Yashica T3 (My Affordable Contax T2 Alternative)

If you’re looking for an affordable Contax T2 alternative, perhaps consider a Yashica T3. Both point and shoot cameras have legendary Carl Zeiss f2.8 lenses but the prices are quite different. (After selling my Contax T2 I wanted a cheaper replacement that still takes great images + as a Leica guy I also compare Yashica T3 vs Leica).

Full spectrum of image quality

First I explain the trigger as to why I just bought a plastic point and shoot camera (“P&S”) as a Leica owner. To appreciate the image quality at different price points I include additional film cameras that I used on my Yashica T3 journey. Cameras and photos in the article include –

• Contax T2 + Why a P&S camera?
• Disposable film camera + Images
• Budget Canon P&S camera + Images
• Yashica T3 camera + Images
• Leica Minilux P&S + Images
• Leica MP rangefinder + Images

First time here? Get your Perks!

Setting the scene

Before pressing buy on the Yashica T3 I watched many camera reviews on YouTube.  So many lo-fi beats in one sessions haha. Many owners seem to love this camera and say it’s “the best camera they’ve ever used” but equally perhaps they’ve only used a handful of cameras and this was their most expensive. 

As a guy that quit his finance career to review Leica gear i’d like to think that i’m in a strong position to give the Yashica T3 a fair and realistic review of how good (or bad) it is.  My eyes are used to a certain image quality so I’ll soon know if I don’t like what I see.

More than just Leica

With a website called MrLeica.com it would be fair to assume that I only cover Leica cameras. Yes many of the more recent reviews are Leica related (cameras and lenses) but check back in the archives and i’ve reviewed many of the popular “cult” film cameras. 

My real passion is analogue, Leica and otherwise. Film cameras are just way more fun to shoot and there are so many interesting cameras out there to try out.

My detailed film camera reviews include everything from budget SLRs, rangefinder cameras including Leica alternatives, medium format cameras in all shapes and sizes including 645, 6×6 or 6×7 plus even large format cameras. Where possible most of the original written reviews (with sample images) were later backed up by YouTube videos which are embedded into the articles.

Take a look, maybe I reviewed your favourite camera!

A-Z FILM CAMERA REVIEWS

What are point and shoot cameras?

So back on topic. Today we are talking point and shoot film cameras. I’ll likely abbreviate that to “P&S” for the rest of the article. What defines a P&S camera vs a “normal camera”, say a Leica or Hasselblad or Nikon SLR etc?

If you do a search, the answer is –

“Point and shoot film cameras are compact, easy-to-use cameras that automate focus, exposure, and film winding so you can simply frame your shot and press the button. (Requiring no technical photography knowledge, they are popular for casual snapshots, travel, and parties)”.

With that covered it seems that of the 100+ cameras I’ve owned, only one was a point and shoot. The mentioned Contax T2.

Contax T2 Camera

So I’ve never bought a P&S camera (until now). The premium Contax T2 camera was kindly gifted to me by one of my Patreon, Richard.  See that article below. As someone that appreciates interchangeable lenses, P&S cameras were never really on my radar. The Contax T2 was nice, it was just way too valuable for an electronic P&S camera that could suddenly brick on me.

Contax T2 review (Best point and shoot film camera or overhyped?)

All hype?

Yes there has been a lot of hype around P&S cameras in recent years (making prices rocket up) but I just couldn’t appreciate what all the fuss was about.  Yes the Contax T2 image quality was good but in my mind the fun part of photography was the manual settings not just pointing and click.  (If I just want to point and click I can use my phone camera but that never feels like real photography for me. I don’t value my phone images in the slightest). 

So what changed?  What was the trigger that made me go searching for an affordable Contax T2 alternative?

Buying a Yashica T3

Last month I travelled to France for a cycling holiday with my brother and a few friends.  I knew I’d want to take a few photos but equally there would be no stopping (or minimal stops) so I wouldn’t have time to “faff around” with a proper camera. 

The Leica Ic for example is my running camera but I still need to manually focus and consider the exposure.  I also needed something ideally lighter, super compact, that could just slip into my cycling jersey pocket.  

Why not use a small digital Micro Four Thirds Lumix GX880 for example?  I don’t usually value my digital images but I must say I was pleasantly surprised by some of the prints I made from the Lumix G100 from this trip.  (I took that as my digital camera to use in during the downtime). See the article.

Best Leica Lenses for Micro Four Thirds Cameras

Disposable film camera – why?

When considering my options and needs – small, lightweight, film, the obvious choice was a disposable camera.  I’ve not used a disposable camera for ages. The last time was at a friend’s wedding a decade ago I think. I just happened to have one that I received as part of a Wotancraft bag Christmas gift pack.

