Koni-Omega M (actually Omegaflex) camera

OrientPoint said:

I do have the 20mm spacer. I don't believe they made a specific "close-up kit" for this camera, although there are ones for the Koni Omega Rapid with googles, if memory serves.

With the 135mm, minimum focusing distance on the OmegaFlex is somewhat less than 1m. With the 20mm spacer it's more like 30cm. Not insanely close. With the 58mm lens and spacer minimum focus is maybe 10cm.

I'm not looking to sell my spacer, sorry. I supposed you can 3d print anything, but it looks to me like it might a bit challenging to get it to clip on reliably. The real thing does show up now and then, usually inexpensively. There are no Omegaflex fan clubs out there.

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Thanks.

I thought the spacer was the close-up kit, but I was mistaken.

According to Peter Lanczak, they have different part numbers, and the spacer is included twice in the kit.

Spacer 20 mm
(706-089)
Close-Up Kit
(2 Spacers, Groundglass attachment, eye level finder)
(706-071)

Oh I'm wrong. Sorry!

I've seen the groundglass - no idea why one would want to bother with it though. The eye level finders show up often. And two spacers would be nicer than one, so that close-up kit would be a nice find.

Bronson Dugnutt said:

I've got the M rangefinder and can say that the 90mm Hexanon lens is superb; I assume the TLR version is as well. The rangefinder lens is commonly available but not highly sought after due to the awkward-to-adapt mount.

Assuming the deal isn't a bust I'd be interested to hear your (or anyone else's) impressions of using this camera system. I've been using my Speed Graphic press-style as well as shooting with a waist level TLR as of late and this camera seems to provide an interesting hybrid of both.

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Back in the early to mid-1980s, I dumped a Speed Graphic medium format camera for a Koni-Omega Rapid M. Over a few years, eBay sourced me all the lenses and most of the accessories, all of which I still have. At you accept its relatively heavy weight and rangefinder (v, SLR) mode, it is probably the most perfect system of its type ever produced, including the later Mamiya 7 versions. Used prices have soared over the last few years. The major problem in shopping one today is that most were used to death by pros and are nearly impossible to repair today for lack of parts.

The Air Force used Koni Rapid, 100 and 200 with 3 lens, normal, wide and the 180. I only shot with it a few times, found it be easy to use, lens are of course excellent. The weak point will be the rachet film advance that cocks the shutter. There were guys who held on to the handle and advanced the shutter by plunging the body up and down with one hand and arm. I bought a Mamiya Universal as I thought the film advance would not have taken the same abuse as a working pro's Konica. The Air Force replaced the Graflex XL with the Konica Rapid as the Graflex XL did not hold up to daily use. The Graflex XL had the best range of lens, from a very wide to a 250 maybe 280 tele.