This is a copy of a post I made to Facebook.
YASHICA FX-A
There's not much information around about the FX-A. It was introduced at Photokina in 1982 but the plug was pulled on the project soon after and there was only, allegedly, around 1000 made, most of which, allegedly, were bought by the US Government. I'm not sure any of this can be verified but it's a fact that few were made and they rarely show up for sale.
The FX-A has built-in focus-assist so is a predecessor of the later Contax RX. It is not auto-focus and I, personally, can't see how it could ever have been an auto-focus camera as there are no couplings to the lens that would allow the lens to be controlled by the body. I think this was only ever going to be a focus-assist system, just like the RX. At the same time, Yashica were developing a AF version of the Contax 137 which may have been a full auto-focus system - we'll never know.
The FX-A has been described as similar to the FX-D. In fact it has very little similarity to the FX-D and it would be misleading to say it is. It is a generation later than the FX-D and the style and build are much more similar to the FX-70 and the FX-103. Both of these cameras came later so it seems some of the development of the FX-A did not go unused and appeared in these later cameras. The shutter, particularly, is different than the FX-D or any earlier cameras but the same shutter was carried over into the FX-70 and FX-103. Other parts and assemblies also got reused in the later cameras.
If I am being perfectly honest, the FX-A, along with the FX-70 and FX-103, are not built as well as the FX-D. Maybe this was the result of cost cutting measures, perhaps due to Yashica's financial woes of the time prior to the Kyocera take-over.
It seems the camera was intended to have a number of accessories including a winder and a data (or date) back. There are four winder contacts on the base suggesting the winder would be based on the Contax 159 winder which also has four contacts. But one of the contacts on the FX-A is not connected so it would have had less functionality. The Contax 139 winder fits and works as intended. The later FX-103 also had four contacts and a winder which looks identical to the Contax 139 winder so this was probably what was intended for the FX-A. The 139 winder only needs two contacts though so I don't know why they included more.
The camera has a data back LED to trigger the data back each time the shutter is released. So a data back was planned. This eventually appeared with the FX-103.
Other functions include a flash ready contact in the hot shoe. This works with the Contax TLA20 but I've not checked it with any other flash models. There is no TTL flash. This was introduced with the FX-103.
There is also a self timer switch on the front of the camera which also provides a momentary exposure lock.
There is one thing about the camera I have failed to understand. At the top of the lens mount is a switch which is activated by the lens maximum aperture tab. Normally this tab tells the body the maximum aperture of the lens which it uses for displaying the aperture in use. But the FX-A doesn't display the aperture and, what's more, this is just a switch, not a variable resistance or a digital encoder as is found on other bodies to indicate the aperture. So what this switch was intended for I don't know. It just seems to tell the body that a lens has been attached and no more.
My example of the FX-A appeared recently on ebay. I was lucky. It had only just been put on when I saw it. The buy-it-now button has never been pressed so fast. There was no information other than it was untested so I expected it not to work. But on inspection it powered-up and the lights came on, including the focus indicators, but the shutter wouldn't fire. I also noted the mirror had slipped. Two common problems with Yashica SLRs. Having fixed these problems many times in the past on other Yashica (and Contax) models, I had no hesitation to attempt repairing the camera albeit knowing there would be some differences. The main difference, of course, is the additional modules and circuitry for the focus assist. This has caused the flexible circuit board to be enlarged and increased in complexity which makes removal, required to enable the camera to be dismantled, somewhat more complex and time consuming. Overall I spent nearly two days repairing and servicing the camera. The camera now works as intended and has also had a full service carried out.
The leatherette covers on the camera were perished as usually happens. Strangely, the cover around the grip is rubber and was in perfect order. I've replaced the other covers with some I had and have fitted a rubber thumb grip to the back which I think compliments the front grip quite well.
The focus-assist works well in good light with a contrasty subject. But it becomes less reliable as brightness and contrast reduces. There are no other focus aids in the viewfinder so you either rely on the focus assist or use the matt area of the screen to focus.
The FX-A is now a collectors item. I don't see this as a users camera. It's quirky and interesting to use (once) but will then sit on the shelf I'm sure. I'm not really a collector so if anyone is interested in becoming the owner of this FX-A, make me an offer. It will have to be a good one though.
I've attached a selection of photos taken during the repair for anyone interested in the internals.
