question about 2x converter on yashica electro x

[vyen]

Heya just got a yashica electro x from my gpa that came with a couple of items i had a question about. The 2x converter specifically; for some reason when i try to change the aperture nothing happens, but when i change it via the aperture ring on the actual lens i get a significant exposure difference. is the aperture ring on the converter there to give you an idea of the exposure with the converter or is mine malfuctioning. also noobish question of the day.... the lower the aperture the "brighter" the picture correct? thanks!

[Dave6223]

If I remember correctly the electro is a fixed lens compact and the converter you refer to is an add on lens that goes on front. That being so, it cannot have any effect on the operation of the iris that controls the aperture. Also it is an aperture priority automatic, shutter speed is controlled by the meter. My guess is the battery fitted is either not the right one or is coming to the end of its life. A flat battery will give you a fixed shutter speed in the region of 1/60th of a second, so if it's bright it will over expose.

Hope this helps

Dave

[vyen]

ok thnaks ill mess with it a bit i took a couple shots ima get developed and see how they look, but the battery was just replaced so its prolly not that. thanks though.

[Dave6223]

Couple of things. The aperture controls depth of field, not brightness. The exposure is controlled by the amount of light hitting the film, this being a combination of shutter speed and aperture. Your camera is an aperture priority automatic, so you select the aperture and the camera will selct the shutter speed. The batteries for the Yashica were originally intended to be older style mercury batteries, and if you are using different batteries and not had a conversion done, then the current will not be the same and will easiy throw the meter out. You say the batteries were just replaced? Who by? You or a technician? Reason I ask is that, forgive me, you're not very conversant with the camera or the technicalities of photography and this could easily be the probelm.

Dave

[drg]

vyen,

First, Welcome to Photography Review.

A few notes from the original manual, the battery for the Electro-X was a 6V Silver Oxide and not the more common (at the time) Mercuric Oxide cells.

These cameras default to 1/1000th of second shutter speed when the battery was dead or incorrectly installed. Yashica implemented a brake to adjust the shutter speed. This via an Intergrated Circuit matched shutter speed to the aperture via through-the-lens (TTL) metering in the camera.

As your question originally appears to about a 2x Converter, is it a Yashica converter or another manufacturer like Pentax or Soligor?

The converters that had a separate ring that I remember were for the 'AX' cameras from Yashica which worked differently. The AX cameras would set the Aperture for you and needed the added control.

If you use the lens (which one by the way) without the converter, what kind of result are you getting?

And yes, if there are no other changes the bigger the aperture (lower number i.e. f4 vs f8) the 'brighter' the image. Anyone who doesn't believe this needs to spend some time using strobes in a studio. Normally one changes the aperture and shutter together in varying combination's to get the optimum balance of depth of field and 'freezing' of the subject and to offset the minuscule camera movements.

If you get some photos you would care to share, we always like to see samples! Again, Welcome to PR!

[vyen]

ok super, sorry took so long to reply full time student.... i figured out how to get the aperture arrows to work properly so thats all sorted out. (tons of research and practice), but ok so the lens im using the 2x converter with is a 85 to 205 mm and the 2x covnerter is vivitar model number 2x-1. and the results which i just had developed yesterday all appeared to be blank... im kinda new to this obviously so any advice as to how to get my photos to come out right would help. thanks! and the battery im using now is a energizer a544 which according to the click guy helping me find the right one is the one that fits...and as far as the battery replacement goes, its just a little slide button that you slide and the battery pops right out.

[Dave6223]

I'm guessing that the vivitar 2x converter is not compatible with your yashinon lens, not allowing it to step down.

Are you getting good pictures without it?

Dave