The Yashica atoron is one of the most beautiful subminiature cameras. It is manufactured with exceptional precision and is robust and reliable at the same time. It is not only a tool for photography, but also a work of art for your pocket. Its precise workmanship and timeless design make it a coveted collector’s item. Despite their age, many models are still fully functional and deliver impressive results. Whether as a daily companion or as an exhibition piece – the Yashica Atoron is a classic that makes my heart beat faster.
Form follows function
This principle became the leitmotif of the famous German Bauhaus design school, which ushered in a new era of design in the 1920s. For me, the Yashica atoron (Porst KX 50, Revue Mini-Star) is a perfect example of the Bauhaus style.
The Yashica atoron was a direct competitor to the Minox B. When it came onto the market in 1965, the Minox B had already been around for 7 years. There were indeed similarities, such as the 8×11 mm film format, the coupled integrated light meter, the outstanding quality of the materials, high-precision workmanship and, of course, the miniature format of the cameras themselves. However, the prices differed considerably. In 1970, the atoron cost only half the price of the Minox B in Germany. Nevertheless, this corresponded to around a quarter of the average gross monthly income in West Germany at the time.
Despite some similarities, the Yashica Atoron is not a Minox copy, but an independent design. You can see this at first glance from the design of the front. All the elements there are carefully placed and designed according to the idea of “form follows function”. Only at second glance do you recognize the innovative solution of the film transport through the film advance lever. This component, which, when pulled out, brings the camera back into readiness after the photo has been taken, demonstrates the skill of the engineers and designers in its solid construction and choice of materials.
Apart from the logo panel at the front, all the camera components are made of metal. The housing is not glued but screwed together without a screw being visible. You can see that this also applies to all components inside the atoron here.
Pay attention to the excellent precision and quality of workmanship of the individual parts in the photos I show here. Also consider how small these parts actually are.
Technical data
f:2.8, 18mm, 4 element, Yashinon lens , Built-in sliding yellow filter.slip-on filters (80A and ND4) were available that covered the lens and the meter.
Schärfebereich: 0,8 m – oo (EV 16)
The meter provides a match-needle, programmed-type of exposure system which sets the f-stop and shutter speed in tandem –
with a shutter speed range of 1/45 – 1/250 Sec + Bulb. It had a built-in coupled selenium light meter and various accessories, including a screw-on flash unit.
Minox 8×11 film cassettes
AG flash unit
Grösse: B=103 mm H=22 mm T=33 mm Gewicht: 125 g
EV 8.5 (1/45, f2.8) – 16(1/250, f16)
The ‘whoosh’ sound
Tips for use
Distance
This camera is actually very easy to use. You turn the EV dial so that the exposure-follow pointer matches the exposure indicator needle. That’s it.
Shutter speed and aperture are automatically set to the optimum for the available light. Optimal in this context means: minimum risk of camera shake and maximum depth of field. However, you must be aware that this camera does not have a distance setting, but a fixed-focus lens, which is set to a fixed distance of 3 meters. Everything that is not within 3 m is more or less out of focus.
Fortunately, there is the depth of field, which also provides a sufficiently sharp image of a certain area in front of and behind 3 m. This range depends on the aperture used. Since the atoron adjusts the aperture automatically depending on the available light (i.e. the EV value), the focus range of this camera depends on the available brightness. You need to be aware of this. There are 2 tables in the instruction booklet, but I find them impractical. I have therefore combined them into one table. I have recalculated the focus ranges according to the Minox standard (circle of confusion = 1/60 mm). This means that you can immediately see which exposure time (1/s) and which depth of field (DoF) will apply for the shot after looking at the exposure indicator needle.
I printed out the table (click on the table to display the PDF) and stuck it in the pocket of the atoron.
Film
It would actually be ideal if you always had very bright light so that you could set EV 16. This is, of course, impossible, but you can load a fast film instead. The atoron can handle a maximum ISO (ASA) of 400. These films have a somewhat coarser grain than slower films, but the grain can still be improved in post-processing; blurring or out-of-focus cannot be corrected easily.
Tripod
Since the longest exposure time is 1/45 s, you can normally trigger the atoron hand-held with a little practice. However, if you want to avoid any motion blur or expose with the “B” setting, you will need a tripod.
It is difficult to get an original tripod for the atoron, so I built something myself. First an adapter that has a standard 1/4” tripod thread at the bottom and a screw (M5x0.5 fine thread) at the top that fits into the screw hole of the camera’s carrying chain. A microphone stand adapter that already had a tripod thread served as source material for it.
Then I bent a bracket from an aluminum flat bar and drilled a M3 threaded hole in it to hold the cable release. A felt pad protects the camera body and prevents it from slipping.
Another method without additional aids is the string tripod. You use the carrying chain of the atoron to get more stability when releasing. I explain this method here.
Carrying case and chain
The camera comes with an elaborately crafted bag made of thin leather. There is a slit on the side through which the carrying chain can be inserted. At the end of the carrying chain is a fastening ring for attaching to clothing.
This ring has a very unusual plastic locking part from which the ring has to be pulled out against a spring force to release it. In my opinion, this part is quite a mistake by the product designers. The plastic material looks cheap and quickly becomes unsightly. With its clunky shape and material, it simply doesn’t fit in with the rest of the camera’s concept.
After removing the camera from the bag, it slides down the chain and remains captive. The chain itself consists of two parts. After a third of the total length, there is a ring that holds the two halves together and ensures that the bag is stopped there. There is another bean on the longer part of the chain, the purpose of which I don’t know. It is reminiscent of the distance markings on the Minox chains, but is not needed on the atoron.
Conclusion
I really like the Yashica atoron because of its design, functionality and sturdiness. It is not prone to problems with the shutter blades and the escapement is very easy to maintain if the shutter speeds do not work well.
You can find out what the atoron looks like inside and how to service it here.
