Awesome Craigslist haul...

[ACDavis85]

Got this entire lot for $50. Prize of the whole deal, seeing as how I am a Sony user...the Minolta 70-210mm f/4 lens. I guess once in a while, good ole Craigslist will pop-up with a more than fantastic deal.

[private]

Looking for te "like" button!

[slh]

You lucky dog! Give ya $50 for the beer can, lol.

[ACDavis85]

RIGHT!? Amazing deal. I've been searching and searching for this "Beer Can" lens for a while...could never find one that I thought was worth spending $200+ on. I just couldn't justify it. The rest of this stuff will probably be for sale...I've really no use for any of it.

[ACDavis85]

Originally Posted by slh

You lucky dog! Give ya $50 for the beer can, lol.

HA! To be honest, it's the only reason I replied to the ad. I saw that, and was like "Ok...if that's what I think it is, I'll pay $50 for everything, and sell everything else.

My only gripe with the lot, is that the hot shoe flash, I can't use. Unless there's an adapter of some sort???

[ravncat]

what is the rangefinder?

[ACDavis85]

Originally Posted by ravncat

what is the rangefinder?

It's a Yashica Electro 35. Interesting piece there. From what I read, it's from about 1966 or so. There are two lens attachments for it...one Wide Angle, and one 'Macro'. There's also that little view finder (which I actually stuck on the Minolta)...looks like a jeweler's loop, but when you look trough it, there are two boxes (one larger than the other). The smaller one says 'TELE' and the larger one says 'WIDE'. I've NO idea what that is...I've never seen it. I can only imagine that it belongs to the Yashica...seeing as how the view finder on that doesn't actually look through the lens.

[ACDavis85]

After doing a little more research, I've determined that the Yashica is an Electro 35 G, circa 1968. It has the 'Color Yashinon' lens, and (according to Wiki) is capable of using up to 500ASA film (as opposed to the standard 35's limit of 400ASA).

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by ACDavis85

It's a Yashica Electro 35. Interesting piece there. From what I read, it's from about 1966 or so. There are two lens attachments for it...one Wide Angle, and one 'Macro'. There's also that little view finder (which I actually stuck on the Minolta)...looks like a jeweler's loop, but when you look trough it, there are two boxes (one larger than the other). The smaller one says 'TELE' and the larger one says 'WIDE'. I've NO idea what that is...I've never seen it. I can only imagine that it belongs to the Yashica...seeing as how the view finder on that doesn't actually look through the lens.

The little viewfinder came with the accessory screw-on lenses for the Yashica. The Electro 35 uses parallax focusing - where you focus and through the viewfinder the two little yellow squares match up to show focus....but with the accessory lens attached, the framing was off so you had the little attachment that goes on the cold shoe so you can frame your shot.

[ACDavis85]

Originally Posted by zona5101

The little viewfinder came with the accessory screw-on lenses for the Yashica. The Electro 35 uses parallax focusing - where you focus and through the viewfinder the two little yellow squares match up to show focus....but with the accessory lens attached, the framing was off so you had the little attachment that goes on the cold shoe so you can frame your shot.

Ah, very cool. Thanks for the clarification! I was doing some reading on the focusing they used...that's where the name 'Range Finder' comes from, no? I've not been able to turn it on, I'm sure the battery is dead, and from what I understand they're mercury batteries, so you can't really get them anymore. I'm trying to find modern ones, or possible known-good originals to see if it works. If I sell it, I'd like to sell it as a working unit.

The lot also came with a 2800 AF flash for Maxxum...but the shoe is different. From what I dug up, there is an adapter (FS-1100) that will allow it to work with my Alpha. I might hold on to the flash long enough to try to find one of those FS-1100's. Unless the camera store (or a pawn shop if I'm lucky) will trade me for one that is a direct fit...3200i maybe?