Restored: Yashica Electro 35 (Restoration & Review)

[@SuperWestie01]

Bringing life back into these old and comparatively affordable cameras is a joy, thank you for the new style of projects and please keep this in depth re-birth and review format!

[@AnalogInsights]

Thanks for your kind feedback. Really appreciate it and we will certainly continue with this format. :)

[@Gerard-hu6kp]

They have to be serviced or cease up completely But once done properly should last another forty years or so? May be?

[@patatenmousse]

A trick I learnt to do the light seal replacement in the long and narrow parts is to soak the material with alcohol before placing it, this way the glue is less sticky and the seal is easier to put in place at the bottom of the channel. Once in place, you just have to wait for the alcohol to evaporate completely and the glue is active again, so the seal sticks in place.

[@robertleeluben]

Gonna try that, I almost have my own Electro 35 fully done, all thats left is the door seals but I'm not what anyone would call nimble and getting the door seals in has been stumping me. That's the last step though and then I can actually shoot with it.

[@johnyoung1606]

Hi I am in the USA .... does anybody know how ,, and where to obtain the Light Seal Material ????? ThankYou in advance :) :) :)

[@tgchism]

@@johnyoung1606 Amazon has sheets in different thickness. Also, a company called US Camera sells precut seals for some models. I've not tried them though.

[@chevy2die]

Mine is my prized possession. I found it in my grandpa's closet after he passed away. It was in 98% condition, then I had it CLA'd and its about as close to 100% as it can be. I'm almost afraid to take it out, but I take it with me on special occasions and usually shoot black and white film. A very special addition, and my first film camera, to my collection.

[@AnalogInsights]

What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.

[@arricammarques1955]

@@AnalogInsights Snapping with no wrist or neck strap? Rebel!

[@richardsimms251]

For 52,000 subscribers to Analog Insights, you are all way above average for any photography “station”. I wish that I could figure out how to be a Patreon supporter to help fund and preserve these very enjoyable programs. Thank you RS. Canada

[@AnalogInsights]

Thank you for your kind words, Richard. It is very kind of you to ask about how you can support us. We are not on Patreon, yet you may use the so-called super thanks button underneath the videos (next to the share button). This might be an interesting alternative that KZbin itself introduced a couple of months ago.

[@kaufmannneofoto]

Looking forward to „restoring my analog cameras“. Thank you.

[@user-ve3gh5xg9q]

this is exactly how I clean my analogs. plus a light vacuum cleaner. Of course, propyl alcohol and pear. I still have technical felt. perfect as a sponge. does not crumble. does not oxidize. very durable. My Yashica Electro 35 GS will arrive in a few days and I will start cleaning it in the same way. although, according to the description, the condition is excellent

[@dianeswift]

Every film camera needs some degree of TLC, especially when we live in an age where professional help can be scarce. I look forward to more of these restoration videos. As always, I love your work.

[@marcp.1752]

i have the Yashica Electro 35 GT (black) and i am shooting with Yashica (Super 2000) since 1989, many SLRs & lenses. A fine new video from my fave Film channel here on YT. Thanks guys, a fine weekend !

[@gianlusc]

Great idea to show restoration videos!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙂

[@johnfarley4201]

Such a nice chap and so helpful thorough and careful in information. Good job, greatly appreciated. Have subscribed and sharing after really enjoying. BRAVO old chap, very well done.

[@AnalogInsights]

Thank you. That’s very kind of you.

[@manugeee]

Well done. I do really appreciate the first part. Since I started into film photography, I also got into repairing old cameras. I always get into this with a lot of respect, because mostly the pieces are 20-60 years old and any damage I do, cannot be replaced anymore. So I am really happy that you share the same passion, I also found in this hobby. 😊👍

[@TalyaAdams]

This was incredible, and I look forward to videos in this series. And love how you guys are encouraging others to restore and maintenance their own cameras.

[@terryfrancis7639]

The Lens is 45mm f1.7 I have GT & GSN & love both. Thank you for another great video. Best wishes Max & Jules. 🕊🙏📷

[@bottledcat6255]

This series as well as your goal of popularizing film camera repair availability is invaluable.

[@AnalogInsights]

Thanks so much for your kind feedback. Let's see where we are going with this little series. :)

[@thomebau895]

I had to repair the electronic shutter on mine - in addition to the pad of death. That was quite the journey! Fortunately a thorough cleaning of the sliding contacts was sufficient.

