Yashica MAT-124G @ Vanilla Fifi 宜蘭香草菲菲

2012.10.12

Discovering Vanilla Fifi was somewhat accidental. This year, for our anniversary on Qixi Valentine's Day, I ordered a soda maker as a birthday gift for my wife. Along with the package came three tickets to Vanilla Fifi, which I've been holding onto. Today happened to be the day for the parents' profession explanation activity at my daughter's school during morning reading time. My wife and I took a day off to cycle around Meihua Lake and decided to visit this emerging attraction. 

會知道香草菲菲這個地方算是偶然，今年七夕情人節訂了一台氣泡水製造機給老婆當生日禮物，包裹中送了3張香草菲菲的門票，也就一直收著。剛好今天是晨讀時間到女兒學校解說家長的職業的活動日，跟老婆一起請了一天假到梅花湖騎單車也順便到這個新興景點瞧一瞧。

The entire building is designed with the concept of a ventilated factory, both in its exterior and interior, presenting a consistent white color scheme. Therefore, I had initially prepared black and white film to better capture the structure and texture of the building. For the camera, I brought along my trusty Yashica MAT-124G, a portable 120 film camera. Inside, while taking photos, a guide, around 20 years old, struck up a conversation with me about the camera I was using. For him, it seemed like an antique, probably his first encounter with a TLR camera. I had to start explaining from the basics of film, and luckily, he was familiar with 35mm film. In a few more years, young people might not even know what film is, and even companies like Kodak could become unknown to them!

整棟建築設計是以通風廠房的概念來設計，外觀和內部清一色是白色調，所以我一開始就準備了黑白底片，這樣比較能呈現建物的構造和質感。相機不多說，就是120底片的隨身機 Yashica MAT-124G。室內拍攝當下，一位現場約莫20來歲的解說員和我聊起手上的相機，對他而言真的是骨董了，大概是第一次看到TLR相機，我只好從底片該始講起，還好他知道135底片，再過幾年，年輕人應該都不知到底片是何物? 連Kodak這家公司也毫無所悉了吧!


Photo 1: Vanilla Fifi Exterior 香草菲菲外觀, Yashica MAT-124G


Photo 2:Vanilla Fifi Interior 香草菲菲內部, Yashica MAT-124G

Yilan Vanilla Fifi Photo Album
宜蘭香草菲菲 相簿

Japanese RF Cameras in 60's

The 1960s can be considered the glorious era of RF (rangefinder) cameras, especially with the Japanese camera industry gradually posing a threat to Western camera brands during this period. When you pick up these cameras for appreciation in the 21st century, you'll undoubtedly be captivated by the solid feel of the metal body and the image quality of the large aperture standard lenses. If you're interested, you can easily collect these cameras on online auction websites.

The two cameras I want to introduce here are the YASHICA LYNX-5000 and the KONICA auto S1.6. The YASHICA LYNX-5000 was a gift to my grandfather from someone in Japan. It wasn't until I graduated from graduate school, and my grandfather found out about my interest in photography, that he took out this camera from the cabinet. At that time, the viewfinder had some mold, but the lens was still clean. The KONICA auto S1.6, on the other hand, was my father's camera, accompanying our family for over a decade until it retired with the rise of point-and-shoot cameras. Currently, both cameras are waiting for the right moment in my humidity-proof box.

60年代可說是RF測距式相機的輝煌時期，尤其是日本的相機工業更是在這個時期逐漸威脅到西方品牌的相機。在二十一世紀的今天再度拿起這些相機賞玩時，絕對會著迷於那金屬相機的扎實感與大光圈標準鏡頭的成像品質。有興趣的話上上拍賣網站，很容易就可收藏這些相機喔。

這裡要介紹的兩部相機分別是YASHICA LYNX-5000與KONICA auto S1.6。YASHICA LYNX-5000是祖父的日本有人送他的，直到我研究所畢業，祖父知道我喜歡攝影才從櫥櫃中找出這台相機，當時看機況，觀景窗有些發霉，鏡頭到還乾淨。KONICA auto S1.6則是父親使用的相機，陪過我們家五口有十幾年的時間，直到傻瓜相機開始流行後才退休。目前兩部相機都在我的防潮箱中等待時機重出江湖。

