Yashica Electro 35 G — 35mm Rangefinder with Yashinon-DX 45mm f/1.7

The Yashica Electro 35 G is the refined second-generation variant of the original Electro 35 (1966), distinguishing itself from its predecessor by a restyled top plate, improved flash circuitry, and a new "G" suffix designation introduced around 1970. It was produced in large numbers through the early 1970s and became one of the best-selling 35 mm rangefinder cameras of its era — a commercially accessible alternative to the Canonet QL17 GIII and a practical companion to the more expensive Leica CL or Minolta CLE for photographers who valued a fast, fixed lens in a compact body.\n\nThe heart of the camera is the Yashinon-DX 45 mm f/1.7 — a 6-element, 4-group optical formula with single-layer anti-reflection coating. At f/1.7 it was among the fastest standard lenses available on a consumer-grade Japanese rangefinder of the period, delivering genuinely pleasing out-of-focus rendering that continues to attract film photographers today. The aperture-priority auto-exposure system is fully electronic, using a CdS meter cell and a stepless Copal leaf shutter that selects exposures from approximately 1/500 s down to several seconds, signalling the photographer via the orange OVER and red SLOW warning LEDs visible in the viewfinder. This "set it and shoot" philosophy made the Electro 35 G enormously popular with press and travel photographers of the early 1970s.\n\nThis particular example carries the JMDC "Passed JC II-01" quality inspection sticker — a Japan Market Domestic Certificate confirming factory inspection prior to sale on the domestic Japanese market. Such stickers are frequently missing after fifty years of use and their presence is noted by knowledgeable collectors. The camera is equipped with its original Yashica snap-on plastic lens cap and a period black neck strap. The electronic shutter requires a 5.6 V battery (four 1.35 V mercury cells or modern equivalent); prospective buyers are advised to source a suitable mercury-equivalent adapter, as the original Eveready 544 / Mallory PX-28 mercury stack is no longer available. A competent CLA will ensure reliable shutter operation and accurate metering.

Material: Die-cast aluminium body, chrome-plated top and bottom plates, black leatherette covering, polished aluminium lens barrel