why no Konica?

[pdeeh]

I've got a TC in for a refurbish at Black On White in Bristol, so I'll report back in due course if you like.

The Konicas aren't overly sophisticated so most of the "usual suspects" like Newton Ellis etc. should be able to manage them

 

[craigclu]

I'm an old Konica user with an embarrassing amount of accumulations. I happened to be looking at some old shots the other night and was reminded of the crisp glass they made. This is with a 57mm ƒ1.2 and I don't Know how well this scan will downsize but here's one that showed every thread in his jeans on the 8X10 print.

 

[Trask]

Oooo --- a Guzzi. Nice bike, even if it is descended from a tractor! Nice photo of a nice bike!

 

[Lamar]

I have two AutoReflex T2's. One was my father's he bought new when the T2 first came out. It and his Argus C3 were what I took pictures with while growing up. Since they appear to be scarce now I purchased a second body from KEH to have as a backup along with several lenses in addition to the 52mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/3.2 my father had. These cameras were very advanced for their day having aperture priority AE and half-press exposure lock. I don't know why they are not more popular now, I love mine. One thing though, the negative contact at the bottom of the battery well is glued in place and on many of these the glue has failed making the meter appear inoperative. I re-glue the contact in place on both my T2's to get them work as new again. I use readily available zinc-air batteries which are 1.3v and work fine as an alternative to the no longer available Hg batteries. They are beautiful cameras too.....

 

[darinwc]

I'd like to ask: Why Konica?
1. Besides the basic 3, lenses are hard to find and when they do go on sale, they get snatched up by snipers.
2. Being first to implement a technology (TTL AE in this case) often means it is less refined.

-I am not trying to complain. I don't know much about the system.
I am just trying to understand the fascination.

 

[Jim Rice]

Because the Hexanons are really something special.

 

[Excalibur2]

Because the Hexanons are really something special.

If there are any complaints about Hexanon lenses, then it seems to me it's mostly from the guys using them on digital cameras or comparing with their latest expensive digital lens specifically made for their camera. One thing I like about Hexanons is there is less chance of getting a lemon due to inferior mass production quality control, and Konica must have made sure that Tokina who made many of their lenses kept the quality up as well.

 

[Paul Howell]

I'd like to ask: Why Konica?
1. Besides the basic 3, lenses are hard to find and when they do go on sale, they get snatched up by snipers.
2. Being first to implement a technology (TTL AE in this case) often means it is less refined.

-I am not trying to complain. I don't know much about the system.
I am just trying to understand the fascination.

I seem 85 and 200 often at Ok prices, other lens seem to be rare. The EE on the Konica T was good, shutter speed and apature in the viewfinder, flash at 125th. The only draw back was no spot meter as in the Miranda EE, and were late with winders and never really made a drive. Lens quaility was some of the best of the time and still holds up. Looking at all the folks who dropped out of the market, seems that for the most part they could not or did not want to invest in electronics such as Canon, Minolta, Pentax and Nikon. Although Konica dropped out of the SLR and MF remained in the market still with some very nice point and shoots and up scale 35mm auto focus and rangerfinders.

 

[cliveh]

AiBORG

Exactly. Any manufacturer who produces a camera like that has completly lost the plot. End of.

 

[ambaker]

Exactly. Any manufacturer who produces a camera like that has completly lost the plot. End of.

Canon seemed to survive the Photura. At least the AIBORG had a campy Darth Vader look.

OK, I confess, I own one... And a Photura as well... Seems I'll buy almost any film camera for $5.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[PaulMD]

Konica lenses are pretty great. They are every bit the equal of Canon or Nikon, just not as prolific. Their medium-format optics are much more well-known and liked (the Koni-Omega system).

I've got a stock of their Color Professional 160 film. It's not actively bad but is generally underwhelming compared to the latest film stocks.

Similarly, I'm a big big fan of Fuji lenses. Fuji did (does) a godawful job of marketing their wares in the Western markets, so they don't have the reputation of Schneider/Rodenstock, but the lenses themselves are great. Even today Fuji is really awful, half the time your first notice that they're discontinuing something is when everyone runs out and then two weeks later Fuji announces that there won't be any more.