Analog Photography Tutorial: Yashica FX-3




How to load a 35mm film cassette, how to dismount and mount lenses and other essentials

After I had made the Virtual Camera Museum video series I was surprised to see that so many people are still interested in analog photography nowadays. So I thought maybe I could make a little filming and editing exercise concerning some essential issues of handling an old, mechanical, analog camera. The Yashica FX-3 was manufactured by Cosina (as CT-1A and later on as CT-1 Super) in Japan, and there were many similar models, either with Pentax PK, Minolta MD or Yashica/Contax YC mount, and labeled later under several brand names, like Braun (as SR 2000) or Phenix. So it is also a little bit like a “How to use an old SLR” tutorial because all of these manually working 35 mm film photo cameras follow pretty much the same principles of how to handle them. 🙂

You can also see how to open the camera back by pulling the film rewind knob – many newer cameras had a rather different opening system. 🙂

I’ve made another video with some advanced features of the FX-3 that you can find here:



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22 responses to “Analog Photography Tutorial: Yashica FX-3”

  1. Hey! I am using the Yashica FX-3 Super 2000, I did change the shutter speed or the aperture but the "-" just keep showing… how can I get the green dot? I use the film with ISO 200, thank you

  2. My camera had issues with mirror, the glue does not stand hot climate. Everything else I like very much, the camera is compact, easy to use, and doesn't have exessive automatic features, instead of that it has a simple exponometer.

  3. I've been trying to put a new film on it, but the lever won't turn!! I don't why, this has never happened to me, It's still on the S, and it doesn't want to move 🙁 plz help me! I don't want it to force it, because it might broke, but really it's not turning and I'm going crazy because Idk why is doing this! pleeeeeease tell me what to do! I need to put a new film on it 🙁 I'm going to Lake Tahoe 🙁

  4. Is there still a film inside the camera? Maybe you've shot already more than 36, 37 (or even 38) photos and you have to rewind the film first? Take it out and move the film advance lever, than you should be able to press the shutter release button again! 🙂

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