Yashica TL

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The Yashica TL series Single Lens Reflex 135 film cameras were initially a very similar design and specification to the Asahi Pentax Spotmatic series. The TL indicated through-lens (stop-down) metering.

The first two cameras featured a Spotmatic-style viewfinder "center-the-needle" metering system. Unlike the rival Spotmatics, the TLs used silver oxide batteries, and the TL Super instruction manual claims the camera was the first to use these batteries.[1]

  • TL-Super (1966)
  • TL (1968) - similar to the TL-Super but with a reduced shutter speed range and no mirror lock-up. The standard lens was also slightly slower at f/2.0 (the TL-Super came with either an f/1.7 or an optional f/1.4 standard lens).

The later Electro series replaced this with miniature viewfinder lamps, and electronically timed shutters.

  • TL Electro X (1968) also had electronically timed semi-variable shutter speeds.
  • TL E (1969) - a TL with Electro-style miniature lamps in place of a viewfinder needle pointer (and mechanical shutter).
  • TL Electro X ITS (1971) - essential the same as an Electro-X, but was only made with a black finish.
  • TL Electro (1972) - a cut-down version of the TL Electro X, which had conventionally stepped mechanical shutter speeds, and lacked FP sync and mirror lock-up.
  • Yashica Electro AX (1972) - aperture priority auto exposure.



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