Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

By Michael Raven

The Yashica Auto Focus Motor. I’d never heard of it before finding one in a local charity shop, and for a mere £8 including original strap, case and manual, I thought it was worth a go. Delighted to discover that it worked perfectly, some ambivalence still remained due to its awkward looks, noises (more on that later) and name; no alphanumeric codes like the greats here, just a description of its one main feature: Auto Focus Motor. It also lacks the magical T* designation on the lens which has made later Yashica iterations so sought after. So why do I like it so much?

First, a quick overview: launched in 1981, this is an auto-everything camera, equipped with a 38mm f/2.8 lens, a film speed scale going from ISO 25 to 400, and a very-satisfying-to-pop-up flash unit. The only room for creative input – aside from framing and firing – is manually selecting the ISO. It also has a focus lock button for those times when the subject isn’t bang in the middle of the frame, along with a focus scale window to confirm what it’s focused on.

In low light, a half-press of the shutter release triggers a warning light in the viewfinder to suggest using flash (with the front covered, this also doubles up as the ‘battery check’ function). It’s not compact in the way that some of its peers are, but it’s small enough, and I actually quite like the reassuring heft of the thing. The viewfinder has parallax lines, there’s a tripod mount and of course a shutter lock button. And that’s about it.

In use, one of the most noticeable things is the noise. That auto focus motor, combined with the film advance, makes a terrific racket. This is certainly not a street photographer’s camera, unless you want everyone on that street to be unequivocally alerted to the fact that you just took a photo. Sounding like a mechanised bugle call, it announces your presence with every shot.

Then there’s how it looks: every button is decked out in a bold colour, reminiscent of a child’s toy that might have a ‘try me!’ label next to it on the packaging. As it happens, each button is indeed labelled to make its function absolutely clear. Instead of a lens cap, this has a plastic front plate which clips over the front of the camera, clearly a few evolutionary steps behind the advent of integrated sliding covers.

All of this adds up to a camera that is the antithesis of the slick, compact, high-end camera of some of its contemporaries. Accessible rather than esoteric, simple and utterly non-pretentious, it’s as if the splashes of colour are an attempt at friendliness; it goes out of its way to dispel any misconceptions that this is a professional tool. This is the opposite of the type of much-coveted camera we all want then, but what do we really want?

This is a camera where there is little temptation to spend more time taking photos of it than with it, and I’m happy to take it anywhere without being anxious about loss or breakage. I love that I have the option to manually change the ISO on a shot by shot basis (yes, you can hack DX coding, but it’s a bit of a faff). I’d love the scale to go one more stop to 800, but then I suppose it’d be a different kind of camera. I also love that it takes AA batteries and isn’t part of that CR123 generation. I like the lens too: at f/2.8 it’s relatively fast and I’ve found it to be sharp enough. It’s got nothing on the T series lenses (I am reliably informed) and it vignettes like no one’s business, but for me this only adds to its point-n-shoot charm. This is, in its own way, a perfect distraction-free camera that provides an opportunity to keep things simple.

That is to say, having everything automated can sometimes feel severely limiting; at other times it is entirely liberating. I love shooting film, but so often I find myself becoming obsessively preoccupied with taking independent meter readings before ensuring focus is spot on and then checking that everything’s ready to go on my ‘vintage’ (read ‘old and crumbling’) gear. Most of the time, I really enjoy this slow and methodical process, but every now and then it’s refreshing to be able to just see what you want to capture and immediately react, without the temptation to over-analyse, second-guess, and ultimately miss the moment.

These frames were taken on expired (hence the graininess) Kodak Ultramax during a trip to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. If you’d like to see more images taken with this camera then you can find me on Instagram: @michaelraven_

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About The Author

By Michael Raven
Living in the UK; loves shooting film.
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Comments

Nikon’s G-Series AF-S Lenses – A New Breed Of Fast Sharp And Versatile Lenses – Mecam.me on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 03/01/2023

[…] in this category are equipped with a focusing motor that is built into the lens rather than an auto focus motor that is housed within the camera. The AF-S lens is ideal for shooting motionless subjects, such as […]
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The Nikon 70-200 VR’s Side Buttons – Mecam.me on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 05/12/2022

[…] employs rotating energy to do so. What is the difference between AF lenses and non-afs lenses? The auto focus motor built into the camera is used in AF-S lenses, whereas the built-in motors in the camera are used in […]
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How To Autofocus In Video Mode Nikon D90 – Mecam.me on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 12/11/2022

[…] 18-105mm f 3.5-5.6 VR lens. The D90, unlike the entry-level D40, D40x, and D60 bodies, includes an auto AF motor that can be used to focus non-AFS lenses. This lens has a range of 5.8x, which is equivalent to 27 […]
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Daniel Morales on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 08/08/2022

I'd add one reason more to love this camera: The version with date back (called "Auto Focus Motor Diary") goes all the way from '00 to '99, so basically the data imprinting can be used for ever, contrary to more modern cameras. It's the only camera that I've ever had that allows you to do so, and I'm joyful about it.
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Nicolas Sanchez on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 10/09/2021

