135compact.com 35mm half format cameras Yashica Mimy S
The
Yashica Mimy S appeared in 1964 as a successor to the 72E from 1962 and
the Yashica Mimy from 1963 with automatic exposure, but with a
fixed focus lens. The Mimy S can be focussed again, but has the
automatic exposure of the Mimy. There is not much technical information on the web, the manual doesn't give any.
The camera's main features are:
35mm film half-frame camera, picture size 24 x 18 mm Yashinon 28mm f/2.8-16 lens, min focus 0.8m Shutter speed B, 1/30- 1/250s (?) automatic speed/aperture, flash 1/30 with manual aperture Size 108 x 70 x 43 mm, Weight : 410 g with strap ISO 16-200, automatic exposure via selenium meter, PC flash socket, tripod socket, cable release socket
Front with cap.
Front. Big selenium cell around the lens. PC flash socket on the body.
Back
view. Finder and film advance at the bottom.
Seen from above. Accessory shoe.
Exposure meter. The needle has be within the margins for correct
exposure. ISO setting, has to be preset according to the film speed by turning the small silver knob. Shutter button with cable release thread. Exposure counter.
On the lens barrel: aperture scale for flash setting (speed will be 1/30), B and auto exposure. Distance setting via symbols.
Seen
from below. Rewind handle, tripod socket, rewind unlock button. Back
opening tab on the right edge. On the lens barrel: distance setting via
m and feet.
Camera back open
open.
Camera and its original leather pouch, strap and all papers which is rare.
A stylish little camera.
The
Yashica Mimy S is
well designed, its handling is very easy. It has a very good lens for
crisp photos and there are 72 photos on a 36 exp. film. The automatic
exposure is
quite handy, although it doesn't tell you which speed/aperture it
applies. As there are many cameras with dead meters, check with the
seller that the meter really works. The meter can freeze with the
needle in the middle of the scale, so this is no indication that it
works. Without meter this camera is nearly useless. You can use the
flash settings, but that will be kind of Lomo style.
The camera is relatively small, but
modern full format cameras are not bigger and they
weigh less. So this is a beautiful vintage camera and
it's fun to use it.
