Koni-Omega M (actually Omegaflex) camera

Dan Fromm

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campy51 said:
The one I was looking at online said that there was a delay after the shutter was pressed. I wonder if that's the problem of being the weak spot of the camera.
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Hmm. Some years ago I bought an Omegaflex lens panel with a pair of 58mm lenses. I just checked, with the flash sync set to X the shutter fires as it should. At M, the shutter hangs for quite a while before firing. If I had an Omegaflex, this would be a good reason to have the shutter overhauled.

But I don't have an Omegaflex. I bought the pair to pull one of the lenses, put it in a Copal #0 and use it on a 2x3 Graphic. Great lens, covers at least 2x3. Great price, too. I bid low, am surprised that I wasn't outbid.

The shutter and viewing lens are each held to the panel by four small screws. Given that the shutter has no cable release and is released from the rear, no point trying to repurpose it. The lenses' cells screw out easily.
 

Chuck1

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I had always wondered about the omegaflex lenses, only the taking lens is capable of being reshuttered?
 

Dan Fromm

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Chuck1 said:
I had always wondered about the omegaflex lenses, only the taking lens is capable of being reshuttered?
Click to expand...

The only difference between the 58/5.6 taking and viewing lenses is that the viewing lens has a shorter hood. The cells are identical and both sets are direct fits in a Copal #0. Interestingly, they don't interfere with a #0 Press shutter's diaphragm but the cells from the 60/5.6 for Koni Omega do. Different designs, the 58s are, from memory, 8/4 and the 60s are 6/4.
 

Dan Fromm

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Kodachromeguy said:
What a fascinating camera. What shop or repair service in USA would overhaul the shutters?
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Mounting, position of release lever and shape of the cocking lever aside, they seem to be pretty normal #0 shutters. Not clear whether Seiko/Seikosha or Copal. Any competent repairman should be able to work on them.
 

Paul Howell

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As I posted above I had a Omegaflex for a couple of years, I also used the Konica Omega Rapid when in the Air Force. I currently have a Mamiya Press and Universal. I had 2 lens for the Omegaflex, the 90mm and the short tele, I think it was a 135, would need to double check the length. All of the Konica MF lens I have used are very good lens, as good as any I have used including Horseman. I had only one 120 back, having a dark slide and the ability to change backs in a shoot is a plus. I did not have the 45 degree viewing attachment, had use the direct view, upside down and backwards. As I recall no pop up magnifying lens as on my Yashica 124 or D. I never figured out a way to shoot a landscape using a tripod. When at a 180 degrees for a horizontal shot, really heavy, I could have found to support the weight of the camera with a second tripod. I don't recall ever shooting the Rapid on a tripod, I assume that we had an adaptor as part of the kit we got from supply, the body, 3 lens, 3 backs, and likely the adaptor. I traded the Omegaflex in for a C33 which I did like, just so much simpler to use then the Konica. Later I traded in the C33 for a Kowa SL66 which I still have, again simplicity of use, more compact, no issue with parallax compensation. 6X6 no need to worry about vertical or horizontal orientation, just crop as needed. As I shoot landscapes with my MF gear I use my Mamiya Universal with 6X9 back. The one advantage of the Konica Rapid was not having to cock the shutter, the push pull or it pull push plunger advance cocks the the shutter.
 
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campy51

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The camera came today and everything looks good except no dark slide. Just as I suspected the shutter problem was just the blades stuck. I removed the lens cells and used my electronic spray on the blades and now everything is fine. There was no dark slide so if anyone has an extra or could post a picture of one with it's dimensions I will try to make one from a 4x5 dark slide.
 

Paul Howell

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What you need the dark slide for is when changing lens. With a Mamiya C330 or 220 unless you have a changing bag you lose a frame when changing lens.
 

Randy Stewart

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You can reliably buy one of these dark slides, usually new in the box, on ebay for $15-25. The fit of the slide in the film magazine is a tight tolerance. Cutting down one from larger material would be a fool's errand. Note that unless you want to exchange a film magazine or lens set in mid-roll, you do not need one.
 
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campy51

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Here are a couple from a test roll after light leak was repaired.
 

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