[@exhper]

Great addition to your channel. But...having been restoring collecting and using all types of film cameras for 50 years, I have to take exception to your comments on the "ever ready" leather cases many cameras come with or have available. These cases can hold moisture and cause corrosion of the metal, inside and out, and "bumps" from screws under the camera covering. As well as strong mold and mildew smell and damage. The chemicals used to tan the leather can also contribute to issues. As you mention, I have acquired some cameras in cases that are excellent. And others that have gone straight to the bin. BTW-I have found exposure to UV lights/wands can help with the mold and mildew smell.

[@robinj.9329]

I would love to buy one that had already been "Restored". 20 years ago I'd have done the work myself but now? I'm a disabled Senior Citizen who is starting in on his 8th decade of life! I'd like to connect with a great "Shop" with genuine "Technicians" who love their work and could do it all for me. I'm still in love with REAL film Photography 📸. For me there's nothing like the thrill of working in the "Darkroom", getting out the enlarger and turning a tiny 24x36mm negative into a beautiful 5x7 or even 8x10 "Print"! Just running digital images off the Laser Printer just ain't the same. THANK YOU for sharing you cameras and photo "Adventures" ! For this tired, crippled up "Old Codger", it's always a great thrill just to watch, on a cold, wet, blustery Spring day! Cheers 🍻

[@Viggen61]

Thanks for this. I was gifted one by my Grandmother back when they were new. Used it quite a lot, and in my photography classes in High School. One of those shots was featured in our local newspaper. Stopped using it when I bought an SLR in 82 or so. Wish I knew what happened to it. Would be fun to shoot with again!

[@restorationofdirty]

beautiful camara restoration project very nice ❤️‍🔥🌹

[@GOMBE3]

Glad to find a restoration video from your channel.

[@kstrohmeier]

Holy Cow! I collected 3 rough copies of these for this exact project. Now I am looking forward to winter!

[@AnalogInsights]

What a coincidence. Enjoy working on your Yashica copies. :)

[@RFStarkJapan]

For cutting light seals I recommend a rotary fabric cutter instead of a box cutter. The box cutter is still useful for short cuts and trimming ends. I've been restoring cameras for about 10 years and have done several Yeshiva Electro35s. They are beautiful cameras!

[@AnalogInsights]

Thanks for the tip!

[@ernestthomas9406]

I enjoy your restoration videos, hoping to see more . I have a vintage rolliecord that needs some love !

[@jw48335]

What a classic camera and I love the new format! I have a GS on my bench right now which needs a new "P.O.D". I regularly use a GX, and my favorite, the GL. The GL goes to 1600 ISO, is of medium physical size, and has a better silicon diode meter. Great video! FYI, you can you get fresh mercury batteries on the internet if you don't mind them coming from Russia. Not that I want to give them business:/ The oldest battery I have from that source has been running for 4 years now with no issues.

[@johannes1380]

I second your thoughts on this new format and look forward to new episodes. There seem to be a lot of "broken" film cameras out there that, as you said, just need some time and love (and CLA skills) to get them back into working condition. I’d like to learn more about that. Keep up the good work!

[@MpenziYako]

Diane says it all. Great work guys

[@shassan5287]

Thank you for the exceptional video

[@AnalogInsights]

Glad you liked it!

[@Adam-pm1cy]

Great format - keep the videos coming! I have my late fathers Electro 35, and most of the photos from my childhood are shoot on that camera. And it is a truly great camera - and lens!

[@iangeorge7913]

My dad just gave me his old Yashica and this inspired me to order the battery converter so I can try it out!

[@davidroberts6766]

Really like this new format. Always good to know how to give my film cameras a longer life!

[@Democratiser]

A ‘Restored’ series is a great idea. The reality of collecting is that most cameras need some CLA upon purchase and to some degree on an ongoing basis. These videos help build confidence. Interestingly there are some channels dedicated to restoring specific camera models. For example there is a guy in New Zealand who specialised in Kodak Retina cameras. It could be worthwhile linking to those specialist sites.

[@DigitalMentorGroup]

Thankyou GI or posting this educational snd informative video! There are so many film cameras languishing in drawers, many of them just waiting patiently to be used again. A new subscriber from Canada.

[@cw7422]

Excellent. I learned how to shoot with my fathers 1957 Voigtlander Vito B.

[@sebastianfichtner1876]

Looking forward for more videos of this series!

