As deliveries of the Kickstarter backed MF-1 finish, the new Yashica seem to confirms that they will be going to launch their next kickstarter {Novella]. This is the MF-2, a camera that is confusingly is not based on the original Yashica MF-2 but the later Kyocera era Yashica MF-2 Super.

It was trailed as coming soon in the latest update to the MF-1 backers. It’s unclear at this time if the camera will simply be the same as the original MF-2 Super or be tweaked. I’m hoping it’s the latter. The MF-2 super was a run of the mill fixed everything flash shooter. Not the worst camera in the class but certainly not top of my list, following my review of it.

Still the camera had some charm in styling and the lens was half decent. If the new Yashica can add some actual exposure control and focusing things could get interesting. But the launched MF-1 perhaps indicate we’re due a remake of the original. It also remains to be seen if the optics match the original.

A Kickstarter launch seems likely. Although the last project went over it’s goal of HK$100,000, that was only about $13,000USD and the project only exceeded target by a further ~$6000USD. Even if production costs were pretty low for the film and cameras, there isn’t going to be huge war chest. The use of square brackets and slightly weird project name, [Novella], point to this as well. Although what a rehash version is being called Novella for is beyond me.

The MF-1 got a bit of a hostile response initially. This was in part due to it being not much more than a disposable. Also the venom left over from the Y35 got in the way. There however hasn’t been much of a response when it arrived either negatively or positively. To be fair I’m pretty much the only actual hands on reviewer of it at the time of typing.

Can Yashica turn it round with something more decent ?