© mike connealy

Yashica Lynx 5000E home     vintage cameras index
From the first roll through the camera:	Yashica introduced its Lynx line of 35mm fixed-lens rangefinder cameras in 1960. The 1/1000 shutter speed they provided was rare on any camera of the time. The Yashinon lenses were fast and sharp. Coupled on-board exposure meters offered shutter priority automation, but the user could also over-ride the meter setting for full manual control of shutter speed and aperture. The most sought-after Lynx today is the 14E model with its massive f1.4 lens; it is a fine shooter, though the advantage of the f1.4 over the f1.8 of the 5000E is really inconsequential. The upside is that the 5000E model can often be found for trivial prices on ebay. My preference in 35mm cameras is generally for more compact pocketability, but the 5000E offers a number of features which compensate for its considerable heft. The built-in light meter with its under-over viewfinder display is quite accurate and handy. Auto-paralax correction inspires compositional confidence for close-up shooting. The lens yields sharp images, even at large apertures. My 5000E is cosmetically like new and all the controls function very smoothly as they should. I do need to replace the light seal on one end, and like a majority of rangefinder cameras of the era, mine has a rangefinder central patch that has become rather dim. A Lynx that is not working quite as it should can be restored without a great deal of difficulty, and there are some excellent on-line resouces available for that purpose such as the Yashica Guy web site. A user manual can be obtained at no cost from the Kyphoto site. I got two A640PX batteries for mine for under $4.00 each from Battery Specialists.
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