Despite their previous camera being largely trashed by critics upon its release last year, Yashica has returned to crowdfunding site Kickstarter. Unbothered by the negative press, the company has announced plans to launch three new film cameras alongside two new films.
Entitled “Absolute,” the new project is to be rolled out across three “episodes” in sync with the three cameras.
The first camera, described as a simple “Snapshot Art Camera,” will be known as the Yashica MF-1. A compact 35mm, the MF-1 will come with a shutter speed of 1/120 s, an aperture of f/11, and a focus range of 1 m to infinity. It has an in-built flash, with a lifespan of 3000 flashes.
MF-1 is our reminder to people of the fun and the lessons taught to us by film photography. It is an art of precision, patience, and mystery that requires meticulousness, experimentation, and bravery. MF-1 is […] suitable for novice photographers transitioning from the world of digital to that of film photography. For a great film photo, it requires a quality film and camera (a decent photographer as well).
Accompanying it will be the Yashica 400, a 35mm negative film.
The second camera shall be the relaunch of the Yashica MF-2 Compact Automatic Camera from 1980. With it, the second episode “Novella” will be launched.
Lastly, the Yashica-44 twin-lens reflex camera from 1958 will also be revived. The difference this time is that the updated Yashica 44 will shoot 35mm film.
The company says that the Yashica MF-1 is ready for launch. However, a minimum number of orders are required for it to go into production. Alas, they have returned to Kickstarter to essentially raise preorders for getting the ball rolling.
Weird website behavior. System is showing "unpublished" articles. Okay, looks like the website loaded AS the article was published.
After the Y35, I really don't know what to think anymore. On the one hand, if they have Yashica's intellectual property on top of the brand name, then there's no reason to think that they shouldn't be capable of releasing these cameras (one is obviously just a modified disposable). On the other hand, if they want to make a splash, why not crowdfund a re-release of the 124G or the FX-3? Granted, it might be difficult at this point after the Y35 fiasco and the general lack of trust...
To think these vulture funds are investing money and talent into an extremely small market is kidding themselves. It's going to be rebadged from some other supplier. All of it. They just need a big enough order to go to someone who owns a film production factory to get it made. Maybe there's some very fine changes to produce a different look but everything was fake from the previous run. They won't be investing the money into the product other than to sell it.
And only 5k away from goal
"Yashica has returned to crowdfunding site Kickstarter. "
Jesus, they really are shameless, aren't they? Anyone who funds this after the previous disaster of a product needs their head examined.
€7,000 euros in 5 to go
“There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.”
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
That was a George W Bush quote
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
Hey. Is there any new 35mm camera with built-in flash and f/2.8 ?? I have an old Olympus mju II with these specs, but the battery is hard to find (CR123A) and it drains super fast and the trap holds with duck tape... I wish i could replace it with the Yashica MF-1, but f/111 tho....