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Yashica Lynx 14

This is the earlier Lynx 14, with manually adjusted metered exposure instead of AE and the "IC" integrated circuit.

  Quiet Mechanical shutter, fast 45/1.4 Lens. 

• The Lynx is one of the very few 35 leaf shutter Rangefinders with a 1.4 Yashinon-DX lens.  The  immense 1.4 lens dominates the camera.  This puts the Lynx in an elite club.    The number of leaf shutter 1.4 lensed rangefinders can be counted on one hand.  With 7 elements in 5 groups, Yashica tried to use the best lens it could for the price category.  Filter size 58mm.
• VERY Nice viewfinder/rangefinder with a projected parallax corrected frameline.  Typically Yashica, it has a darker than average viewfinder to enhance the contrast of the much brighter frameline and RF spot.
• Metering is indicated in the finder OR the top plate.   Pushing  the little silver button on the right front of the camera turns the meter on.     You adjust the f/stop and or the shutter speeds until the correct exposure is indicated.  ASA range 10 to 800.

• TTL Metering?  Nope its ATL (Above The Lens).   The CDS metering cell is that round window to the left of the rangefinder.    Top plate meter window allows meter use from high or low angles.  Notice the shutter release threading for a standard mechanical cable release.  I guess Yashica did not realize they could charge $75 or more for an electronic cable release.
• Quiet Mechanical Copal leaf shutter, range 1 to 500 plus B and self timer  (works without batteries)
• Flash sync at all speeds via the PC connection.  No hot shoe. 
• Large, convenient easy to use controls.  The large surface of the advance lever is particularly nice.   The focusing, shutter speed, and aperture controls rings are large and easy to grasp.   The aperture ring is not click stopped.
• The comfortable advance lever requires a complete single stroke, ratcheted it is not.
• The Lynx was designed for the bad boy mercury 625 battery.
• Weight is a none too petite 30 oz,  aka 2 lbs. with film.   measurements 5 1/2" x 3 3/8  x 6 5/16"deep.  No plastic top and bottom covers here, just the hard reality of real metal.  Gee, what a strange way to make a camera.
• Maybe they were made in black, but all I have seen were chrome.
• OK, its not a Leica, but it doesn't have a Leica price, either.
• If you plan to get the most out of your Lynx,   have it overhauled with its shutter, rangefinder, and meter calibrated, the rangefinder/viewfinder cleaned, lens cleaned, and the light seals replaced.  Like any other camera of the 60's and 70's, it  needs a good going over at least every 40 years!

Lynx controls are large, well laid out, and easy to read.   

Still very usable today, the Lynx 14 is a bargain, especially compared to a Leica M6 with a 1.4 lens.  hmm.

Compared to an Olympus RD and the Leica M2, you can see the Yashica Lynx does not quite make it into the compact rangefinder category.

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Revised: November 26, 2003 .  Copyright � 1998-2002  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.