Yashica MG-1

I've been waiting for months to finally write about my absolute favorite camera, the Yashica MG-1.

This little beauty is my first and only rangefinder, and to be be honest, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I just knew rangefinders looked cool and sexy and had that kind of vintage, "I'm a mysterious detective" vibe that makes me want to sling one over my shoulder even if I'm going out at night. So when I saw one listed on Tori.fi for just 44€ (and thats including shipping), I didn't even hesitate.

Along with the camera, I snagged a couple of square metal lens hoods. Part of that was purely to make the camera even cooler (no photos rn but will prolly add some later.) but the other part is peace of mind. The lens is fixed, and replacements are basically non-existent, so you bet I want some nice, solid protection on it, and having a cap on it the whole time is not an option.

When I first started shooting, I was a mix of excited but lost. The whole rangefinder focusing thing was a new world to me, and I initially felt like I was just guessing if things are in focus or not. But once the concept finally clicked, I got used to just trusting myself. I've taken about ten rolls with it (give ot take) so far and I'm still going strong. There's something ridiculously fun about the process: guessing the distance to your subject, every sharp shot feels like a win.

The Yashica feels amazing in my hands. It's got a solid-but-not-heavy density, and it's simple yet with some character. it's not something I'd just hand to anyone. This camera feels too special... at least to me

As per the technical side the MG-1 landed in the early 1970s as a member of Yashica's Electro series. It has a fixed 45mm f/2.8 Yashinon lens that is surprisingly sharp.

It's slightly limiting due to it being aperture-priority. This means you get to set the aperture, and the camera's internal automatic exposure system chooses the correct shutter speed for you. It keeps things simple and I've had good luck with it. There's a super basic exposure system with little traffic-light indicators in the viewfinder: a orange light (too slow) and a red light (too fast).

Note: The original battery was a 5.6V mercury cell (PX32), which is, thankfully, obsolete. I'm using a 4LR44 (6V) battery and adapter.

The shutter is wonderfully quiet and smooth, and the viewfinder is decently bright. This is not a fast camera by any means. But its not the point of it ether.