YASHICA LYNX-5000

During the era when RF rangefinder cameras were popular, YASHICA launched the flagship model LYNX-14, boasting a 1.4 large aperture lens. Subsequently, they released more affordable cameras such as the LYNX-1000 and LYNX-5000. The LYNX-5000 in hand features a 45mm f1.8 standard lens. Like the typical structure of RF rangefinder cameras, starting from the front of the lens, there are the shutter ring, aperture ring, and focus ring in sequence. The body has only the shutter button and the film advance/rewind mechanism. Even the film sensitivity adjustment and self-timer are designed on the lens barrel, giving the body a clean and minimalist appearance. The metering uses a non-coupled external metering system, requiring a PX-625A battery for operation. The rangefinder patch in the viewfinder is circular, providing a quick and clear focusing experience.

YASHICA在RF測距相機流行的時代，推出了旗艦機種LYNX-14，標榜了1.4大光圈的鏡頭，之後陸續推出了LYNX-1000與LYNX-5000等較平價的相機，手邊的LYNX-5000採45mm f1.8的標準鏡頭。如一般RF測距相機的結構類似，由鏡頭前方起算，依次是快門轉環、光圈轉環與對焦環，機身則僅有快門鈕與過/回片機構。就連底片感光調整與自拍計時器也都設計在鏡筒上，機身看起來相當簡潔。測光採用非連動式外部測光，需要一顆PX-625A的電池來驅動。觀鏡窗內的疊影區域是圓形的，對焦感覺快速且清晰。 

YASHICA LYNX-5000 上視圖


YASHINON 1:1.8 f=4.5cm


KONICA auto S1.6 

In the late 1960s, Konica also produced an RF rangefinder camera with a large aperture, similar in structure to most cameras of this type but incorporating what is commonly known as an "electric eye (EE)" automatic exposure system. The operation mode involves (1) using the shutter ring to link the size of the incoming light to the metering component (the slower the shutter, the larger the incoming light), (2) generating a current based on the size of the incoming light (larger incoming light results in a larger current), and (3) using the generated current to drive the aperture magnetic valve (larger current leads to a smaller aperture). The combined action of (1), (2), and (3) achieves a metering effect where the slower the shutter, the smaller the aperture, or the faster the shutter, the larger the aperture – a precursor to shutter priority functionality.

60年代末期Konica也堆出了標榜大光圈的的RF測，距式相機，結構上與大部分這類型的相機類似，但卻加入了俗稱「電眼(EE)」的自動曝光系統。其操作模式是 (1) 利用快門轉環連動測光元件的進光口大小(快門越慢進光口越大)，(2)利用進光量的大小來產生電流(進光量越大電流越大) (3) 利用產生的電流來驅動光圈磁閥(電流越大光圈越縮小)。綜合(1)(2)(3)的動作，即可達到快門越慢光圈越小或快門越快光圈越大的測光效果，可說是快門優先功能的起源。

KONICA auto s1.6 上視圖 

HEXANON 1:1.6 f=45mm

機身規格

詳細機身 規格比較
機身	YASHICA LYNX-5000	KONICA auto S1.6
生產者	Yashica Japan	Konica Japan
發售年	1962 年	1967 年
底片型式	24mm x 36mm	24mm x 36mm
鏡頭	YASHINON 45mm F1.8 (6群7枚)	HEXANON 45mm F1.6 (5群7枚)
快門型式	鏡間快門	鏡間快門
快門速度	B-1-2-4-8-15-30-60-125-250-500-1000	B-1-2-4-8-15-30-60-125-250-500
對焦方式	手動測距式疊影對焦	手動測距式疊影對焦
測光	外部測光	外部測光+EE光圈連動
自拍器	有，機械式	有，機械式
閃燈同步	所有快門	所有快門
閃燈接點	有，X接點	有，PC/X接點
機身高度	86mm	82mm
機身寬度	127mm	138mm
機身深度	74mm	74mm
重量	710g	770g