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Yashica Electro 35 CC & 35CCN   35/1.8 lens

These little cameras are a peculiar blend of features.   The best features  are  the  35/1.8 lens and excellent RF/VF.   The 35CC/CCN  are aperture priority AE compact RFs  with electronic shutter and limited manual over-ride.   You set the f/stop, the camera sets the shutter speed from 1/250 down to 8 seconds.   Produced from about 1970 to 1975, they are not common today.    The 35/1.8 lens alone makes the camera worth looking for.   The 35CC/CCN measures a compact 4 3/4" long by 3" high by 2 3/8" deep, weighing in at 18 oz.  Filter size 52mm for easy to find caps, filters, and lens shade.  Strangely enough, this camera is not in "The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras."   Export only??   

On the Plus Side

• 35/1.8 six elements in four groups lens, I know of no other compact 35 RF that has this  very useful focal length and fast speed.  Too bad other compact rangefinder 35's didn't use this very useful combination, rather than the typical 40/1.7 or 1.9.  By the way, the lens is a fine performer.
• Aperture priority automation: most compact RF's have shutter priority automation.  With the 35CC you choose your f/stop and depth of field, the camera then automatically chooses a shutter speed from 1/250 down to as low as 8 seconds.   You have limited indirect control of the shutter speeds, since your choice of f/stops will result in an appropriate shutter speed chosen by the camera.   In other words, a faster f/stop will result in a higher shutter speed, and a slower f/stop will give you a slower shutter speed, BUT with no indication of the chosen shutter speed.
• Excellent Viewfinder with a bright (for its genre) Rangefinder,  this finder is one of the very best for this class of camera.  Yashica took a different approach.  The finder area is darker than the average camera of this class by design, in order to make the lighter frameline and golden rangefinder spot appear brighter in contrast.  Well, it works. 
• Meter range is commendable: EV -1 to EV 16 at ASA 100
• The outside viewfinder area is about 28mm, allowing the tracking of subjects outside the frameline
• Meter switch turns on as you press shutter release, very convenient and saves the battery.
• Electronic  Copal shutter for increased shutter accuracy, very unusual in  this camera class.
• Very Quiet Shutter
• 
• Battery check, one of the few on this class of camera.   Ingeniously the battery OK light illuminates the film counter, something useful in those New Orleans Jazz clubs you want to photograph.

Shutter lock around the shutter release, very unusual in this class of camera

Easy to find 6 volt silver battery,  Eveready 544 equivalent, access on back of top plate near battery check.

• Long shutter speeds as long as 8 seconds, very unusual for this class of camera.  If you need slow shutter speeds in a small compact RF, this is one of your few choices.
• ATL CDS sensor.   Never heard of ATL?   Neither had I, until I read the Yashica brochure.  Would you believe "Above The Lens?"    Located inside the filter ring, it provides exposure compensation with most filters.
• Flash sync is unfortunately limited to 1/30th.  Plugging in the PC cord sets the shutter speed to 1/30th.  This camera is not your best choice if you like to shoot flash, but a good choice if you like to shoot low light w/o flash.
• Limited manual control is possible, since removing the battery will give you 1/30th.  An alternative is changing the ASA dial as exposure compensation.
• Lens focuses down to 2.6', slightly closer than usual for this camera class.
• Quick comfortable,  single stroke film advance with a 25 degree out position,  55  more advances film.
• Available in any color you want, so long as it's black.
• Backdoor film reminder slot for film box top, unusual for this camera class.  Please note some 35 CC's have this feature, and some don't.

On the Negative Side

• The LED finder readout is rather odd and takes some getting used to. Pushing down the shutter release slightly turns on the meter display, but pushing the shutter release down further turns off the meter display.  The only display offered is of the warning variety.  If your f/stop is too small or too large for the lighting conditions to be hand held,   arrows appears in the center top of the finder display suggesting the direction to turn the aperture ring.  NO meter display appears if you your f/stop setting is within recommended limits. ODD, but it is workable once you realize how it works.
• NO indication of the camera's chosen shutter speed, only LED's indicating  OK/Not OK
• Limited top shutter speed of 1/250th
• Very simple (and therefore suspect) twin bladed shutter and diaphragm.   It was probably a design consideration with the electronic shutter.
• Limited Film Speed ASA range of 25-500
• No flash hot shoe, unusual for this class of camera.  PC connection only.

35CCN Wide

The 35CC is hard to find, the 35CCN is very hard to find. Frankly, they seem virtually identical cameras.  I have been unable to spot any differences besides the N designation on the top plate, the Wide designation on the front, a different rewind lever,  and a new serial number sequence.  Perhaps the 35 CCN had improved electronics internally...I am not sure.

  

The 35 CC/CCN is a pleasure to shoot due to it's very nice RF/VF and the 35/1.8 lens (rather than the standard 40mm most compact 35 RFs have.    All the controls are conveniently where you expect them to be.  With its excellent RF, black finish, and low speed capability down to 8 seconds, I  definitely get the impression the 35 CC was intended for low light shooting.  See you on Bourbon St.

They really don't make cameras like this any more.  Fixed lens rangefinders with fast 35 lenses are a thing of the past.  Too bad.  To put the Electro 35 CC/CCN  in perspective, if you want to buy a NEW  35 Rangefinder with built in meter and faster than 35/2 lens, for years your ONLY choice was a $3500 plus Leica M body and the $3500 plus 35/1.4 Aspherical Summilux.     Hmm.  $7000 for the Leica, or about $150 for the 35 CC.  Hmm.   the Leica or the Yashica and a month in Barbados -----  tough choice. 

Well, the ONLY choice comparison used to be true, anyway.   In August 1999 Voigtlander became part of this Barbados comparison with the introduction of their 35/1.7 Aspherical Ultron in August 1999 -- when coupled with their Bessa R or Bessa T.  oh well.

The Yashica brochure refers to the "Advantage of Yashica Electro Power" with "IC brain."  Wow.

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A variation of the 35CC is the less expensive but similar in appearance Yashica Electro 35 FC sporting a 40/2.8 lens instead of the 35/1.8 on the 35CC.

 

 

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Revised: August 31, 2008 .  Copyright � 1998-2008  Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved.    This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind.  Information in this document is subject to change without notice.  Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.