Disposable film camera – Results

The dispoable camera did most of what I needed. Fast and and easy to use with instant images.  My strategy when cycling in our group was to advance the film and have the camera in my back pocket.  As soon as I saw an oppotunity i’d grab it and click.  No start up lag, no autofocus hunting, just instant images. 

If I could be happy with the image quality from this plastic lens disposable camera, then in theory i’d like any camera with a glass lens.  I’ve included some disposable film camera images below as a benchmark from France. This is the absolute rock bottom of what we need to beat in terms of minimal image quality. 

I like the retro feel in some but if we’re honest the image quality is pretty terrible. The photos capture the memory but not much else.

Benefits of the Yashica T3 vs disposable cameras

If we compare the Yashica T3 to a disposable camera the T3 is bulkier and heavier but does give us a proper glass lens (and Carl Zeiss Tessar lens at that).  Both cameras offer the optional built-in flash which creates a certain retro aesthetic plus it’s useful in low light. 

Disposable cameras have a fixed focus lens whereas the Yashica T3 gives us autofocus.  With disposable cameras they come pre-loaded with a budget film.  (Mine had some thin unbranded ISO 400 colour film inside when I broke it open to develop the film).  

The benefit of the Yashica T3 is I can load my film of choice to best suit the mood aesthetic that i’m going for. Perhaps I want super sharp Leica Monopan 50 for black and white images or Kodak Ektachrome E100 slide film for colour.  For a greater dynamic range I could opt for Kodak Portra films or perhaps load re-spooled Kodak Vision3 motion picture film. 

So far i’ve used a mix of expired Kodak Vision 3 motion picture film, freshly spooled Kodak Double-X and a box of Kodak Ultramax 400 that I bought in Poland after running.  See my film stock reviews for example images using different film stocks.

A-Z FILM STOCK Reviews

Relatives Canon Sure Shot TeleMax

After buying my Yashica T3 I suddenly remembered that a relative given me their old film point and shoot camera a few decades ago. I wasn’t interested in these cameras at the time but I kept it. Time to dig it out and load some film.

Just for context the Canon Sure Shot TeleMax was released in 1991 and came equipped with a twin lens solution. A 38mm f3.5 lens + 70mm f6. By flicking the switch on the front the camera changes the between the two focal lengths.

Like the Yashica T3, the Canon Sure Shot is an autofocus auto exposure plastic camera with a built-in flash and self timer mode. The difference is the price. Canon Sure Shot cameras are usually 4-5x cheaper vs a Yashica T3.

Yashica T3 vs Canon Sure Shot TeleMax

I was wanted to compare the image quality between the Yashica T3 vs Canon Sure Shot TeleMax for my own interest. I thought the highly praised Yashica T3 with its Carl Zeiss lens should win but by how much?

See the Yashica T3 YouTube video for more results but in summary the T3 autofocus was more reliable than the Canon Sure Shot. The Yashica T3 photos also had more true to life colours. Canon colours seemed warmer and more saturated somehow. For sharpness the Yashica T3 also had the edge but occasionally the Canon captures good detail too.

It was becoming obvious why the Yashica T3 holds a higher price tag. You do get what you pay for but equally the 38-70mm Canon dual lens is nice to have versus the fixed 35mm Yashica T3 prime lens.

Canon Sure Shot TeleMax photos

Here are some Canon Sure Shot TeleMax sample film scans. A massive jump in image quality versus a disposable camera but I think we can do better.

Yashica T3 photos vs Canon Sure Shot

Let’s look at some Yashica T3 sample photos that are similar to the Canon photos above so you can compare. Not an exact science but to give you a taster. (Lots more Yashica T3 photos shared below).

Leica point & shoot cameras

As we’re talking about point and shoot film cameras you’re probably saying, hey Matt, Leica made some point and shoot film cameras too.  Correct, Leica made multiple point and shoot film cameras over the years. The early “Mini series” were a Minolta collaboration as were the later “C series” but the 3 mid-series cameras below were true Leica designs.

• (1995) Leica Minilux
• (1998) Leica Minilux Zoom
• (2003) Leica CM

Leica Minilux – Contax T2 alternative

The 1995 Leica Minilux was Leica’s answer to the popular Contax T2 that had been launched 5 years earlier. The Leica Minilux definitely reminds me of my old Contax T2 with the premium feel and metal body. The T2 has the Carl Zeiss Sonnar 38mm f2.8 whereas the Leica Minilux has a slightly faster and longer 40mm f2.4 Summarit lens.