[@cj_m2477]

My first camera when I started in photography in 1973. It was a great camera to learn on. I sold it when I moved up to the A-1. Seeing this video has me feeling a bit melancholy for my old GS now. Great video and thank you for bringing back some wonderful memories for me.

[@kenhosie4533]

I’m really happy to see this episode. I have the Electro 35 GSN version. I bought it new in Gibraltar in 1976; I can’t find the original receipt for it but I do have the Customs Declaration Form, which shows that I paid £35 for it and £15.85 tax. It still works, despite requiring some repair work in 1995 due to being dropped onto concrete from about one metre. But this episode has made me think I should renew the light seals.

[@_Sisyphus]

I picked up the same model years ago for $20, with case and all accessories. It was and still is, in perfect condition. The original light seals, still supple and intact. When I inspected the camera, I was shocked to learn the the original mercury battery was still working. Almost a decade later, the battery still works. Storing your vintage camera in the ideal environment, is vital.

[@KirkDurstonquest]

Wonderful idea to start a series on restoration and review. I'm excited to watch future episodes.

[@amosk24]

Great job guys. I bought one years ago from auction, but couldn't get the shutter to fire. Your video makes me want to try again 🙂. Cheers Max!

[@MrFreakwent]

Caffeine High , review some information on the internet about the "pad of death" - a bit of a dramatic name but it's simply a plastic pad that helps cock the shutter relase when the film advance lever is moved to a new frame. It's not too complicated to fix.

[@ImperfectPhotography]

Well done! Really interesting, you’ve given me the confidence to tackle a few golden oldies I have here!

[@EricYip-us7to]

Perfect flim camera and beautiful photo

[@Notso_Wild_Bill]

Scotch-tape (transparent), is your friend to lift the majority of the dead foam, then you're left with just the adhesive to be lifted, without the risk of that gooey foam getting where it does not belong. I find It especially helpful on the mirror bumper/seal of SLRs. (Minolta SRT match needle and prism seal comes to mind, too) Love it when you guys go to the AIr Museum, (A&P mechanic, mostly vintage), that's what made me think of the sharing the tape trick, old aircraft have a lot of dead foam seals we had to replace. Stay safe.Peace

[@dangoldbach6570]

The yashica is a fantastic camera! I have a GT and I had to resolder the battery leads from a leaky battery and replaced the light seals. The lens is absolutely superb, it is one of my favorite cameras ever!

[@AnalogInsights]

Sounds fantastic. And yes, the lens is really nice.

[@Nvananon]

I have found that using cotton yarn for light seals is a great alternative. They last forever, and require no adhesive. Yarn also takes much less time to install. Another fabulous video; I adore your channel. Keep up the superlative work!

[@1n1a1n1a1]

What a beautiful video and what a beautiful camera. This year to my birthday I had bought myself a Yashica Electro 35 GS in super good condition (in terms of looks) except the lense, which had lots of fungus in it, so I returned it and never bought one again since I'm a student with basically no money (for me it took lots of overcoming to spend like 100€ for this camera). But since then I'd always thought about learning how to restore and maintence old cameras and those cameras I own, it even turned into a little dream of mine to really learn how to do this. Seeing this video really sets the motivation to learn this craft and I am convinced that I'd be capable of doing this properly. Regarding this video series I'd love to see more about getting into the insides of an camera and lense. Seeing how it's done to repair those more tricky kind of damages like removing fungus out of an lense, which has to be opened and taken apart for that kind of repair. Love to see more. Keep it going! Edit: Ah fellow Germans ^^ Wenn Ihr nun eine Serie startet, vielleicht könnt Ihr ja in zukünftigen Folgen diskutieren, welche Schäden an Kameras noch zu reparieren sind und welche nicht. Ich würd gerne auch sehen und lernen, wie es ist eine Kamera zu öffnen und ggf. an der Elektronik und Mechanik zu arbeiten / ein Objektiv öffnen und Pilzbefall zu entfernen. Welche Werkzeuge man brauch etc. pp. Natürlich nur sofern das alles möglich ist.

[@Becksi666666]

Crazy how nice this lens performs, much better than I thought for a not multicoated lens from this time. I'm curios to see this camera in comparison to a Fujica compact deluxe which is also a very fine pick. Greetings from Germany

[@gerryclohessy1979]

This restoration idea is a great direction to go in , thank you both for the video.

