Specifications     6

Description of Parts ............... 10

How to Mount and Remove the Lens     14

Battery Installation ,     16

Battery Checking     18

Film Loading     20

Film Rewind     28

Shutter Control Dial         30

Viewfinder          32

Focusing             40

Shooting Posture          42

Automatic Exposure          44

Exposure Compensation         52

Manual Operation         58

Self-Timer         60

Flash Exposure         64

Intentional Multiple Exposure         68

Infrared Photography .,         70

"B" (Bulb) Exposure/Release Socket         72

Depth-of-field Preview/Interchanging
 Camera Backs    74

Depth of Field,         76

Ambient Temperature         78

Camera Care         80

Precautions         82

1. Exposure Counter/Battery Confirmation Lamp 

2. Magnetic Release Button 

3. Film Advance Lever 

4. Shutter Control Dial 

5. Direct X Contact

6. Accessory Shoe 

7. Battery Checker Button 

8. Exposure Compensation Dial 

9. Film Rewind Knob 

10. Film Rewind Crank

11. ASA Film Speed Ring

12. Lens Release Button 

13 Self-Timer 

14 Self-Timer Start Lever 

15. Depth-of-Field Preview Button 

l6. Aperture Ring 

17. Focusing Ring 

18. X Sync Terminal

19. Film Rewind Stud

20. Film Chamber

21. Shutter Curtain

22. Viewfinder Eyepiece

23. Sprocket Wheel

24. Exposure Check Button

25. Film Take-Up Spool

26, Release Socket

27. Camera Back Release Lug

28) Camera Back

29) Film Pressure Plate

30) Motor Drive Coupling Terminal

31) Tripod Socket

32) Film Drive Coupling

33) Film Rewind Release Button

34) Battery Compartment Cover

35) Memo Holder

How to Remove the Lens
While keeping the lens release button depressed, turn the lens barrel all the way to the left and lift the lens straight out of the lens mount.

Avoid touching the linkage systems on the camera body and the lens.

Avoid direct sunlight when interchanging lenses.

To remove or reset the lens cap, press the knobs on both sides of the cap. The lens cap can be set even when a filter is in use.

Make sure the battery is installed properly. Without the battery, the shutter system and the exposure control of Your Yashica FR I will not function.

1 Open the battery compartment cover on the camera base by turning it in the direction of the arrow with the edge of a coin.

2 Install the battery properly by matching its polarity with the diagram.

3 After ascertaining that the battery is installed properly, tighten the battery compartment cover securely.

Always use a 6 V silver oxide (Eveready 544, Ucar 544, Mallory PX-28 or equivalent) or 6 V alkaline (Eveready 537, Ucar 537 or equivalent) battery.

The shutter will not function when batteries are low. To prevent this, check the battery on the following occasions.

* When inserting a new battery

* When the camera has been left unused for some length of time.

* When otherwise necessary.

To Check: Press the battery checker button. If the battery confirmation lamp illuminates the exposure counter window on the top right-hand side of the camera, battery power is sufficient.
If the lamp fails to light, replace the battery.

(When using a new battery, check first to see that it has been inserted properly before replacing.)

The battery conformation lamp also functions to illuminate the exposure counter in poor lighting conditions.

Avoid direct sunlight when loading film. Always use a standard 135 film cassette (12, 20, 24 or 36 exposure load),

[1] Open the camera back by pulling the film rewind knob all the way out. As soon as the camera back is opened, the exposure counter will reset to 'S' (start) position.

[2] Install the cassette in the film chamber and push the film rewind knob back in. If it fails to return to its original position immediately, twist back and forth in either direction while pushing until it slips in place.

[3] Insert the tip of the film into one of the slots of the take up spool as illustrated. Avoid inserting the film too far.

[4] Slide the film advance lever out past the ridge of the camera with your thumb and advance the film slightly until I the sprocket teeth properly catch the perforations on the edges of the film.

Close the camera back and press until it locks in place. 