During our annual Patreon meet in London this year I was able to spend 24hrs with a Leica Minilux camera to see how it compared to my current Yashica T3. Big thanks to Grom for lending me his nice camera!

First impressions?  Beautiful camera and yes like the Contax T2. You can see where Leica got their inspiration from. Definitely more premium feeling (and looking) than my plastic Yashica T3 but what about the image quality?

Leica Minilux sample photos

These photos were all shot with Kodak Tri-X 400 in the Leica Minilux. (The developer seemed to be slightly exhausted resulting in some under exposed negatives and more grain).

Yashica T3 vs Leica Minilux

When at PhotoLondon I packed both my Yashica T3 and the Leica. Here are a few similar Yashica T3 photos to compare to the Leica Minilux images above. They are pretty similar. I wouldn’t be able to spot the difference from this small test sample.

Leica MP rangefinder camera

My current most used Leica film camera is my 0.85x silver Leica MP. For a recent London Leica workshop I packed my usual Leica cameras + added the Yashica T3 to play with. During the day we caught the Uber Boat along the River Thames and I love it as an opportunity to take photos of the city.

Leica MP – Worth it? (Why I returned my MP)

Leica MP sample photos

Here are a few Leica MP sample photos from the day teaching the Leica workshop in London. All photos were shot on Kodak Double-X 5222 film. (In the past I bought Kodak XX as a 400ft roll and bulk rolled it. Now I buy it pre-rolled from Analogue Cameras. Good price and saves a lot of time).

How good is 35mm Kodak Double X 5222? (Kodak XX Film)

Yashica T3 vs Leica MP

Despite the massive price difference between a Leica MP and Yashica T3, the prices are not so different. Yes one camera is plastic and the other will last a life time but the Yashica T3 did pretty well considering. Here are some Yashica T3 photos to compare to the Leica MP images (and see the Yashica T3 photos shared above).

Yashica T3 image quality verdict?

After comparing the Yashica T3 to film cameras at all price points; disposable camera, Canon Sure Shot, Leica Minilux, my usual Leica M film cameras, I’m happy with the image quality. The Yashica T3 auto exposure is generally on point and if it nails the focus it can create sharp images that I wouldn’t be able to pick out from Leica photos.

Is the Yashica T3 an affordable Contax T2 alternative? Let’s revisit some of my old Contax T2 photos to compare.

Contax T2 vs Yashica T3

Here are some Contax T2 film scans from when I owned that camera. I do think that if I shot the Yashica T3 in similar good light and with fresh film I can get a similar look. Both cameras have Carl Zeiss lenses. The Contax T2 camera has the Zeiss Sonnar 38mm f2.8 lens verses the slightly wider but equally fast Zeiss Tessar 35mm f2.8 lens of the Yashica T3.

For me the slightly wider 35mm focal length is more useful for travel. Contax T2 photos –

Can the Yashica T3 replace my Leica cameras?

As someone that currently enjoys both the Yashica T3 and my usual Leica cameras I can say that in some ways these cameras are chalk and cheese, yet they both take 35mm film and can take great images.  Leica film cameras are works of art, “mechanical marvels”. They are precision instruments and the premium prices reflect this.   The Yashica T3 is plastic but the lens is stellar.

Leica cameras are brilliant but they have limitations. This is where the Yashica T3 comes in.

Limitations of Leica rangefinder cameras 

If we look at Leica film cameras, what might be the drawbacks for someone looking to take a quick photo?  For me the limitations can include – 

• Limited flash options (1/50) max flash sync
• Minimum focus distance of 0.7m-1m
• Fragile rangefinder (requires calibration)
• Manual focus only
• Manual exposure (excluding Leica M7)
• Slower film loading (for newbies)
• Additional weight (metal camera + lens)(~3x heavier)
• Leica prices (Leica M series especially)

Strengths of a Yashica T3

In contrast, if we now consider some of the Yashica T3 features, you can see how it fills some of the “gaps” where Leica cameras are less suited –

• Built-in automatic flash
• Close focus from 0.5m
• Autofocus (half press the shutter)
• Autoexposure (centre weighted)
• Fool-proof fast film loading
• Plastic camera body is lighter
• Prices are cheaper than Leica
• Low risk (can take to parties etc)
• Waist level viewfinder (added bonus)

Longevity – A camera for life?

As someone that regularly uses a 1931 Leica Ic camera, this becomes the benchmark. Leica know how to make film cameras that last a lifetime if serviced. It’s perhaps unfair to compare a plastic 90s point and shoot film camera with a full metal Leica, whether vintage Leica iii cameras or Leica M cameras. (I’ll ignore Leica R cameras here as most bodies feel nothing like a Leica cameras).