[@CapnMic]

Absolutely stunning presentation of this old camera .. amazing quality of construction. Not all film cameras have the soul of expression that exists with this camera in this era of photography. An era where the camera itself was art .. to make art. Thank you for the shots in Munchen .. one of my all time favorite cities. And special thanks to the clean-up work of your technician .. loved it.

[@Rkolb2798]

Excellent start to the new series , good job .

[@monochromebluess]

Excellent video and please do more of these restore and review presentations. It would have been good to hear Jules discussing his work as he did it / instructed you etc but very well done. Beautiful little camera brought back to life. Thank you

[@toshihirohk]

Excellent presentation. This was the camera my dad used to take the majority of our childhood. So nostalgic.

[@karinmuhlberger7069]

Excellent presentation with a fantastic camera ..

[@aljoschawolff4069]

Really nice format! Pleaaase keep it up! I cleaned up the viewfinder of a oen f.... or let's say: the upper part of the prisms. The lower prisms are SO hard to reach, that i gave up, cause i was afraid of not getting it back together... But the difference was hugh anyways and i also changed the light sealing. I can relate to that feeling of refreshing an old camera and it is very rewarding and guves you a deeper connection to the camera as a oeace of engeneering art!!

[@thedondeluxe6941]

Wonderful idea for a series! I recently had my old Pentax Spotmatic in for a CLA, and it's remarkable how nice it feels now. It worked fine before, so I was a bit surprised about how much smoother it is to shoot and wind now.

[@eduardoalfredo5484]

wonderful camera

[@alimarquina4855]

Cheers, As always well done. I really enjoy your videos, their format is very characteristic and distinctive, as well as informative, recreational, relaxing, with beautiful aesthetics and good taste. That you decide to add topics, such as repair and maintenance, adds a valuable plus and is appreciated... everything that adds to something good to make it even better is always positive and welcome👍

[@AnalogInsights]

Thank you for your kind words and thoughtful feedback. Really appreciate it.

[@tomjanowski8584]

I'm about to do my first CLA and light seal replacement, so this video appeared just in time to be helpful to me. I look forward to many more of this type of video.

[@stanbat1]

Great video! I learned photography with my Dad’s Electro 35 GS after he got tired of shooting in the early 70s. I remember that it was really easy to use and made incredibly sharp images. I have been shooting in aperture-preferred automatic ever since. I’m looking forward to the next camera rescue.

[@joefaracevideos]

Great idea and the perfect camera to start with!

[@ejorbe]

I am incredibly happy that you are starting this segment on your channel!!!! The before and after cleaning shots of the camera are amazing!!! I learned many great tips! With my cameras, the main area that no one seems to be able to repair are the light meters. It seems no one makes parts, or the meter itself anymore. I wish there were schools to teach camera repair, besides the only one I have found in Finland. Thank you for another great video!!!

[@ceritat625]

Well done! Some really lovely photos.

[@muhammadhaikal9309]

Had been thinking of getting one..you might just have convinced me. And also, great video as always

[@AnalogInsights]

You should! Glad you liked the video. :)

[@4doorsupra153]

I bought a gs model from 1976 that came with a bunch of stuff for $70 usd. It's in beautiful condition and came with the original receipt from purchase! Original owerns name and address was on it. So cool 😊

[@HarryFontaine]

This video inspired me to get an all black Yashica Electro. Thanks!

[@northof-62]

This is a great and satisfying hobby and a many of us share your passion for saving these oldies but goodies. Currently working on the motorized Konica FS-1, which is a challenge. My Topcon Super DM is another piece of cake that I struggle with, as the chain (not joking - an actual metal chain) which transfers the meter settings to the ISO dial and aperture lever, has become out of alignment. One really comes across some weird engineering ideas working with old cameras. Thx for sharing. Much love!

[@geofff6671]

Really enjoyed this. Thanks so much.

[@AnalogInsights]

Thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@john_murch]

This reminds me of the time I received my Canon P, my initial cleaning. It was very dirty, with a very smelly camera strap and with a fogged lens. I also taught myself how to do a basic cleaning, which was a very enjoyable DIY project and the experience and fun of shooting the first test photos. Coincidentally, my first rolls were Kodak Gold and Ilford HP5!

[@AnalogInsights]

Sounds like a wonderful experience. I can relate to that a lot. :)

[@F9FCJ429]

Quite useful and timely; I have a daily driver condition Electro 35 which works great for now. A good CLA will keep it that way. Thank you.

[@AlexanderHernandez-sb7lq]

This series is fantastic, hope to see more to come.

