Yashica 44 Test
These images are from my first roll through the Yashica 44 – I did not load the film correctly, hence the scratch on many images.
This house looks across the street to the storm drain and I have photographed it a few times.
This time I was drawn to it because of the light hitting the mantelpiece inside the window – see crop below for detail.
Other shots are from around town.
In the picture below the man walked into my shot just as I was ready to shoot, so I included him.
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This graffiti is interesting and served as a test for near focus.
Another close focus shot, at f3.5 to explore the bokeh of the lens.
Yashica 44, Rerapan 100, developed commercially, scanned at home.
burnt embers 
I can see why that light caught your eye 🙂 .. I can’t see the scratch, where are my glasses ..
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Hi Julie, you must need a strong prescription if you can’t see the main vertical scratch on several images 😉
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Time to consider another pair of glasses! 😀
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Nice images shame about the scratches, I had loading issues what I first tested my 44 last year, second attempt and all was well. They are great little cameras, is yours the crank or the knob wind version?
I’ve only tried the Rarepan in the 127 format, maybe I should pickup something else at some point to compare.
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Well, this comment makes me feel a bit better about loading the first roll all wrong, even against my instincts.
Mine is the crank version – I like the crank. I only wished it connected to the shutter to enable a double exposure prevention lock.
I am contemplating slitting some 120 film and trying it in this camera – a friend has a good slitting set up and I have some funky expired 120 colour film that might be fun to shoot in this format. I’ve been saving my reels and backing paper for this purpose.
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Yeah, at least you got images out of your first roll, mine almost jammed up the camera and I got nothing 🙂
Oh well, that what learning a new camera is all about, right?
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I agree. But when the film (Rerapan 127) is CAN$20 (before processing) it hurts a bit … I often test cameras with expired film and hope I can see the camera qulity through the film quality. Doesn’t always work …
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Yes indeed, I also use expired film for that reason. I have heard of people rolling 35mm for 127 and shooting edge to edge (sprocket holes and all) I just don’t have the time or resources for that. My 44 will for the most part be an occasional camera.
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I have contemplated trying 135 in the 44 – its a simple and easily reversed mod so no harm to the camera. I have a few expired 12 exposure rolls which would be well used this way as the frame spacing wouldn’t get too far out of wack. Because it’s 127 and because of hassle slitting 120 film and the cost of ore-rolled 127 the 44 will be regretfully, an occasional camera for me too.
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Regretfully indeed as they are such beautiful little cameras
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The 135 mod being to pull the roller from the film cartridge end and using a spacer to hold the cannister. Unloading in dark and rewind into cassette.
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Too bad about the scratch, but otherwise it looks as if you’re off to a great start! Hope you keep enjoying this camera!
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Thank you – I can only claim partial fault for the scratch. The instructions for film loading in the manual are counter intuitive and show the film going under a roller that clearly it should go over. I rashly followed the manual. Later, I found another manual online, with under scratched out by hand and replaced with over. My second roll was over, and no scratches.
I have a V700 holder for 127 film on order – thanks for helping me track it down! And when I went through the website, rather than the on-line auction site, the price and especially the shipping were quite a bit lower. I had been cringing at the CAN$ price, but dealing directly took away about half of the cringe, so I ordered one. Will be interesting to see how much better it is than what I have accomplished.
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I’ve struggled with loading my 44LM … it’s hard enough without a misleading manual! I’m glad your order for the film holder went well – I’m delighted that my comment helped. I hope the scanning goes well for you. I’ve found it hard to keep the film in the holder’s channels, but putting a piece of glass on top really helps keep the film in position 🙂
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Thank you. I will report back on these pages when I get the holder. Perhaps I will re-scan some of these Rerapan images just for comparison. I don’t have any of the right glass, so will have to see how it goes without. Might depend on the film – some lies very flat in the holder (JCH StreetPan for instance), and others coil and writhe like snakes trying to escape the scanner entirely. I am slowly working toward a system that banishes snake-like behaviour from my scanning. Some day I will get there.
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These are the nicest photos I’ve seen on ReraPan anywhere. The 44 really brings out the best in it.
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Thanks Jim. I think it is partly the light, and perhaps the scanning, because my second roll shot in very grey flat light is not nearly as pleasing as this is. Things to learn!
I have just shot some JCH400 and TMAX400 in the RB67 and I have to say I very much lean towards the JCH400 – less grain, richer blacks, a bit more contrasty. It would be fun to slit some JCH for the 44.
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