gears, which require removing the top and bottom covers, the leatherette, unsoldering a few wires, and a few other things. The ASA ring is simple, just remove the screw, ASA plate, washer, and dial, you'll see the brass ring underneath with holes in a circle for the detent, just put a drop of oil through a couple of the holes, and turn the ring back and forth to lubricate it, then put it back together,
May i know why after oil ASA ring it doesnt make click sound?
Hello mate, Iv recently bought one and it’s in good condition however the battery cap has corroded also so nothings happening how can I replace it or fix it. Do you know where I can get a new one if possible, tbx
I used to have a stock of these battery caps, but have used them all when doing repairs. Usually you can clean them up enough to get good contact, a file or sandpaper can remove the corrosion. But sometimes if the corrosion is bad enough, it can cause the power wire on the top of the battery chamber to become disconnected, this requires removing the rangefinder and doing some soldering. You can use battery caps from several of the Electro models, you can find these cheap at thrift shops, yard sales, and other places.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 alright mate thank you very much I’ll have a look and see what I can do, thank you for the words of wisdom
Thanks for the video! Do you know what to do if the lock mode is not disengaging properly? (The switch surrounding the shutter button turns but has no effect, the film rewind and shutter remain locked)
The locking mechanism may be faulty, or something like the plastic window under the frame counter has fallen in and gotten jammed up somewhere. You can take off the top cover and see if the mechanism is okay from the bottom side, and also if there is anything jammed up. If the camera is not winding, it means the shutter blades may be stuck. You can unstick the blades by removing the lens elements on the front and applying solvent or lighter fluid with a cotton swab to the shutter blades, then them clean with a blower brush or canned air. Lastly, is there film in the camera? I have received more than one camera which was jammed and wouldn't wind anymore because it had filmed loaded in it, and had been wound to the end of the roll.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thanks so much for the suggestions, I'll see if any of these can do the trick.
I’ve just purchased an electro 35 GSN and the battery light comes on but not the metering lights, also I don’t think the shutter speed is changing, not even in bulb mode. Can you suggest how to repair? Cheers AG
There's a red wire inside the lens mechanism that's become detached from the brass connector
Thank you for this interesting video. I have an Electro 35 , but it seems to only close the shutter when I take my finger off the shutterbutton. Do you have any idea what problem this might be?
Make sure that the selector ring in front of the aperture ring is set to "auto" setting, and not B.
I’m having the same issue. Set to auto, the shutter will sometimes open and close with press of shutter button, other times it will open on press and only close on release. I can do it 10 times in a row and it will about 50% of the time work correctly. Are the shutter blades sticking?
@@japanvintagecamera8869 I meant to send my message to you.
I am in the process of cleaning and reviving this camera and would greatly appreciate your advice if you can provide it. All seems to have gone smoothly except for re-assembling the ASA dial. I note in your video you state that the brass pin should be at the 9:00 o'clock position whereas in my case the brass pin is more at the 8:00 o'clock position. I am not able to rotate the dial any further. Your red marker falls at the 5 -5:30 position , mine more at the 3:30 position. The end result is that I am unable to place the 1000 ASA value at the 5 o'clock position. If I loosen the two small locking screws on the film speed selector will I then be able to rotate the brass pin into the 9 o'clock position.
In addition I note when rotating the ASA base there is no change occurring in the masks of the Cd photocell window.
Thanking you in advance if you provide comment. I accept all responsibility.
I have the same issue, we’re you be able to solve the problem, I just got a GT version
Hey there! While attempting to restore an Electro 35 earlier today with help of your video, I made a mistake and could use some help. After reassembling the camera, the only thing that doesnt seem to function right is the "over" light. It worked whenever I first got power back into the camera from soldering the main white power wire, however I did not test it right after replacing the POD with a glued in strip of hard foam. What I believe to be the problem is that while cleaning the top case and preparing it for re-assembly I got some rubbing alcohol on the frosted glass, ruining it. Would this be the issue or is there a chance that my new POD is defective or I broke something else? Also, if it is just the glass, where could I find a replacement piece? Thank you for all the help already.