[5] Fold the film rewind crank out and turn gently in the direction of the arrow to take up film slack.

Before advancing the film, set the shutter control dial either to the "B" or to the flash synch (of) setting. Film wind-on may also be performed on AUTO provided it is done in bright light with the lens cap removed. Otherwise attempts to advance the film on AUTO for film wind-on will be hindered be excessively long exposure.

[6] Wind the film advance lever and trip the shutter alternately until the exposure counter reaches '1' (The film rewind knob will rotate counterclockwise when turning the film advance lever if the film is advancing properly.)

* Film may be advanced either by winding the film advance lever with one full turn or several short strokes. The electromagnetic release will not function, however, until the lever is completely wound.

* The film may also be wound on automatically by using the Yashica Winder unit which is sold as an optional accessory. Detailed instructions for use of the winder are given in the winder instruction booklet.

Exposure Counter
The exposure counter registers the number of exposed frames and is calibrated from 1 to 36 for frame indication, with the numbers 12, 20, 24 and 36 in red to indicate the last frame or respective film rolls. Counter automatically resets to S (start) when the camera back is opened.

Memo Holder
The memo holder on the rear of the back cover is handy for exposure information. Insert the end of the film box to remind yourself what type of film you are using and how many exposures are on the roll.

Setting the film Speed
The ASA film speed rating denotes the degree of sensitivity of the film to light. After loading the camera, always make it a point to set the ASA film speed to assure proper exposure.

To Set: Lift the ASA film speed ring (surrounding the exposure compensation dial) and turn it until the figure corresponding with the speed rating of the film in use aligns with the orange index. Various ASA film speeds ratings are as follows.

When the exposure counter registers the number equivalent to the exposure load of the film in use, avoid advancing the film forcibly. If the perforations of the film tear or the film pulls away from the cassette, it will become impossible to rewind the film.

[1] Push in the film rewind release button on the camera base. It is unnecessary to keep this button depressed all the while during film rewind.

[2] Fold out the film rewind crank-handle and turn it in the direction of the arrow. When the crank-handle is turned, the take-up spool will rotate with an audible signal, indicating that the film is being rewound properly. The crank-handle will rotate freely when the film is rewound completely into its cassette.

* When the film fails to advance, push the film rewind release button and rewind.

* Make sure the exposed film is rewound into the film cassette before opening the camera back.

Turn the focusing ring while observing the subject in the split-image center spot, microprism collar or matte area of the viewfinder.

Split-image Center Spot Precise focus is secured when the images in the diagonal split-image center spot are brought into alignment.

Microprism Collar and Matte Area When the multiple glitter disappears in the microprism collar or when the image appears clear and sharp in the matte area, precise focus is secured.
* The method of focusing remains the same regardless of whatever lens or accessory is in use.

Eyesight Adjustment To permit adjustment of the viewfinder to the eyesight of the individual, eight types of diopter lenses (-5 to +3 diopters) are available.

To obtain good results, it is important that the camera be held steady. Erratic movement of the camera at the critical moment of exposure constitutes the most common cause of poor (blurred) photographic results. Before attempting to take your first series of photographs, familiarize yourself with all functional controls. As illustrated, the camera can be held in either horizontal or vertical posture, depending on your photographic requirement. In either case, support your camera firmly with your left hand, with your left elbow held close against your body. Avoid gripping the camera body too firmly with your right hand and press the magnetic release button gently.

* For extra steady support, the trunk of a tree or wall of a building or other structure can be used most effectively.

* When using a telephoto lens or when making exposure at a slow shutter speed, the use of a tripod is recommended.

Your Yashica FR I features fully automatic through-the-lens electronic exposure control. By simply presetting the film speed and lens aperture, its exposure control system varies the shutter speed continuously according to subject brightness to assure correct exposure under any light conditions.

[1] Turn the shutter control dial to AUTO, and set the exposure compensation dial to 1X.

[2] Preselect the lens aperture by setting the required f-number to correspond with the index. The following table serves as a guide for selecting the approximate f-number under different lighting conditions when using ASA 100 film.

