Yashica atoron: Bauhaus style on the outside, precise subminiature mechanics on the inside

[tjwspm]

The Yashica Atoron is more than just a camera; it’s a testament to the precision engineering and timeless design of mid-century Japanese optics. This subminiature camera, a contemporary of the Minox B, offers a unique blend of portability and image quality.



Owning and using a Yashica Atoron is more than just taking pictures; it’s a journey into the history of photography. Nowadays you can buy the atoron (Porst KX50 and Revue Mini Star are identical) cheaply (working cameras from 20 $). I have been working intensively with this camera over the last few weeks and am fascinated. If you have an atoron yourself, please post sample pictures. I would be very interested in your experiences.

You can find an overview and tips on the camera here: https://moments-of-now.com/yashica-atoron/
If you are interested in the inner functions and repair instructions, you will find them here: https://moments-of-now.com/inside-yashica-atoron/

 

[tjwspm]

Update:
In the meantime I have exposed the first films and realized: this camera takes really good pictures.

The trick is to use a fast film - I had Kodak Portra 400. Since the atoron has a fixed lens that is set to 3 m, I want to stop down as far as possible. I accept the coarser grain of the film in favor of the depth of field. I get rid of the grain well in digital post-processing. Remember, we're talking about tiny 8x11 mm negatives here.

The photos are here:

My Yashica atoron

The subminiature camera Yashica atoron (Porst KX 50, Revue Mini-Star) is a perfect example of the Bauhaus style. It is similar to the Minox B.

moments-of-now.com

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

The problem I have with all the subminiatures is that they are subminiatures.

You can't afford any camera shake and film processing has to be immaculate. There's no doubt that if you can meet those standards, the best cameras can provide interesting results but when you put them up against "miniature" digital cameras, such as Canon's Ixus 70, the sub-miniature film camera comes off badly. Much as I'm impressed with the best subminiatures in terms of engineering, I've given up on using them.

 

[tjwspm]

The problem I have with all the subminiatures is that they are subminiatures.

You can't afford any camera shake and film processing has to be immaculate. There's no doubt that if you can meet those standards, the best cameras can provide interesting results but when you put them up against "miniature" digital cameras, such as Canon's Ixus 70, the sub-miniature film camera comes off badly. Much as I'm impressed with the best subminiatures in terms of engineering, I've given up on using them.

You are absolutely right. It's not so easy to take decent photos with these little analogue things. But if it were easy, I wouldn't use it.
Seriously, when it comes to camera shake, we can learn a lot from sports shooters, see here:

Triggering a Minox

More shots are ruined by camera shake than by any other shooting error. This essay combines triggering of a Minox with experience from sport shooting.

moments-of-now.com

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

You are absolutely right. It's not so easy to take decent photos with these little analogue things. But if it were easy, I wouldn't use it.

We're coming from very different places, I think.

Above all else, I value ease of use in a camera.

 

[tjwspm]

We're coming from very different places, I think.

Above all else, I value ease of use in a camera.

Maybe we're not that far apart. If the photo is all that matters to me, I also use a digital camera. Then I can concentrate fully on the picture.

 

[tjwspm]

New photos added:

My Yashica atoron

The subminiature camera Yashica atoron (Porst KX 50, Revue Mini-Star) is a perfect example of the Bauhaus style. It is similar to the Minox B.

moments-of-now.com