Yashica T2 Film Camera Review

Yashica/Kyocera T2 is a relatively affordable well-regarded point-and-shoot camera with a fantastic Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/35mm T* lens in a somewhat bulky but fun package. It’s is quick in use, and it can produce sharp images with occasional rainbow flares.

Collectors and casual film photographers love this camera for its simple yet well-designed controls and the stealthily sharp optics in an unassuming plasticky package.

In this review, I’ll briefly discuss the origins of this camera and how it fits within the first wave of premium point-and-shoots that later took over the photographic world of the 1990s and the early 2000s. I’ll also share all the specs and my thoughts about shooting with this little brick nearly forty years after its introduction.

In this review: A brief history of the Yashica/Kyocera T-series. Yashica T2 specs. Build quality. Design and ergonomics. Yashica T2 35mm Carl Zeiss Tessar 𝒇3.5 lens image quality. Yashica T2 vs. Yashica T5/T4 Super D. How much does Yashica T2 cost, and where to find one. Support this blog & get premium features with GOLD memberships!

A brief history of the Yashica/Kyocera T-series.

Yashica is a brand that can elicit mixed feelings from photographers in the know. Its most recent product, Y35, is a pseudo-film plastic toy that managed to gather massive hype on Kickstarter — immediately followed by disappointment due to its poor design and execution. A bad imitation of the brand’s former great, the Electro 35.

But today’s Yashica is nothing like the company it was pre-2005, when it ceased production and consequently sold to a large marketing business responsible for the flop that is Y35. The original Yashica struggled to compete throughout its history, yet it had always aimed to produce quality cameras, even when all it could build were relatively cheap point-and-shoots.

Some of the first Yashicas were TLRs, like the Mat 124G, which are still regarded highly for their quality and affordability. Their later success was the Electro 35, a rangefinder with accurate and intuitive aperture priority metering. But competition got tough in the 1980s, which led to Yashica’s sale to Kyocera.

Yashica’s last big break before the bust as Yashica/Kyocera was an opportunity to collaborate with Carl Zeiss, which was also struggling at the time. The technological landscape in the mid-1980s was just beginning to change the narrative around point-and-shoot cameras with products like Pentax PC35AF, Minolta AF-S, and Nikon L35AD2, which were rising in popularity due to their ability to grab accurate focus automatically in a compact package. The electronics themselves were no longer expensive; thus, combined with a quality lens and good ergonomics a compelling product was possible.

Yashica T2 was introduced in 1986 and made until 1995. It sold for $129.95 in 1989, which is about $329 in today’s dollars. Its plasticky build did not detract the 1980s customers but its association with Zeiss and good ergonomics earned it a spot in a growing market segment: premium point-and-shoots.

The new, compact electronics, together with good optics, produced sharp images, which quickly turned the photographic snobs into connoisseurs who continued to fund the creation of better compacts and experimental designs that culminated for Yashica with the Yashica T5. Whereas the rest of the industry took it even further with cameras like the Minolta TC-1, designed with the best materials and the topmost craftsmanship the world could offer.

In 2024, Yashica T2 remains one of the most sought-after point-and-shoot cameras for its simple yet compelling design and great image quality.

As for the rest of the premium compacts, they all faded into obscurity briefly as digital cameras took over the market — only to rise in popularity (and price) again recently, followed by the seed of recent innovation: MiNT Rollei 35AF.

Yashica T2 specs.

Yashica T2 sports a 35mm 𝒇3.5 Carl Zeiss Tessar T* lens (four elements in three groups) with a minimum focus distance of 1m/3⅓’.

Its autoexposure system will work with DX-coded films rated between ISO 50 and ISO 1600. Films without DX code on the canister will default to ISO 100. The camera works in EV₁₀₀ ranges of 6.6-17 with shutter speeds between 1/8s and 1/500s.

The built-in flash has a range of 1.2m — 2m (3’11” — 6’6”). It recycles in about 1.9 seconds.

The Yashica T2D version of this camera includes a date clock, which uses a single CR2025 3V battery. The date can only be set until 2019.

All Yashica T2 cameras require the CR2025 3V battery. It should last about 1,000 frames (this estimate assumes that half of them use flash) or about 40 rolls of 24exp. film. Use a coin to open and close the battery compartment by turning a silver screw on the bottom plate.

Yashica T2 measures 132mm × 73mm × 48mm (5.2” × 2.9” × 1.9”) and weighs 300g (10.6oz) without battery. The date-back version is 5mm thicker and weighs 20g more.

Build quality.

The build quality of Yashica T2 is comparable to that of a modern TV remote. It’s plasticky but it works and is fairly reliable. Of course, this excludes the lens, which is made of quality optical glass.

The battery door can apparently get loose, so you’ll need to be careful with it. Still, it can’t be as bad as the one on Pentax PC35AF, which was not made to last.

Overall, I wouldn’t be surprised if these cameras would last another forty years, as long as they’re taken care of (or at least not thrown around).

Design and ergonomics.

Despite their somewhat bulky, plasticky exterior, Yashica T2s are an example of excellent ergonomic design.

