Nikon F with Konica lens?

Paul Howell · Aug 23, 2016

I have seen a lot of modified Nikon Fs of the years, but this is first for me, Nikon F with Konica 50mm. I have owned both own Fs and Konica T and T3, I thought the lens to film plain with different. In the early 70's I ran across a PJ from Germany who had a T3 he had modified to work with a F motor drive.

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Fixcinater · Aug 23, 2016

I have had (and sold) an adapter to go the other way: Nikon lens on Konica body.

This likely required machine work to go Konica lens on Nikon body.

Paul Howell · Aug 23, 2016

I had not thought of an adaptor, but there is a few out there, use balance lens, seem this camera has one.

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macfred · Aug 23, 2016

Adapter Konica AR to F Mount https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/995096-REG/fotodiox_k_ar_nk_g_pro_nikon_f_mount_lens.html

Andreas Buhla from Bielefeld / GER has some very nice pages about the Konica SLR lenses systems : http://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eHexanonHaupt.html

mweintraub · Aug 23, 2016

I wonder if it was forced.

Paul Howell · Aug 23, 2016

Konica lens were some of the best, a number of sites say that the Konica 55 1.7 was used by the Japaneses Government as a bench mark for quality. I used Konica but traded in for Nikon F motor body. Best 50 I have ever used, other than the Kern Swiss 50 1.9 which was not mine, was the Konica 58 1.2. I don't think the lens was forced, just an adapter with a balance lens to correct for the film to lens distance. The Konica T3 is a fine camera, not as flexible as an F, well built and rugged.

Gazpashow · Aug 24, 2016

APUGuser19 said:
Why would you want to put a Konica lens on a Nikon body? Especially now when Nikkor lenses can be had for peanuts.

Usually a peanut is enough. However, some Nikkor require removal of your 2 peanuts . In conclusion , Nikkor for parents and grandparents and konica for those with pending fatherhood.

PS. What about women? Everyone knows than women use Canon.

Mackinaw · Aug 24, 2016

APUGuser19 said:
......NASA chose Nikkor.......

NASA chose Nikkor because they were low bid.

mweintraub · Aug 24, 2016

Paul Howell said:
Konica lens were some of the best, a number of sites say that the Konica 55 1.7 was used by the Japaneses Government as a bench mark for quality. I used Konica but traded in for Nikon F motor body. Best 50 I have ever used, other than the Kern Swiss 50 1.9 which was not mine, was the Konica 58 1.2. I don't think the lens was forced, just an adapter with a balance lens to correct for the film to lens distance. The Konica T3 is a fine camera, not as flexible as an F, well built and rugged.

In the 2nd picture posted, I don't see an adapter.

Paul Howell · Aug 24, 2016

One of the reasons NASA chose Nikon was that Canon high end fluoride element lens could not take the g's of take off without cracking. Minolta never recovered from losing a patient suite filed by Honeywell that cost it $100,000, even so Minolta continued as Sony.

Terry Breedlove · Aug 24, 2016

Mackinaw said:
NASA chose Nikkor because they were low bid.

I heard Nikon got in by donating to the Clinton foundation.

AgX · Aug 24, 2016

Paul Howell said:
One of the reasons NASA chose Nikon was that Canon high end fluoride element lens could not take the g's of take off without cracking.

A lens element cracking due G-force 3 ?

Paul Howell · Aug 24, 2016

The Fluoride lens elements used in Canon L glass lens.

Paul Howell · Aug 24, 2016

BTW the first cameras used by a NASA astronaut was a Minolta rebranded Ansco motorized camera used by John Glen and a Leica the Ansco was modified by NASA

Nearly 50 years ago, John Glenn purchased a camera at a drug store that served as the first astronomical experiment performed by a human in space. That three-orbit voyage for Glenn included two cameras, one the Ansco he purchased and the other a Leica supplied by NASA. The flight not only kicked off decades of orbital experiences for U.S. astronauts, but also science experiments, observations, and thousands of rolls of film and digital files created through hand-held photography. The results of those experiments and the photos taken are what people left on Earth use even today to understand human spaceflight. Recently, I had the opportunity to accompany the Secretary of the Smithsonian, Wayne Clough, to Congress for his testimony to the House Appropriations subcommittee on Interior and Environment, and Related Agencies. As part of the testimony, I presented John Glenn’s Ansco camera as one example of the artifacts we use at the National Air and Space Museum to talk about the 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight. I was even given time to relate the full story of this camera to the Subcommittee members, which was a real honor. For me, this is a key artifact in the story I am working on for my PhD dissertation at George Mason University, making the experience invaluable. For the camera, it was one perhaps final journey on top of those three historic orbits in Friendship 7.

<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://airandspace.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/body_large/public/images/WEB11897-2011h.jpg?itok=8CYNdVvh" width="910" height="1365" alt="John Glenn&amp;#039;s Ansco Camera" title="John Glenn's Ansco Camera&lt;br /&gt;&#10;" />

John Glenn's Ansco camera in front of "Friendship 7"

blockend · Aug 24, 2016

Great story Paul, I wonder what the total cost per ounce was to get that Ansco to its destination?

Paul Howell · Aug 24, 2016

Must have a been a lot, can you imagine an astronaut walking in NASA with a Canon Rebel and saying that he is taking it to the ISS can you please modify it?

Nikon F with Konica lens?

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