[@pattymartin7707]

Great video. I learned so much. I was gifted two old film cameras that need this treatment and now feel more confident to try cleaning and light seal replacement on my own. I hope you make more videos on camera restoration on topics such as focusing screen replacement, testing shutter speeds, etc. Thank you!

[@locadeva]

about a week ago i bought one of these and have been wondering the specs and stuff. The lens seems to be a bit foggy but i still have to shoot and see if it shows uo on the fotos. Thank you so much for your vid here, it's really helpful!

[@davidmilton2956]

Bravo, loved this new series. Most analog photographers use older cameras, so maintenance and repair is a necessity. While cleaning and light seal replacement is straightforward, I’d like to understand how to clean the optics (E.g fungus and dust removal) and perhaps a sticky shutter.

[@patatenmousse]

I would advise against putting tape directly over the frame window in some cases, especially when the shutter could be torn or bent upon removal if the tape has stuck to it. In this case it works well because it is a leaf shutter in the lens, but for most reflex cameras I usually first put a piece of paper over the window, then tape it on the sides, this way there is no risk of tape sticking to the shutter curtains.

[@jsshayes1]

Love the Electro, and color film with this lens is fantastic. The shutter makes kind of an odd sound.

[@MC-ml1ho]

Thanks. Great idea to include camera restoration on the channel and, at the same time, to retain the camera review. Something about adjusting mechanical shutter timings would be good, or dismantling and cleaning old lenses.

[@tomjanowski8584]

Would love to see a restoration and review of the Konica IIIA

[@odukar2315]

I bought an Electro 35GX including a great-looking leather case some weeks ago. After cleaning the body and replacing the batteries, the camera seems to work w/o problems. The final evaluation will be possible after the film will get developed. In general, I repaired dozen of cameras with success. Some which couldn't be fixed with my skills are now used for spare parts. There are many cameras on the market that are worth getting repaired and used.

[@selectiveimagery]

This was neat to watch I have a very small camera collection and have gotten very adept at cleaning camera bodies and lenses but have not changed light seals or Mirror Dampening material yet so I was glad to see that. Spent some time looking at this particular camera myself so that was a bonus. Thanks for sharing I think having these types of episodes are really going to be fun for everyone. - Jeff

[@inahaase889]

Gut gereinigt und schöne Bilder.❤😎

[@alex-asp1213]

Hello Great videos i really enjoy it! question what mm light seal foam do you use for electro 35 Thank you!

[@628DirtRooster]

I have a GSN in mint condition that I bought two years ago but have never shot it.

[@AnalogInsights]

You should! :)

[@ginobartali9338]

Hi Max, would you please so kind to drop a link to the reference source you have used, alos for the battery adapter? Thx. Great video, please more of that.

[@AnalogInsights]

Sure, all the material we got from here: www.micro-tools.de/index.php?cl=start&lang=1 The battery adapter was purchased via eBay. You can simply look for "yashica electro 35 battery adapter" and will find a couple of listings.

[@carbonejack]

Nice review.

[@AnalogInsights]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks. 🙏🏻

[@robertleeluben]

I got a 'parts or not working' Electro 35 GS, and well it works just fine. I had to replace the seals and straighten out the bottom plate a little but other wise it works fully. Only tiny flaw it has is a jammed battery door, takes a bit of finagling to get it on or off. It came with a flash also but I haven't tried to fire it. There was corrosion inside and I have a feeling its just going to go up in a puff of smoke if I use it.

[@protestagain]

I have the same camera as a kit. The same kit as mentioned by Yashica Guy, a very sought over kit.

[@zacfisherking]

So useful, thank you!

[@MrFreakwent]

I found a n Electro GSN a year ago that was film tested at a good price, but before I buy an old camera I check parts availability. The battery cover is $ $20 U.S. * when* you can find one , so I bought a second non-working GSN cheaply for parts . It's a great fun camera with a fantastic lens ; basically shoots in aperture priority ..

[@TheHDAli]

Ja, gerne mehr "Restored" Folgen. Unsere analogen Schätzchen sollen noch möglichst lange funktionieren und gut ausschauen. Auch wenn ich kein ganz blutiger Anfänger mehr bin, werde ich gerne den Tipp mit dem Reinigungsbenzin aufgreifen. Hab da bisher glaub ich zu viel nur mit dem Alkohol gearbeitet.

