Seagull 105 or a Yashica D or 124G

[YellowTang]

Hello fellow MF users, need some advice
I was looking at the seagull yesterday at K12 and was quite impressed by the price..meaning $200+ (new). Next I went online to do some research and came up with negative comments about the quality of the lens, some suggesting that the Yashica came with better lenses.
I cannot get a new yashica, but 2nd hand, but of course at much lower prices from ebay. If I decided to spend say 250 max. Should I go for a seagull (new) or look for a 2nd Yashica 124G which many seem to imply has a better lens?

P.S. I know I'm squibbling about a measly 250bucks..but don't really want to feel that for that measly fee, I could possibly have gotten something better....

[Tetrode]

Originally Posted by YellowTang Should I go for a seagull (new) or look for a 2nd Yashica 124G which many seem to imply has a better lens? P.S. I know I'm squibbling about a measly 250bucks..but don't really want to feel that for that measly fee, I could possibly have gotten something better....

Hey, money is money.

The lens on the Seagull (4 element lens version) is quite good and comparable with the Yashica 124G. Both their lenses are copies of the CZ tessar. BUT I'd recommend not buying either coz both cameras use plastic gears in their advance mechanisms which are prone to failure. They do make excellent paper weights after that however.

If you can stretch your budget at bit ($300-400), look for a Rolleicord V, Va, Vb(the best of the three) on Ebay. If you can't then look for Yashica 635, Yashica 124(not 124G), Yashica D, Ricoh Diacords, Minolta Autocords. These use metal gears in their advance mechanisms instead.

But the Rolleicords are still better value overall in terms of ease of use reliability and resale value. Just get a clean one and have it CLA'd.

[RemAcuTetigisti]

I would personally go for the Yashica's instead of the Seagull's. I have handled both but not shot with. Rolleicord's are my favorite device (for around 200-300$).

In any case, Yashica is much better built than the seagull. I guess when you shoot 6x6, quality of lens differs very less from one another. The important thing will be the ruggedness of the camera. Yashica beats seagull hands down here. Rolleicords kill the competition

[JermsDayOut]

anywhere sells NEW rolleicord? if yes, how much for their 6x6 range?

[Tetrode]

Originally Posted by JermsDayOut anywhere sells NEW rolleicord? if yes, how much for their 6x6 range?

The last Rolleicord was made in 1976 and all cords were made in the 6x6 format (altho you can change to 645 or 4x4 with the use of conversion sets).
So unless you are lucky enuff to find a NOS(New Old Stock) sample, you have to get a used example. Even if you did manage to find a NOS sample, it probably would cost you slightly over Sg$1000.