Overview of the SL300R

[bobbl46]

Blimey! ..... Kyocera.com!

You don't think they would spend any energy documenting the history of Yashica, do you? They have far too much anodising of SL300R's to do!

The posted one(s) are meant to be small (even if Dirk's 300x300 limit was not in place, I'd still post them small for now!)

They are the result of approx 4 years work by myself .... and the help of many willing Yashica and Contax enthusiasts from all over the world who have given me their photos of cameras and much data too.

They are almost ready to publish (there is a Contax one too!), and I am working on a host website for that purpose.

I have done this work on behalf of the Contax Postal Club (UK) and the website will be the Club's website.

The charts will be available to everyone to download free, provided you agree to accept the condition that they are not printed and sold, or profit made from them directly.

Currently, the Yashica chart is intended to be printed on A1 paper size (600mm x 840mm) and approx 3MB jpg'd. The Contax chart is intended to be printed on A2 paper (420mm x 600mm) and is approx 1.5MB jpg'd. They are "zoned" to assist us mortals with only A4 (US letter) printers to use "tiling" to make up the larger wallchart.

One eager-beaver contributor loved it so much that he had it professionally printed at A1 (and at no little expense I suspect), beautifully framed it ....and sent me a photo of his new wall adornment. You can imagine my feelings when I had to tell him that I had just discovered 24 new Yashica cameras that were made and sold exclusively in South America!

You can see why I deliberately post them small (i.e. not post them full sized anywhere!). When they are as ready as they can be .....they will go world-wide (I hope!)

I think they will contain some surprises for even some experts, I'll be well pleased if I hear a few "Well! I didn't know that...." bouncing around the ether. And I hope for not too many mistakes. I expect lively debate!

There are a few contributors in this forum who have seen the full sized versions .... feedback has been good so far.

Patience, my boy.... patience

Kyocera Kid

 

[nickser]

Hi All,

I would like to say that I have copies of the posters that Bob has spent most of his adult life researching and they are superb. I have printed them out at A3 for my study and they are fine at that with my reading glasses. Maybe I will go the whole hog and get them printed full size, but then there would be no space left on the wall!!

Thanks to the Kyocera Kid.

 

[bobbl46]

Thanks, Paul. (I think! Some have suggested that I have yet to reach adulthood!)

The problem is ... if you haven't guessed ..... is that they are almost out of date as soon as you download them! At least the Yashica one is!

Also, after a couple of years working on them AND then discovering those Brazilian cameras ... gives your confidence a severe knock ..... why did it take so long for me to discover them? How many more cameras have I missed? I have this gut feeling that there might be another big chunk missing and would end up looking like a complete amateur!

One has to bite the bullet some time and release them. If only to allow people to shout "OY! You've missed off the XXY Elite Super 1.2 pink baseplate version!" Then, and only then, will I know that there was that pink baseplate version that I had missed!

Cheers, Kyocera Kid.

 

[bobbl46]

Kyocera are well known for their Environmental Policies and have won several awards for their efforts.

So, it would appear that I have mis-lead the forum ..... Kyocera appear not to be spending all their R&D/Production time anodising Finecam SL300R's, in as many pretty colours as they can dream up. I had shown/stated this in a message above.

Instead, I have found out that they are recycling paint left over from the 1958/9 Y16 cameras, diluting and mixing the colours to produce the desired effect!

So, 45 years waiting to use up the paint.... and the idea ..... that's what I call recycling!

Cheers, Kyocera Kid.

 

[jsmisc]

Bob,
That is truly amazing. Would the paint not have gone off after 45 years though? Will it not fall off the new cameras? (Tongue in cheek - I hope)
John

 

[bobbl46]

John, the "Kid" bit says it all

I thought it was an interesting "story" too!

A case of "What goes around, comes around".

p.s. is my memory right and are you the J. Strain that praised Bentley Films for their FX-D prices in the mid 80's in an A.P. letter? Could be fame at last

Cheers, Kyocera Kid.

 

[jsmisc]

Bob,
Yes I am the guilty party. I had to dig out my scrap book to check! -A.P. w/e Aug 9th 1986.
You have an amazing memory indeed. I used to visit Leeds quite often at that time and would always have a look at Bentley Films and sometimes buy things. I never see them advertising now and wonder if they have gone.
Best wishes,
John

 

[jsmisc]

Hi Bob,
I've just checked on the internet and Bentleyfilms are still there in Albion Place.
Cheers,
John

 

[bobbl46]

Little did I know that when I exposed the great Kyocera SL300R - Y16 old paint usage plot that I would have the influence to turn their marketing around in mid stream!

It appears that my exposure (see above, this thread) of the environmentally friendly, but cheeky scheme, has forced Kyocera into a more diguised method to use up their old paint.

Fearing that too many old-timers would recognise the paint scheme from the 1958 Y16 after I had broadcast it, Kyocera have now come up with this ...... and I jest you not! Check it out on their Japan website!

I'm starting to suspect that Kyocera's motive may not have anything to do with recycling or environmental policies but may be influenced by other factors ........ I think this model may give us a clue.......

On the other hand - I like this model .... it sums it all up for me ( Ask an American friend if you don't know who this is)!

Cheers,

 

[bobbl46]

Naturally, I am taking advantage of this madness by commissioning my own special version, in patriotic colours.

Cheers, Kyocera Kid.