[@patrickjclarke]

It's also really easy to take off the top plate and clean and adjust the rangefinder, which a lot of Electro's get cloudy. And shhh, but an even more desirable Electro in my opinion is the Electro 35 CCN. It has a 35mm f/1.8 lens, is smaller, and has the light meter in the lens so filters work perfectly. The ONLY downside is that it only has 1/125th as a top shutter speed...but slap on a variable ND filter and that's not a problem at all.

[@patchin1]

Thans for another nice video. The only problem is whatever camera you featured here, its price will shot up on ebay!!

[@tgchism]

Nice project camera with great results! I going to try to replace the seals on four camera ranging between 40 and 60 years in age. The tip on using white gas for the removal of the old seals is great! One of the cameras I'm working on is a very good condition Zeiss / Voigtlander Ikon Icarex 35 S. It does not look like it had any seals and I'm trying to figure out if it requires them by design. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[@w.ave_]

Great video! Could you share the link for the lens shade?

[@lensman5762]

This was very interesting. You should also consider yourself lucly that the electronics are still working. These are amongst the first wave of ' Electronic ' cameras and those electronics are rather dated, fragile and in most cases unrepairable. Another problem with these sort of cameras is the condition of the Range Finder optics and mechanism. Depending on how they have been treated and stored, it may require just a surface clean and polish, as in your case, or requiring the top plate to be removed for the optics to be cleaned or adjusted. This is a big job for those who know what they are doing. Good find in your case and nice photographs.

[@SeeMick1]

This was super helpful. I have an Electro 35 that I don't use because of light leaks. After seeing your video I realize it's because the light seals are completely gone. What thickness light seal foam did you use? I want to try this on mine.

[@AnalogInsights]

Sure, the light seal foam is 2mm thick in our case. This worked just fine.

[@johnverna9693]

Max, can you post a link to the site/store where you purchased the lens hood?

[@donaldgibson4459]

Hey that's great! I've enjoyed all your shows. However I now shoot digital mostly. There's a vintage camera dealer near where I live in Florida. I'd like to try repairing and restoring an old camera. The shop that's near where I live is "Clem's Classics". He's very knowledgeable, and can also help me with parts and advise. He also is about a 1hr drive from the Cape Kennedy Space Center. It would be fun to go out there and take some film pictures of the launch pad, and the vehicle assembly building. All that was built for the Saturn Five Rocket (Apollo), and then was later the Space Shuttle. It's still used same place.

[@danielbdbe]

hello , thanks for the video . could you please let us know wher do you buy the battery adapter ?

[@AnalogInsights]

Sure, I got the battery adapter off eBay. Just look for "yashica electro 35 battery adapter" and you'll find various offerings.

[@ronnieolofsson9920]

Did the POD work on your camera? Then your lucky, on my GS and my GT I vad too change it. But on my GSN and GTN it work.

[@AnalogInsights]

Yes, it all worked. We were lucky about that.

[@stevest55]

Max, very nice video. I also use IPA with a cotton swab to clean the exterior of my old cameras and white vinegar to remove any corrosion in the battery compartment. However, can you please advise what was the polish or cleaning fluid that Jules used with a toothbrush to restore the black "leather/plastic" on the outside of the camera. And is there any particular polish to make the chrome parts bright and shiny again? Regarding the battery adapter, I have a Minox 35GT that also takes a 6v battery which is difficult to find, so as you did with your Yashica, I am using 4 x LR44 batteries. But instead of a special adapter, I simply cut a piece of paper to the same size as the height of 4 x LR44 stacked, and then wrap the paper around the 4 batteries, secured with a little tape. It works perfectly and with zero cost.

[@AnalogInsights]

Thanks for your kind feedback. Sure, the leather was also cleaned using some Isopropanol on the toothbrush. This works perfectly fine. With respect to the chrome parts we didn't use anything special. Just the described order of giving it a final polish with a lens cloth. This worked really well for me. Hope this helps.

[@stevest55]

@@AnalogInsights Thanks Max. I purchased some basic tools for camera and lens restoration, as this is something that I would like to pursue as a hobby. So far, I have dismantled a Minolta Rokkor 58mm f/1.4 lens. Aperture blades were oily (sticky), I was able to clean them and with some patience, put the lens back together again. It was very satisfying to accomplish this. Regards, Steve (New York).

[@MrKoalalan]

Hmm, got mine from my grandfather....use it on my business table as deco .....spent my film time with my Asahi Pentax SP with my takumar lenses . Perhaps a good idea to put some life info this cam.