Yashica daylight filter retracting key

[Dave Bickford]

I'm about buy an Ektachrome cartridge to test out my Yashica Super 40, but I just realized I do not have the daylight filter retracting key. Does anyone have a spare? Or would inserting a piece of plastic or stiff cardboard into the slot do the trick?

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Hi!
I don’t remember the exact camera model, but someone on filmshooting.com created a filter key by simply cutting away some parts of an old credit card (without raised text) while others did the same with a dead CD. (On most cameras, the filter key is purely mechanical and doesn’t have to be an electrical conductor.)
Other than this, you would have to look for a cheap, broken camera with filter key on eBay/Etsy/Craigslist/whatever.

Good luck!
Jörg

[Maurice Leakey]

Would the filter been originally actioned by the insertion of a movie light? It would then sit on top of the camera for the artificial light filming.
As Joerg says, something stiff like a credit card inserted in the slot may do the trick.

[Dave Bickford]

Would the filter been originally actioned by the insertion of a movie light? It would then sit on top of the camera for the artificial light filming.
As Joerg says, something stiff like a credit card inserted in the slot may do the trick.

Yup, movie light or “key” would have been inserted into the slot.

[Dominique De Bast]

Don't forget that most of early super 8 cameras are designed to use the 25/40 asa cartridge. Without filter, the camera will be set for 25 asa. And, as it name says it, the Ektachrome 100 is a...100 asa film.

[Dave Bickford]

Don't forget that most of early super 8 cameras are designed to use the 25/40 asa cartridge. Without filter, the camera will be set for 25 asa. And, as it name says it, the Ektachrome 100 is a...100 asa film.

Cameras we’re also designed to work with the old Ektachrome 160. Another user has given me tips on how to properly expose the new Ektachrome 100 in this camera. I’m really curious to see what the results will be.

[Joerg Polzfusz]

When the key is compatible to movie lights that follow the „Kodak Instamatic“ standard, then the key should look like this… (the „O“-shaped hole protrudes from the camera. That hole only exists so that you can easily pull the key out of the camera. The part with the „M“-shaped hole goes into the camera.)

[Joerg Polzfusz]

The „filter key“ when it’s part of the movie light… on most lamps, there’s only a metal plate with the „M“-shaped hole.

[Dominique De Bast]

Cameras we’re also designed to work with the old Ektachrome 160. Another user has given me tips on how to properly expose the new Ektachrome 100 in this camera. I’m really curious to see what the results will be.

If your camera also accepts the Ektachrome 160, that should be fine. I shot several Ektachrome 100 with a 9.5 camera (so I hadn't the filter and the automatic settings problems and I love the results.

[Shane C. Collins]

If your camera also accepts the Ektachrome 160, that should be fine. I shot several Ektachrome 100 with a 9.5 camera (so I hadn't the filter and the automatic settings problems and I love the results.

But the latest Ektachrome exposes better at 64 ASA. Shooting the current stock at 160 ASA will underexpose this film pretty badly. Even at the box speed of 100 ASA it's still quite dark. My trick has been to expose at 1 stop more exposure. Projected this gives perfect results! It has a large exposure range for a reversal stock. The backlight function on most cameras will open the exposure. I also recommended a X4 ND filter (2 stops) in bright sunlight. The 1 stop more exposure would still be applied with a ND filter in place.

[Dave Bickford]

So, resurrecting this old post…I finally got around to experimenting tonight after work. A piece of old credit card inserted into the slot does indeed retract the filter. Confirmed by looking into the lens and actually seeing it move. So simple! I thought it needed a “special” key. Nope! Now it’s time to actually buy some film and have fun! 😀

[Douglas Meltzer]

Excellent! I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts about filming with the Super-40.