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05-15-2022, 11:39 AM - 4 Likes   #1
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A Konica Appreciation Thread ... Revived

Just wanted to create a dedicated Konica camera thread here in the "Film SLR and Compact" subforum world. Would love to chat with others that have fallen for their cameras and glass to a greater or lesser extent over the years. Photos taken with or of Konica film cameras, stories of, opinions about, etc etc.

I nearly necroposted on Chris's thread here: Konica - PentaxForums.com
... but 13 years seemed a bit too far removed (plus it's in the digital section).

Chris, if you read this I'd be curious to know who it was that you mentioned did some repairs for your Konica Autoreflex T4 you picked up back in '09 (you mentioned getting quotes from the renowned Mr. Weber as well) and how those turned out. It seems I plunged down a similar Konica hole some 7 years after you did.

If I'm honest, my love of and infatuation for Konica has all but eclipsed Asahi Pentax for (sacrilege!) to some extent ... it's close at any rate. I'll post about my growing collection and photos etc here as time goes on, and hope to hear/read experiences of other others as well!

To start it off this was the shot that began everything for me, taken by my wife using a Konica C35 EF zone-focus camera that had been my grandmother's, and one that I'd ignored for its plasticy appearance for months after receiving. When I scanned this roll in however, everything changed!





The C35 EF that took the above at back left, and the next two additions from several years back, a C35 FD (bright-cap JDM version of the Auto S3) and an Auto S2.




Last edited by Eyewanders; 05-15-2022 at 12:14 PM.
05-15-2022, 12:49 PM - 3 Likes   #2
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The one that truly started my genuine affection for Konica, beyond the 35mm RF cameras I'd been using previous, the Autoreflex T4 I fell in love with.

Partially due to my slight mistrust of my LX (for good, unfortunate PCB related reason), and partially due to the MX's lack of an AE option, the T4 was in size and handling right between the two of my Pentax favorites. The viewfinder can in no way compete with the two Pentax, but the T4 does so much else so very right to me that I forgive that completely

I've since grown to actually prefer shutter-priority over Av when I'm not shooting manually, largely credited to the simple and rather ingenious trap-needle mechanical implementation that most Konica AE cameras use. It gives fantastic AE exposure and is yet fully operational without battery or meter. The same is true of all T series Autoreflexes.

Some "appreciation"...







05-15-2022, 04:11 PM - 1 Like   #3
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I once had a Konica C35 Automatic rangefinder that was a really good shooter.
This time around I will try the zone focus version, the C35v. Less to break!

Chris
05-15-2022, 05:38 PM - 4 Likes   #4
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Never really been a rangefinder person, but just picked this one up. I'll post the results here if they turn out.



05-15-2022, 06:38 PM - 3 Likes   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by g026r Quote
Never really been a rangefinder person, but just picked this one up. I'll post the results here if they turn out.

Ooooh. Have you shot that one. Some storied history in those. I've been tempted by those I, II, and III models.
I'm not so much an RF guy either really, but I do enjoy the various fixed-lens compacts for jogging around with.
That's a nice one!


QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisPlatt Quote
I once had a Konica C35 Automatic rangefinder that was a really good shooter.
This time around I will try the zone focus version, the C35v. Less to break!

Chris
I'm in the midst of restoring a cute original black C35 the past couple weeks, one that seemed like it was beyond hope. Still have to finish the electrical but finished phase 3 today cleaning out the viewfinder and RF and top portion. (Check out the thread I posted this morning to see the narsty before pics ).
She's lookin good this evening though and shooting great.

Also, you mentioned you had a T4 CLAd back some years ago. I was wondering who it was and it they did good work. Still have that one?



---------- Post added 05-15-22 at 06:42 PM ----------

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Last edited by Eyewanders; 05-15-2022 at 06:47 PM.
05-15-2022, 08:50 PM - 1 Like   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Eyewanders Quote
Ooooh. Have you shot that one. Some storied history in those. I've been tempted by those I, II, and III models.
I'm not so much an RF guy either really, but I do enjoy the various fixed-lens compacts for jogging around with.
That's a nice one!
Haven't shot one of these before. Only just picked this one up this morning, in fact.

It may be compact when all collapsed, but it's definitely a heavy piece of metal.
05-15-2022, 09:14 PM - 1 Like   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by g026r Quote
Haven't shot one of these before. Only just picked this one up this morning, in fact.

It may be compact when all collapsed, but it's definitely a heavy piece of metal.
Like a Rollei 35.... Drop it in a sock and you're suddenly dangerous.

05-16-2022, 06:05 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Eyewanders Quote
I'm in the midst of restoring a cute original black C35 the past couple weeks, one that seemed like it was beyond hope.
Still have to finish the electrical but finished phase 3 today cleaning out the viewfinder and RF and top portion.
(Check out the thread I posted this morning to see the narsty before pics ).
She's lookin good this evening though and shooting great.

Also, you mentioned you had a T4 CLAd back some years ago.
I was wondering who it was and it they did good work. Still have that one?

