Pssst....You Wanna Know A Secret?...
Written: May 13 '02 (Updated May 13 '02)
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Pros: Metal chassis and mount. Ability to accept Carl Zeiss lenses. Fully manual.
Cons: Plastic top and bottom plates. No DOF preview. Fully manual.
The Bottom Line: This is the hands-down best sleeper camera of all time! Every pro I've talked to has commended me on my choice on this camera!
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| neofusion's Full Review: Kyocera FX-3 Super 2000 Film Camera |
...The Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 is perhaps the best camera for the money out there! A true sleeper, it has a metal chassis covered by a plastic outer veneer. The fact that it's an all manual camera shouldn't scare you. This is one of the best ways to learn how to take a good picture. If you're patient, the rewards will be many. The name Yashica is definitely NOT going to impress many of your friends, it might even get some people to tease and make fun of you. Don't pay any attention to these guys, a true pro will recognize the potential of your choice and commend you on it. What potential you ask? Well, this little baby is made by the same parent company as Contax (Kyocera, yup, they make more than cell phones), and hence uses the same lens mount. Why is this important? For the sole reason that it makes the entire line of Carl Zeiss T* lenses available to you. These lenses are some of the best in the world! Many people will spend big bucks on these cheepee-super-gizmo-cameras, but if you ask any professional, they'll tell you that the lens is often far more important than the camera with respect to image quality. So it's much better to get a modest but capable camera and spend your money on fine glass than to buy a super-gizmo camera and slap on a cheap plastic lens (or even worse, a zoom lens!). If you really want all the gizmos later on, you can always buy a Contax and use the FX-3 as a backup while keeping all the nice lenses!
Now that you really really want one, there are a few things you ought to know. First off, there was more than one version of the FX-3 made:
Let’s start with the latest version, the FX-3 Super 2000 (chrome/champaigne body). The specs on this camera can be found on the yashica website: www.yashica.com/slr This camera is rumored to be made by Cosina now, and may be of lesser quality than previous versions. The only major drawback is the lask of DOF preview, which shows you your depth of field (focus) as you change the aperture. But this is a small concession, all things considered.
Now onto the FX-3 Super 2000 (black body). This is the camera I have. It has all of the features of the current model but is painted black (looks better IMHO). I can tell you that this camera is of very good quality given how little it costs. Don’t be afraid of the outer plastic, that’s all it is, outer plastic. The interior chassis is all metal, including the lens mount. Very sturdy and durable.
Before the Super 2000 there was just the Super, which only had a top shutter speed of 1/1000s. Compared to more recent versions, it’s missing the built-in hand grip and flash ready indicator in the viewfinder.
And in the very beginning it was just the FX-3. The main difference between this and the Super is that the light meter is operated with a separate button and not by lightly pressing the shutter button.
Ok, that’s it for the different versions of the FX-3. My recommendation would be to go with the Super 2000 models since the price difference isn’t that much and you’ll get a little more shutter speed and a better grip. I bought mine (in excellent condition) for only $100 on ebay and it came with a Yashica 50mm/1.9 lens! Speaking of Yashica lenses, they aren’t that bad. In fact, the multi-coated versions (designated ML or MC), are great bargains if you can’t afford Zeiss glass right away. However, I would at least get a Zeiss 50mm lens since the difference between them and the Yashica equivalent isn’t that much (I got my 50/1.7 T* for only $50!). Stay away from cheap zooms!
One final warning: You may experience overwhelming satisfaction when contemplating how much money you saved and how much nicer your pictures look compared to your buddy with the hi-tech gizmo camera because you knew what to do. ;)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 100
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Epinions.com ID:
neofusion
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Member: Haig Hagopian
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
You get what you pay for, usually.
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