[3] While sighting through the viewfinder, press the exposure check button. If exposure is adequate--between the 1/1000 and 1 sec. shutter speeds--focus, compose the picture and release the shutter.

* For shutter speeds below 1/30 sec. pictures will blur unless utmost precaution is taken to prevent camera shake. This can be avoided by resetting the aperture ring to a wider lens opening which will give a faster shutter speed.

* When shooting at a slow shutter speed is necessary, brace the camera firmly or use a tripod.

* When the pointer is in the overexposure zone, correction can be made by stopping the lens aperture down to give less exposure (i.e., f/8 to f/11 or f/16, etc.). A neutral density filter may also be employed for exposure adjustment.

* When the pointer is in the long exposure zone, unless extend exposure is desired, open the lens aperture (f/8 to f/5.6 or f/2.8, etc.) to obtain a faster shutter speed. Long exposures (up to 4 seconds) may be made in this zone if a tripod is used.

As the FR I uses an aperture-preferred automatic exposure control system, shutter speeds may be varied by adjusting the aperture ring. 
Check, beforehand, that the shutter control dial is set to AUTO and the exposure compensation dial to 1X.

[1] Depress the exposure check button and check the shutter speed in the viewfinder.

[2] With the exposure check button engaged, turn the aperture ring until the pointer aligns with the desired shutter speed.

Exposure Check Button

n addition to providing instantaneous exposure readings, the exposure check button may also be locked to give longer readings. To lock the check button, pull the film advance lever out past the edge of the camera to the point where it catches (see illustration) and slide the check button all the way to the right until it locks. To unlock the button, push the film advance lever all the way in toward the shutter control dial.

* Once the button has been locked, the film may be wound without disengaging the lock mechanism.

* Always make it a point to unlock the button after setting exposure to avoid excessive battery drain.

For normal shooting, the exposure compensation dial should be set to 1 X. When shooting backlit or spotlighted subjects, or when special effects are desired, exposure compensation is required.

The exposure compensation scale has four click stop settings (2, 4, 1/2 and 1/4) in addition to 1 X. It can also be used at in-between settings. Operate the dial by rotating it until the required compensation factor aligns with the black index mark. Always remember to return the dial to 1 X when exposure compensation is no longer required.

For Backlit Subjects
When shooting against the light or when photographing subjects against a window or bright snow scene, the main subject will be underexposed. To compensate for this and bring out the details of your subject, set the exposure compensation dial to either "2" or "4".

The "2" setting doubles the amount of light reaching the film:
Thus a shutter speed of 1/250 sec. will automatically lower to 1/125.

The "4" setting quadruples the amount of light reaching the film:
Thus a shutter speed of 1/250 sec. will automatically lower to 1/60 sec.
The top photo was made employing 4X exposure compensation. The bottom photo was made without exposure compensation.

Spotlighted Subjects To prevent overexposure of the main subject resulting from the intensity of spotlighting, it is necessary to reduce the amount of light reaching the film by setting the exposure compensation dial to 1/2 or l/4.

The "1/2" setting reduces the amount of light reaching the film by one-half: Thus a shutter speed of 1/250 is automatically increased to 1/500 sec.

The "1/4" setting reduces the amount of light reaching the film by one-forth: Thus a shutter speed setting of 1/250 is automatically increased to l /l 000 sec.

The top photo was made with 1/4 exposure compensation; exposure compensation was not employed for the bottom photo.

When you wish to include yourself in the picture, mount the camera on a tripod and trip the shutter with the aid of the self-timer.

[1] Advance the film and secure precise focus.

[2] Shift the self-timer lever on the front-face of the camera body all the way in the direction of the arrow (see illustration).

[3] Push the self-timer start lever in the direction of the arrow to activate the self-timer. The shutter will be tripped after a delay of approximately 7 seconds.

Electronic flash units and flash bulbs greatly aid in making correct exposures with night and indoor photography, and are also useful for providing fill-in light for outdoor shooting. 

