Like everyone else here, I appreciate the heavy body. It feels substantial in your hand when shooting. The flash recycle is noticeably quick.

The viewfinder is very small and utterly useless in low light. The viewfinder doesn't react to zoom. The overall quality of the images aren't as crisp as the camera's predecessors due to the 4.5. Film is very difficult to load as many users I've talked to have experienced the film not catching on the spool. You have to press awkwardly on the back door as certain times until you get it just right. And though the body appears to be durable, its not.

This camera does NOT live up to the reputation of the T4 family. I was already unhappy with my purchase because of the image quality and burden of difficulty loading, when I dropped the camera from about 2 feet off a chair. The camera since has been only half way operational with zero functionality of the zooming features, and the camera intermittently turning off in the middle fo shooting. This is definitely not something I'd except from a camera with a heavier body. Very disappointed.

-Carl Zeiss Lens. What more can you say for a point and shoot. -Aluminum body. Seems very durable and solid, not a piece of cheap plastic. -Wider angle lens. In normal mode you can take more of the picture in. -Remote. The T4 zoom kit came with a nifty remote to use take pictures.

-Shutter speed. Maybe I'm not used to it but after you click the shutter button, the film winder has a slight delay which took a little time getting used to. -Viewfinder. It seems that the overall viewfinder was a little small and took a little getting used to navigate correctly to aim/ -Preset zoom lengths. You can't make fine zoom adjustments.

I was searching all over for a camera to replace my beloved, but lost, Canon SureShot Classic 120..and this is it! What a great point and shooter for under $200!

Similar Products Used:

Canon SureShot Classic 120

Aluminum half shell. Good looks. Compact. Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar 28-70mm zoom lens. 123A Lithium Battery. Quick flash recycle.

Small, dim viewfinder. Easy to block the flash. Camera resets itself when turned on. Slow noisy zoom. Must read manual to understand settings and icons.

I wanted to purchase a good quality 35mm camera for my wife as a Christmas present when her Nikon P&S died. When I read about the reputation and all the rave reviews of the T4 and T4 Super, I knew I wanted one (for my wife of course ;). I found out that neither model was available anymore, and both draw a premium on Ebay. Enter the Yashica T4 Zoom. It's got a Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar 28-70mm zoom lens. Encased in a nice looking aluminum half shell, I thought "Great! They took the T4 and made it even better!" I fell prey to marketing confusion. Usually very careful to read all the details, I neglected to notice that the zoom model was more than just an upgrade of the Super. This camera is a bit more complicated than your average point and shoot. I took a couple rolls of film around Christmas time, and the results were very good. The redeye was not too bad and the flash recycled quickly thanks to the big lithium battery. One picture of my aunt and uncle came out superb. The zoom range is very handy for taking portraits, closeups and getting the whole family in the shot. I also took some pictures indoors without the flash. I set the camera down and used the remote to capture a great portrait of my wife and I in natural light from the window. Again another keeper. Now for the bad. This is not just an upgrade of the legendary T4 and T4 Super. Because this is a zoom model, the lens is much slower. In other words, it lets in much less light. The original T4 models had an aperture of F3.5 at 35mm. This model is F4.5 at 28mm and F8 at 70mm. You must use a tripod or place the camera on a shelve etc when using available light indoors. At 35mm, you are already a stop slower than the original T4. At 70mm, you are 2.5 stops slower than the original T4. I found that the zoom function is much slower and noisier than our old Nikon or my Canon digital point and shoot.. The biggest problem I have with this camera is the viewfinder. It is much to small, much to dim. The location of the viewfinder is also too far toward the corner IMO. I have a very difficult time getting the entire picture in my vision. It's very easy to block the flash with your finger while holding onto the camera. The second biggest problem I have is getting the camera to do what I want it to. I find myself adjusting the settings every time I turn the camera on. The camera resets itself every time it's turned on or off, so this can become a pain. If you want the redeye function on, you must remember to turn it on every time you use the camera. The zoom also starts out at the widest setting, 28mm every time you turn the camera on. Not such a big deal, but I would prefer if it started with the lens set around 35mm. IMO, the controls are just not very intuitive. I notice my wife fumbling with the camera before taking a picture. You must familiarize yourself with the manual to understand all the settings and icons. Even then, you must remember to set the camera before almost any shot. In conclusion, with two little kids, time is of the essence. This camera is frustrating because you must remember to set it up every time it's turned on. Although this camera is capable of some great pictures, it's not for everyone. I found the faults to be more than I was willing to live with. This camera will be found on Ebay in the near future. At the very least, I suggest you go and check one of these out in person before ordering one over the web. You may find that the camera is not quite everything it's cooked up to be. Check out the Olympic Stylus Epic for a great alternative to the original Yashica T4.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Nikon APS, Canon Powershot, Olympus Stylus Epic.