I am envious! My first C35 was a pretty black one.
It worked well and gave me nice sharp negs.
I sent it for CLA and never got it back!

IIRC I got cold feet on getting that Konica T4 serviced and gave it away or sold it, along with the 40/1.8 lens.
It might have been due to the reputation of later Konica SLRs as being not very reliable.

Chris
05-16-2022, 06:35 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisPlatt Quote
I am envious! My first C35 was a pretty black one.
It worked well and gave me nice sharp negs.
I sent it for CLA and never got it back!

IIRC I got cold feet on getting that Konica T4 serviced and gave it away or sold it, along with the 40/1.8 lens.
It might have been due to the reputation of later Konica SLRs as being not very reliable.

Chris
What??? Repairman cut n run with the merch?!

Ahhhh. That's interesting. I think a lot of that reputation was borne from the rampant FS-1 problems (the first SLR from any maker to have auto-advance) during its run. The FT-1 addressed all those issues but seems it was too late and Konica left the (heated) SLR game shortly after.
The T4 and TC both seem to be associated with those FS-1 issues by proximity (being plasticy and being the models immediately preceding - they're a departure from the tank-like build of the T3 and earlier models) even though their not remotely related. I've actually been amazed by the TCs and T4s ... I have had around a dozen of each come through my bench and none of them needed much of anything out of the ordinary but a little love. Even those with dead meters came back to life with the basic battery box inspection - I have one right now with deeper issues that I just haven't figured out. Even so, they've all shot fine otherwise - even the mystery T4. Reliability was one of the things that got me shooting my T4 more and more often.

---------- Post added 05-16-22 at 06:52 AM ----------

My FT-1 Motor. This is a fine handling machine. Like really great. They two common issues. One is the battery grip/holder - they're starting to show their age and the plastic can become weak in a few areas inside them where contacts reside making it so the latching system can get messed up or batteries not seating correctly. Both are fixable in most cases, but it's the weak spot. The other issue much more common now are two (sometimes three depending on how late in production run the camera is) areas beneath the top cap where ribbon cables meet the board... the insulation in those spots breaks down and can short the electronics in several spots resulting in all sorts of weird and varied symptoms depending. But all of which are cured 9 out of 10 times by just removing the broken down insulating material and replacing it with strategically cut/rolled portions of e-tape.

This has Konica's brightest viewfinder and the feel of the camera, for one the 80s ilk with auto-advance and styling, really is more luxurious than you'd expect from looking at it. The thing has much more heft than I was expecting. It's just a fantastic machine.






I have a black one as well which is DOA - I mostly bought it for "just-in-case" parts and 've not yet gotten around to opening it to see if can be revived, but I'd place a bet that it likely can.
05-16-2022, 07:26 AM - 5 Likes   #10
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This Pearl III is really the only Konica I have experience with but I love it. It's an amazing lens and the design is just really well thought out. It's very compact and durable, more so than a lot digital cameras. So it's incredibly convenient to carry around if you want some medium format film action in a small size. Mine came with a few pinhole leaks in the bellows, but I filled them in with liquid tape and it's worked perfectly ever since.







05-16-2022, 09:39 AM - 1 Like   #11
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I've got 2 Pearl 2's and 1 Pearl 3.... I feel like I'm knitting. I'd say the Pearl III is the best for the money. It has the f/3.5 lens, PC sync socket, and automatic film winding stop. The Pearl IV doesn't offer much more for 2-3 times the price.

05-16-2022, 01:03 PM - 1 Like   #12
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I've had a Pearl on my "want" list for a good long while now.
My old Franka folders are genuinely two of my favorite cameras to use when we're traveling and the Pearls fit that bill to a T.
05-16-2022, 03:54 PM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Eyewanders Quote
Just wanted to create a dedicated Konica camera thread here in the "Film SLR and Compact" subforum world. Would love to chat with others that have fallen for their cameras and glass to a greater or lesser extent over the years. Photos taken with or of Konica film cameras, stories of, opinions about, etc etc.
The first SLR that my first photography teacher lent me in 1972 was a Konica Autoreflex T2. Before then I was shooting a Yashica Mat TLR 120 film.

Most of my dealings with Konica were with Konishiroku, the parent company in Japan. In the early 80's our lab saw mostly Kodak and Fuji film, but we also saw our share of 3M, Agfa, Tudor, Sakura, and Konica film. One of the most unique films was the Konica "Baby" film that was color balanced to make new born infant skin color a lot less blue/purple in those early days and weeks after birth.
05-16-2022, 04:24 PM - 3 Likes   #14
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A few Konicas I've owned in the past... oddly I don't have a photo of the FS-1 which was the one I shot with the most.







All were purchased long after they had become "obsolete" which is to say very inexpensive.
05-16-2022, 07:55 PM - 4 Likes   #15
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My least appreciated brand as I only have two of these . . .



Sadly I don't even have a bellows for that mount. Obviously not a brand I saw a lot of.
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