It’s not just the materials though. The premium Contax T2 and Leica Minilux cameras have metal casings. They will still die. The weakness is the electronic components inside. If you drop a plastic Yashica T3 on concrete pavement it’s likely game over (or you’ll need gaffer tape if you’re really lucky).

If you drop a Contax T2 or Minilux camera the outside might look less damaged (or you’ll need less tape) but internally the electronics might fail just the same.

In contrast, if you accidentally drop a full mechanical Leica M camera you have to apologise to the local council for damaging their nice path. Yes you might dent the metal camera body (and it will for sure need recalibrating) but otherwise there is usually no big issue. Some Leica cameras have been through wars and they still work great.

My affordable Contax T2 alternative

The weakness with all point and shoot cameras is the electronics. No matter how high the price tag. For this reason, if I can get a similar image quality from a more affordable plastic camera, I rather use that as I can afford to replace it. To my eyes the Yashica T3 images are similar to Contax T2 image quality so I’m happy with my purchase.

Yashica T3 photoshoot

Here are more Yashica T3 photoshoot images from working with models. I will add more photos soon as I still need to develop 4 rolls from using the Yashica T3 camera in Poland.

Yashica T3 street photography

Leica M cameras are famous for street photography but what about point and shoots? With the Yashica T3 I can half press the shutter button to pre-focus, and lock expose, but equally I can use it for grab shots (with or without flash). Here is me doing some Yashica T3 street photography.

Speed – Leica camera vs Yashica T3

Real talk. Let’s say you’re a street photographer, the key to catching those moments is speed. Zone focusing a Leica rangefinder camera is still faster than the Yashica T3. A Leica film camera has no start up lag, no autofocus hunting (especially in low light) and no auto flash that you might want to disable before taking your sneaky street shot of a stranger. If you’re good with a Leica camera then this is still the fastest option if you know how to meter light.

Exposure

Leica rangefinder cameras are fast to focus if you use zone focusing but what about the time taken to meter your scene? I teach Leica workshops and many photographers struggle at this stage. They just seem to overthink it. If it takes you 5-10 seconds (or more) to calculate your expose then the Yashica T3 will likely be faster thanks to it’s auto exposure.

Is a Leica iii Good? Pros, Cons + Leica iii Portraits (Models)

Leica iii cameras – Faster than a P&S

When I summarise everything, the closest true Leica camera to a point and shoot is either my vintage 1931 Leica 1C or a stripped back 1950s Leica If or Leica ic (or Leica ig but that’s a little bigger).  Leica iii cameras are smaller and lighter than Leica M cameras (around 475g with small lens vs around 320g Yashica T3) so more pocketable. (These specific models I mention have no rangefinder, no electronics, so they’re lighter and pretty much bombproof).

If you use zone focusing you can fire a Leica camera way faster than a point and shoot but they don’t have auto exposure.  On a sunny day I just use the “Sunny 16 rule” and this makes it the fastest pock sized camera I own. (You could do the same with a Leica CL film camera for example).

For difficult lighting conditions it’s easy to overthink the camera settings and slow down and at night it’s pretty much impossible to zone focus as you need to shoot the lens wide open.  This is where the Yashica T3 comes in.

90yr Old Leica I Cameras, Why I Love

Yashica T3 compliments my Leica cameras

In summary, owning an affordable point and shoot camera with a decent lens like the Yashica T3 can absolutely complement a Leica rangefinder camera. Even on a sunny day where zone focusing is easy the Yashica T3 can add value. I can use the fill flash for creative portraits, autofocus for arms length selfies with friends or self-timer group shots (assuming the Leica camera model has no self timer).

Any camera that fuels our creativity is a win, right!?

YouTube video – Yashica T3 review

See the Yashica T3 on YouTube for a visual and to hear the sounds!

Returning my Yashica T3

Update – Sadly after getting so hyped with my Yashica T3 I had to return it as many of my images were showing a mysterious black mark (see images below). I was already sold on the Carl Zeiss lens but now I had the opportunity to pick something even smaller and lighter.

Say hello to my Yashica T4 D

The Yashica T3 weighed around ~320g, my Yashica T4 D weighs a mere ~204g. 50% lighter and smaller in all dimensions. This could be “the one”!

Time to do some testing! Full write-up and video to follow so subscribe so not to miss that.

Yashica T4 Self Test

Here is a quick mirror selfie test. The Yashica T4 D seems to work OK! (*D stands for data back version).

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