•Definitely the Lense •Fit and finish, quality construction •Quiet zoom •Good value •Wider angle lense is perfect for group and location shots •Compact, go anywhere body •Can withstand the cold Canadian climate.

•I would wish that Kyocera would come out with a fixed length, wide angle version, no zoom, so the the camera can be even more compact.

I purchased the Zoom T4 primarily to snap shot people during our events. The prints from this T4 continues to tell me I've made the right choice. The depth provided by the lense does a wonderful job in concentrating on my subject matter by separating the background ever so slightly, it fulfills my primary requirement to capture people. The fill in flash seems adequate for my use, even night shots of Christmas lights and people turned out excellent. The looks of the camera itself I really like too, the matte charcoal aluminum face looks sharp and more professional than all the silver faced cameras out there, which is logical too, for this camera targets a different user market from most other point & shoots. The simplistic button layouts are both user-friendly and adequate. To pick bones out of an egg I can say that the ergonomics could improve a little, I find that I could not get a firm, confident hold of the camera by just using my right hand. I think a slightly contoured back to hug the thumb could improve this issue. Simple conclusion is that it serves the purpose of a point & shoot, even casual user like me can achieve qualities prints like that from a professional.

Customer Service

•Not required yet

Similar Products Used:

•n/a

Metal front. Fairly sharp and contrasty photos even at full zoom. Features like the "long time" exposure control allow shutter speeds to 2 full seconds for night shots, or blur effect shots.

Lens not as sharp as led to believe.

I lost my Olympus Stylus Epic and was just going to buy another one, since I was always pleased with the sharp, colorful photos it took. But, after reading all the positive reviews of the T4 Zoom and knowing how outstanding the original fixed focus T4 was, I decided to go for the T4 Zoom. So, I am comparing this to my old Stylus Epic. Shot a test roll using Fuji 200 speed print film as my first roll. Results were mixed. Inside shots on a tripod were not as sharp as expected and noticeable vignetting on the left side at wide angle. Sometimes heavy vignetting. (A few other reviewers have mentioned this too.) Inside exposure was okay, but perhaps on the under-exp. side. Good color saturation. Took shots of some fruit in a bowl using a tripod, but again, they were not as sharp as I hoped. Outside shots (on a tripod) were also not as sharp as expected. Took shots of flowers and more of my brick chimney at different focal lengths and they just seemed a touch out of focus. Contrast and color saturation were very good, but still a bit of vignetting. Second roll using 400 speed film was much better. Took it to an outdoor football game. Photos of my wife and parents in the stands came out colorful, contrasty and acceptably sharp. (You could read the scoreboard in background which was nearly 100 yards away. Funny thing was, NO TRIPOD!) Took shots of players at full zoom and they turned out remarkably well. Not as much vignetting. Overall, I am happy enough that I will keep this camera, but must say that the lens is not as "bitingly sharp" as some reviewers have attested to. I would recommend using 400 speed film and experimenting with different films. But, if you don't need a zoom, go with the Olympus Stylus Epic with the 2.8 and save yourself about $100! I will still be getting another one because I personally think it takes sharper photos. And, you can carry it in your front pocket!