One of the first things I noticed about this camera is how easy it is to hold. Most vintage cameras, even the modern ones, do not have good built-in grips — but T2 has a really nice one.

T2 has a simple plastic shutter button that has a dual function: focus/exposure lock and release. Once you press it lightly, the camera will register the distance to your subject and your scene’s illumination. You can then hold the button in that position and optionally reframe your shot (let’s say you want to focus on your subject’s face but you also want them to be to the side and not in the middle of your frame). Pressing it further will make an exposure.

The Yashica will fire the flash based on its calculations made for your lighting conditions. However, you can prevent that by holding the “NO FLASH” button while you depress the shutter button. While not ideal as this requires the use of both hands, it’s a lot simpler than the constant dance of pressing the flash button multiple times that later point-and-shoot cameras have adopted, including the T5. You can also force the flash to work in daylight (for example, if you’d like to lighten up the shadows) by holding the “DAY LIGHT FLASH” while pressing the shutter button.

The viewfinder on Yashica T2 is bright, it even features lens coating to prevent flaring and add contrast. It’s a little difficult to use with the glasses on, but nothing out of the ordinary. Inside, there are frame lines, including the parallax marks and a box in the middle which indicates what will be in focus. But the best part is the feedback it gives when you half-press the shutter button: the autofocus distance estimate. Once the focus is set (which is instant), you’ll see either a 👤 (for close focus), 👥 (for a medium distance of about 3m/9’), or ⛰️ (for infinity focus) lit up in red. While this feature may seem trivial, it’s a big help in confirming the accuracy of the autofocus; besides, it’s not common enough on most autofocus film cameras to be taken for granted.

The autofocus on T2 is exceptionally fast. While it may not be as precise as it became on more modern film cameras (it seems to set the lens to one of the three zones), you are almost guaranteed not to miss any shots.

You may’ve noticed that the camera’s lens is covered by a translucent piece of plastic. Yashica calls it Auto Lens Barrier, which’s sole purpose is to protect your lens from debris and scratches. Once you fully depress the shutter button, it quickly flicks out of the way to expose the glass lens. The lens will remain exposed if you keep holding the shutter button down.

Once you release the shutter button, the Auto Lens Barrier will slowly return to its place as the camera’s motor whizzes the film to the next frame. Yashica T2’s motor is a little loud, certainly noticeable in quiet settings, but it’s not deafening. It sounds like a motor on a toy car.

Yashica T2 35mm Carl Zeiss Tessar 𝒇3.5 lens image quality.

Carl Zeiss is a big name in the lensmaking industry. Founded in 1846, it’s 178 years old as of this writing. Though its history is mixed (it includes the use of forced labour during WWII and the various break-ups after the war), the company, in all its forms, was always laser-focused on quality optics, which earned it an outstanding reputation as a lens maker.

Even during Zeiss’ collaboration with Yashica, which was at a tumulous period for both companies, it delivered optics that performed well beyond expectations of the pricepoint the cameras they made sold at.

Yashica T2’s 35mm 𝒇3.5 Tessar T* lens shows medium-high contrast, excellent control of aberrations, no noticeable vignetting, and very slight softening in the corners.

The images that come out of Yashica T2 (specifically, the foliage and grass blades) remind me of the photographs I made with Carl Zeiss Werramat — a much older but nonetheless wonderful camera. Though expected (since the glass is made by the same company), it’s still surprising to see similarities between cameras made so many years apart.

Yashica T2 vs. Yashica T5/T4 Super D.

Last year, I got to try Yashica/Kyocera’s most advanced point-and-shoot model: Kyocera T-Proof (which also went by Yashica T4 Super D and Yashica T5).

Yashica T5 was made to compete with the more expensive point-and-shoot cameras of the era, which may seem impossible given its plastic body (which would be compared with titanium-made masterpieces of the era). But thanks to its remarkable lens and unique features, such as the auxiliary TLR-like viewfinder option and weatherproofing, it can still come on top.

The T5 uses a more precise autofocusing system than T2 and it can focus at macro distances (.35m or 1’1¾”). It’s also more compact and easier on the eye.

Thanks to its weatherproofing, the Yashica T5 is significantly quieter than the T2. While its motor is only a little softer, its hermetic seals dampen the sound to a hushed whirr that makes it one of the most discrete point-and-shoot cameras of its time.

Alas, the T5 costs more than double that of the T2. I found its photos sharper (thanks to the improved autofocus system) and weatherproofing invaluable on my hiking trips. But you should probably read the full review of this camera to see if the added cost is worth the upgrade for you.

How much does Yashica T2 cost, and where to find one.

As of this writing, Yashica T2 film cameras sell for around $100, but their price can fluctuate depending on their condition. If you don’t mind the bulky design, these cameras may be the cheapest way to acquire a Zeiss lens in a point-and-shoot body.

❤ By the way: Please consider making your Yashica/Kyocera T2 film camera purchase using this link so that this website may get a small percentage of that sale — at no extra charge for you — thanks!