Konica Pearl IV or Fujica super six?

[Melvin J Bramley]

Looking to upgrade my 6x6 folder.
I have folder fever .
Any opinions of the ,expensive, Konica pearl IV vs the Fuji Super Six would be appreciated.

TB

 

[abruzzi]

well, the Pearl isn't 6x6, its a 6x4.5. I have the Pearl III and quite like it quite a bit. The IV is more desirable and therefore more expensive. I think mostly becuase the film advance mechanism isn't a growth on the bottom, maybe it works easier as well.

 

[Randy Stewart]

I've owned a Pearl IV for about a decade. It is a 645, but my experience is that images shot on 6x6 are commonly cropped down to something approaching 645 anyway. I can confirm that the Pearl IV is about as perfect ergonomically as you might conceive. It's only concession to "old style" is the requirement that you manually cock the shutter. The lens is a 4-element Tessar style design, which is fully adequate for the 645 format. I think the Fuji has a similar lens, and if it is like my other Fuji cameras, it is also excellent. The Pearl is as compact as you can make a 645 camera, so it is somewhat smaller than the Fuji. Both have relatively modern viewfinders. Neither camera is easy to find, and the Fuji may actually be more difficult to locate in the US. or Canada. I suspect that the Pearl is more costly, but not by all that much. I'd hold out for a camera in excellent condition, and buy the first great condition model I found at a favorable price. To add to your options, you might consider an Agfa Super Isolette or its Ansco branded equivalent. It is very much like the Fuji and runs in the same price range.

 

[xya]

I had both. As already stated, the Pearl is 4.5x6. I had the Pearl III and the IV, I prefer the III, so I sold the IV and got myself another back-up III. It's my prefered manual 120 film camera, so tiny and light that you don't mind to carry it around. With a super tiny modern light meter you are ready in all cases.

The IV is bigger and heavier. It would be an avantage if you wear glasses.

If you really want 4.5x6, consider a Fuji GA, genuine point and shoot, fast and nearly every photo will be well exposed and sharp. A marvel

I had no luck with my Super Fujica 6 from Japan, It was so much worse than it was rated by the seller that I stopped buying from Japan. I got the camera serviced, it takes nice photos now. But it will not be my favorite.

For 6x6 my favorite is still a Certo Super Sport Dolly with rangefindr and extinction meter. Or my Iskra-2. But that's heavy and difficult to find with a working meter.

For more information have a look at this https://www.120folder.com/compa.htm