Customer Service

Haven't used them.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus Stylus Epic 2.8 fixed focus. Canon Elan II Nikon FM

Fantastically sharp lens. High quality construction. Smooth and quiet operation. Reliable metering. Excellent flash exposures

No warning about flash in viewfinder.

This is the best point and shoot camera on the market under $300. The lens is stunningly sharp. The colour rendition and contrast are gorgeous. The images speak for themselves. Sample photos can be seen here: http://alkiratech.tripod.com/photogallery/id41.html http://alkiratech.tripod.com/photogallery/id45.html http://alkiratech.tripod.com/photogallery/id53.html

Customer Service

Not needed yet.

Similar Products Used:

Yashica T4 Super, Olympus MjuII, Rollei AFM35, Olympus XA, Konica Lexio 70

Reliable exposure results Sharp lens Light and compact - ideal for travel Great quality for the price

The shutter's not like a Hexar (but neither is the price) The viewfinder's small and the diopter adjustment wheel is too easily nudged from its setting

Bought this camera just ahead of a 3-week trip to France, where I shot 16 rolls of mainly Fuji Superia and Kodak Royal Gold, 400 asa. I followed the advice of Philip Greenspun (at http://www.photo.net/learn/point-and-shoot-tips), and turned off the flash for almost every shot, even indoors - churches, restaurants, shops - and got great exposures, mostly very sharp, and vivid colours even on dull days. Needless to say, I was very happy with the results, and would highly recommend this camera. I understand the earlier comments about shutter lag, but, really, you only have to learn how to "feel" it, and then it's easy to press partway down to set the exposure and focus (the green light comes on and stays on) and then - with a steady hand, mind you - press the shutter button the rest of the way to take the picture. In low light situations the camera slows the shutter speed to catch enough ambient light for a proper exposure, and that takes a very steady hand or, preferably, a tripod or bracing the camera against a wall, rail, whatever. The remote control is a great feature, which I used several times. Once, I put it down on its back on a rail in a church, stood back and fired it with the remote (again, no flash) and got a knife-sharp, perfectly exposed picture of the beautiful ceiling. On another occasion, I held the camera at arm's length to take a picture of me and my wife standing together, and used the remote control in my other hand; I pointed the camera at myself and pressed the remote control, and the 2-second delay allowed me to slightly reframe the shot so as to center it and capture the beautiful town across the valley directly behind us. It's a great travel camera. I only travel with carry-on luggage and can't be bothered bringing a full SLR kit anymore. This camera is compact, very light, fits in a jacket pocket or on a belt with its case. It's reasonably quick and easy to use, with just the right amount of zoom. If you must use flash a lot, then don't bother - these cameras just don't have the range or versatility. But, as I say, the T4 Zoom is quite capable of using the available light without a flash, and does a great job of it. Just remember to brace it somehow if you're in a situation where you'd normally need flash.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Konica Hexar, Canon Elph (original)

In lens only.

Very big shutter-lug. It is virtually impossible to take children shots, since they move faster than the camera responds.

I purchased this camera after my Nikon Light Touch 140 got stolen. Nikon was excellent, especially the exposures. Yashica has a very sharp lens. Also, I have Ricoh GR10 and the Yashica's sharpness is quite close to the pictures made with Ricoh. About the color cannot judge since I believe the photofinisher did something wrong.

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

Ricoh GR10, Samsung Vega 140S, Nikon Light Touch 140ED

bitingly sharp lens. Punchy contrast. The wide angle zoom is a very useful feature on a compact camera. The Tzoom also looks good and handles well.

slight vignetting at the wide angle end, but I have seen much worse. Irritating that there is no flash information in the viewfinder.

excellent little camera. Like the t4, it seems to produce better results with japanese film.

Customer Service

Good. My first Tzoom was faulty, and it was dealt with very quickly.

Similar Products Used:

Yashica T4, Yashica T3, and Minolta riva 105i.

Small And Easy To use Can Put In Your Pocket Easily

2or 3 Pictures overexposed by 1 Stop or more Per Roll

Camera takes good Pictures for P&S Camera Sharp Lens

Customer Service

Not Used

Similar Products Used:

Cannon Pentax Minox