The indicator lights in these cameras can burn out unexpectedly, and sometimes need to be replaced. You can test the bulb by running current through it. The "over" lamp is rather necessary to be able to use the camera, as the maximum shutter speed is rather limited, the "low" lamp is less necessary as the shutter will stay open much longer than you can hold the camera still. You might be able to find the bulbs on Amazon in your country, they are simple 6 volt bulbs with short leads attached. Otherwise you can get one from a donor camera.
my yashica electro 35 has the hard diaphragm ring and the focus ring has a screech, how can I fix it? help please!
What type of battery’s?
hi, i was wondering if you could help me find light seals for my yashica electro35 . Thanks
I just replaced mine using black yarn and stuffing them into the spacing where the light seals should be. You could also use foam with a sticky side and put them on like a sticker to seal.
Where do u sell cameras ??
I just bought my electro, and I noticed that the exposure ring that has the bulb and auto mode just free spins. I am not sure if that affects the shooting mode of the camera. How do you repair it? I have not found anything about it.
There is a detent ball which is supposed to catch in the 3 different positions. If the ring turns too freely, you can use a piece of tape to hold it in place. Yashica often put stickers on this ring to hold it in the A position because new buyers often accidentally moved it to the B or sync settings and complained that their cameras didn't work right.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 This is very helpful, thank you.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Hi again, I figured out that there is an issue for the film advance lever. I put in a dead roll to test my camera some more. But it seems that when I advance the lever, it seems like the mechanism slips so it does not fully advance. If you had any tips to fix that I would really appreciate it. I just got the camera and I guess I have to restore it if I want it in fully functional condition.
When I pull the lever to pass the film, the shutter opens and only closes when I take the photo. The shutter remains open for the entire time between the moment I pull the camera lever and take the picture. Do you know how I solve this issue?
What do you do if the self timer on the lens is stuck?
The light meter of my electro 35 only lights up briefly after taking a shot. Is it just the bulb? The slow and over bulb goes away when I properly expose.
The contacts may be dirty. You can clean them by removing the bottom cover. Near the bottom opposite the shutter button you can see where the shutter shaft is attached on the front inside of the camera, and the wires which attach to it. Simply put a few drops of lighter fluid or clean paint thinner on this area, wind the cocking lever to the end of its travel, hold it there, and then push the shutter button rapidly a few times. But the bottom cover back on, and everything should work properly.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Thanks for the answer, It is working, It's just me, I wasn't pressing it down enough. I sent it for CLA and I can;t wait to use it.
my shutter is not at the 5 o'clock position, what could have happened, how can I fix it?.
How can it shutter opened?
my camera was not open when during the shutter button
Would you kindly share what battery works best with the Yashica Electro 35 ?
They were made to use with 5.6V mercury cells but those are illegal now, so: Pick up 4 LR44 batteries and stack them. You can tape them together, or do what I did and clean an old chapstick tube and stack them inside. Most people just tape em and since the batt stack won't reach both contacts, you can stick a wad of tin foil to fill the rest.
yashicaguy sells an adaptor you can stick an inexpensive readily available battery into for a perfect fit
Is the viewfinder supposed to be dark?
The viewfinder is somewhat dark ion the Yashica Electro series, this increases the rangefinder contrast.
I have 1 camera like this
But,i don't know how to use
Hi, I just got an electro, but it’s not operating at all. The battery light doesn’t come on either.
Try scraping the spring inside the batter chamber with a screw driver, and scrape the contact around the battery cap, these often have corrosion around them which prevents current from getting through.
i love you!
I have 2 yashica electro 35’s (1 silver gsn, and 1 black GT), both have dirty viewfinders 💔💔
I have a camera, Shika.
Hello, inm thomá Jones, am I crazy, OMG!!!??
Your vIdeos are great. I got gts and gtn soon to be shot again. Plan is take girlfriend to take pictures with second one and have nice day. Then compare what we got 😍. Perfect date in my opinion