The FR I uses X flash synchronization.

[1] Slide the flash unit firmly into the camera's accessory shoe. With flash unit's requiring PC cord synchronization, plug the PC cord into the X sync terminal on the camera body.

[2] Set the camera's shutter control dial to the flash synchronization (of) setting.

Your FR I is capable of producing unique and interesting multiple exposures on a single frame by employing a special technique.

[1] Take the first frame in the normal manner. 

[2] Then depress the film rewind release button and give the film advance lever a full wind. This charges the electronic shutter system without advancing the film.

[3] Press the magnetic release button to make the second exposure. Repeat the same steps for additional exposures. (Keep in mind that the exposure counter will continue to advance each time you make a multiple exposure; thus, you will have more frames left at the end of the roll than the registered count.)

* As a general rule, better results with multiple exposures are obtained by superimposing lighter subjects over darker ones. Multiple exposures of equally bright subjects do not come out too well.

In case of infrared ray photography using the infrared ray film in combination with the red filter, focus must be secured in the normal manner and then compensated accordingly in order to obtain sharp images. The Yashica ML and Zeiss T* lenses feature R index permitting ready compensation of focus.

First, secure focus in the normal manner without using the filter. Then, read off the subject distance and align it with the R index. After making this compensation, mount the filter over the lens.

Always use the red filter when attempting infrared ray photography.

For correct exposure setting, refer to the instructions accompanying the infrared ray film.

<If you wish to go IR, go digital>

"B" (Bulb) Exposure
For exposures longer than one second, set the shutter speed control dial at the "B" setting. As the shutter will remain open for as long as the electromagnetic release button is depressed, always use a tripod to prevent camera movement. Use of the Cable Switch (sold as an optional accessory) is also convenient when shooting at the "B" setting.

Release Socket
The electromagnetic shutter system of the FR I makes possible use of the camera with various remote release systems and accessories. For such purposes, a release socket is provided to the right of the exposure check button to serve as an auxiliary release and accessory input terminal. The release socket receives the electrical signals for accessories such as the Infrared Controller Set, assorted Cable Switches, the RTF540 flash unit's integral release system and the Data Back recorder among others.

Depth-of-Field Preview
With any one of the Yashica ML or Zeiss T* your Yashica FR I always provides full aperture viewing and focusing. To preview the depth of field, therefore, push in the depth-of-field preview button. The lens diaphragm will close down to the preset aperture as long as the button is kept depressed.
To prevent exposure inaccuracy, keep your finger off this button except when previewing the depth of field.

Interchanging Camera Backs
To interchange the camera back, press the camera back release lug and remove as illustrated.

The standard camera back can be interchanged with the exclusive data back available as an optional accessory.

In the photo taken at f/1,4, the foreground and background objects appear blurred.

The depth-of-field scale on the lens barrel will show the extent of the depth of field at different aperture settings. In case the standard 50 mm lens is stopped down to f/16 and focused at 2 meters, this scale will indicate that all objects within the range of about l.5 and 3 meters will appear acceptably sharp in the picture.

With a specific lens, the depth of field varies according to the following;

[1] It increases as you stop down the lens.

[2] It is more extensive in the background than in the foreground.

[3] It is more extensive as you focus on a distant subject.

Your Yashica FR I has been tested to function faithfully in ambient temperature ranging from + 45° to--5° C. In extremely low ambient temperature, however, give utmost precaution to the following matters:

* A battery which may function properly in normal ambient temperature may not provide the required performance in extremely low temperature. If the battery confirmation lamp fails to come on, replace the battery with a new one or use the battery adapter set available as an optional accessory.

* Avoid exposing your camera to excessive temperature fluctuation.

When your camera is brought into a warm room suddenly after exposing it to cold outdoor temperature or vice versa, small droplets of water may accumulate on the internal mechanism. If left in this state corrosion may set in, causing serious malfunctions. Protect your camera from excessive temperature fluctuation as much as possible.