Hi, I've just found this camera on my grandparent's room, he has passed away, and I took them to use it, this is the first time in my life that i am taking photos with a analog camera. I started to use it 2 months ago, and I just received the photos that I took since that day, but I got a lot of questions about its use, how should I use de focus button. I love those photos that you took and i would love to hear if should use it in some special way, thanks.
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Michael Raven replied:

Comment posted: 10/09/2021

Hi Nicolas, I'm sorry to hear about your Grandfather. It's nice to hear that you've been able to pick up his old camera and begin a new hobby though. From memory, the focus lock works by pointing the camera at what you want to focus on, ensuring that the subject is in the middle of the viewfinder, then pressing the focus lock button. This locks the focus and you can then recompose before pressing the shutter release (if you move then you'll need to refocus of course). This feature is useful if the thing you want in focus isn't in the middle of the frame. I believe the manual for this camera is available online - this may provide more detail!

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Kenneth Anderson on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 17/09/2020

I and my wife purchased the Yashica Full AutomaticDiary 37 years ago in 1983....pretty sure I paid 199.00 CND...Our daughter was born in Nov 1983....We wanted to make sure we "captured the moment" We probably used this camera till at least 1988....Our son was born in Nov 1985 so his camera got lots of use with the 119 roll film I believe it was....Very Very Good Camera ...I still have ours and guess what it still works...Gotta be worth more than 8 lbs (England0 That would make it worth only about $18 or $19 CND.....
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Darrin on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 27/09/2019

I picked one of these up in mint condition
with manuals and two screw on lenses wide angle and telephoto I have yet to shoot with it was almost tempted to just flip it but youri mages will have me throw a roll in and see what comes out nice pics
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Michael Raven replied:

Comment posted: 27/09/2019

Glad to hear you're going to give it a try. One of the things I love about this site is that it functions as an ever-growing archive of sorts for all these semi-forgotten cameras like this one. Enjoy.

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Gorpalm on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 03/05/2019

Just picked this up a week ago and started shooting with it today. Bought for £15 untested but returnable. Actually had previously paid £20 for another but that turned out to be not as "tested" as indicated, and returned. Loving these early 80s large p&s models, loving that most of them use AA batteries, and that most have filter threads (except the Minolta AF-S, even though it Looks like it's designed to have threads added).
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Michael Raven replied:

Comment posted: 03/05/2019

Well worth the money! Good point - this one takes 40.5mm filters (if I remember correctly) but I'm yet to try the Hoya O(G) I bought for it.

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James replied:

Comment posted: 03/05/2019

A local antique shop has had one of these for about $15 USD for a few months now and I wanted to do a little research. I think I might buy it, I absolutely love your images. Thanks for you amazing review!

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Michael Raven replied:

Comment posted: 03/05/2019

Thank you James. Sounds like a good price, I'd heartily recommend it! Go along with a couple of AAs and try it out. Enjoy!

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Terry B on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 02/05/2019

Michael, but have you seen the prices currently on eBay? Looks like the boat has already sailed on this, unfortunately.☹️
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Faraz on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 02/05/2019

Those pics look crispy to me, lens not to bad for £8!
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Michael Raven replied:

Comment posted: 02/05/2019

Exactly! Quality to price ratio makes complete sense at this end of the spectrum.

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Dominique Pierre-Nina on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 02/05/2019

Awesome
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Terry B on Yashica Auto Focus Motor Review and Notes – By Michael Raven

Comment posted: 02/05/2019

£8 well spent, IMO. Even with outdated film, the camera shows itself to be a very decent performer. Judging by your images, I personally feel that you are being over-critical about the vignetting. In this respect, this lens has to be one of the better performers, going from what I have seen posted on-line.
It's a little odd that the body is not emblazoned with the Yashica name, only the lens. So I rather suspect that the camera was made by one of the few manufacturers, possibly Cosina, who provided anonymous bodies, even though the vast majority would have been sold under better known camera names. Perhaps, but who knows, Yashica wanted it known that they were responsible for the lens, and going by your results, not a bad decision by them.
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Michael Raven replied:

Comment posted: 02/05/2019

Thank you Terry, I shot it all 2 stops (I think) to try and compensate for the age of the film. The name Yashica does actually make an appearance on the top plate and also on the lens cover, but I completely agree that the lens is the main thing here which is just as it should be. As I say, it's perfectly sharp enough and doesn't suffer from having a reputation leading to grossly inflated prices!

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Cameron Gillett replied:

Comment posted: 02/05/2019

It actually does have Yashica in bold letters on top of the camera. I still have one of these little gems in my collection. Bought it for my wife in about 1981 or 2. They also called it the 5 Star because of its 5 main features: auto focus, auto exposure, auto wind, focus lock and built in flash. It also has a very cool little wheel in a window that spins visibly on the back to let you know film is loaded and advancing. You’ll never ruin a film by opening the film door if you check this tool. When I bought it I was very impressed with the quality of pictures an I still am. Thanks for your great review of a little champ.

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