Konica IIIM journal

[Koni Kowa]

Hello from France,

Inspired by the very addictive Hexar AF journal on another thread and just because I love my Konica IIIM each day more, I had the idea of posting some pics here, taken with this Hexar AF ancestor and mostly BW classic films.

I hope I can post some pics and make this thread a journal, saying a few words to introduce or explain some of the images, and how I took them.

First thing to say is : no matter the camera, I could have taken all these images with a Leica M2, an Olympus Mju: II (Stylus Epic) or a Minolta CLE. But I really like this Konica IIIM and perhaps I'll find an occasion to let you know why.

Last word before posting image : I appreciate your feedback but don't expect too much. I'm only a poor amateur and I don't pretend to have any artistic talent.

Thanks and I hope some of you will appreciate the thread.
😉

 

[Koni Kowa]

I think the first image to show is what the camera looks like, because some of you may don't know it. Here is mine :

It's from the 50's, it has a real life 1:1 viewfinder and a sharp lens, named Konishiroku Hexanon 50/1.8.

Some literature online :
http://www.dantestella.com/technical/koni3.html and
http://silverbased.org/konica-iiia/

Shall we go ?
😀

OK, this would be Day One : probably the first image I took when I received the camera from Japan, a year ago.

#1 - Tri-X and LC29

 

[Lauffray]

salut Koni Kowa, j'ai reconnu ton pseudo depuis flickr 🙂

Nice images, I didn't know about the Hexar journal !

 

[Koni Kowa]

Salut Lauffray... ben moi je ne reconnais pas ton pseudo. Who are you, exactly ?

Update : Aaaaah, salut Jérôme ! 😀

 

[Koni Kowa]

I like to use an all manual system. I had a Hexar AF, sold it. Took another one, kept it a year, sold it. I think I don't want batteries anymore. So I've got an old light meter without battery in my pocket, and I don't look at the Konica IIIM light meter, even if it works.

#2 - Tri-X and LC29

 

[dreilly]

We want to see more! I've occasionally considered getting a IIIM or IIIA...they look like such funky cool cameras and the reputation of the lens is great. I like the "journal" thread idea.

 

[Koni Kowa]

The Konica IIIA exist in two versions : one has the Hexanon 48mm f/2 already seen on Konica II and III. But the rarest IIIA has the same lens than the IIIM : this Hexanon 50mm f/1.8.
I had a IIIA just before I found my IIIM, with the same lens it produces the same results. The camera itself is even nicer - to me - but mine had a dent and when the IIIM arrived, it looked like coming out from the box. So I sold the IIIA after two or three rolls, but I could recommend it over the IIIM.

*
#3 - Konica IIIA, same lens. Tri-X and LC29

Note that the IIIA has a weird aperture/speed selection system, though. It's perfectly explained in the "SilverBased" link given upon.
For that reason, the IIIM may be an easier camera in everyday use. Here is a shot from the IIIA again :

*
#4 - Konica IIIA, same lens. Tri-X and LC29

 

[dreilly]

Ah, the EV interlock. I've used cameras with these before. It's a great system IF you have a light meter that reads out in EV. Many of the old ones do, and I think even the newer digital ones do as well, or can be set to. Once you know the EV number and set it on the lens, the shutter speeds/apertures are locked together so you can do the archaic equivalent of the "program shift"--change the f-stop/shutter speeds while maintaining the same exposure. 1/60 at f8, 1/30 at f/11, etc.

Oh, I like both of those shots above. Great textures on the bottom ones!

 

[Koni Kowa]

Thank you dreilly : you describe the EV thing way better than I could.
I'm not a big fan of this system, and I think they can miss some snapshots because it's too slow.
Selecting the 1/500 second speed for example was a real pain.

Back to the IIIM, now : it has the same great standard lens, but it is not aspherical for sure...

*
#5 - APX 100 and LC29


I had the aperture/speed settings pre-selected and they were a bit too slow (too long exposure on the shoulder).
I focused, composed and the guy looked at me. Click !
😉

 

[pinkarmy]

lovely thread that i will follow.

 

[Mablo]

Really nice thread and inspiring images. Konica III is a remarkable camera.

 

[Koni Kowa]

Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate. 😉

This guy has repaired several leather things for me : my twenty five years old school bag, for example.
And a Canon camera bag from the 1950's. And the original black case of my Minolta Autocord CDS-III.
He's interested in all those things because... he's responsible of a photo club here and he loves shooting BW film and making his own prints.
When I entered his little shop "Cordonnerie des Halles" that day with the IIIM, he asked me to see the camera, then we talked together as he was working on several pairs of shoes.

#6 - Tri-X and LC29, 1/30 of a second wide open

 

[Koni Kowa]

The Konica IIIM can do colors too.
It was one of those first sunny days last spring, I was curious about what a probably-single-coated lens can do and I loaded an expired Kodak Ektachrome EPP. I went 50 meters from my home, where they're building a new Theater. When I got the film back from the lab several weeks after (I always wait to have many rolls done before sending color films to the lab), results were better than what I expected.


*
#7 - Kodak Ektachrome EPP 100
They can trust in the 50mm frame, it is accurate. And for closer focusing, the viewfinder has a parallax correction.


**
#8 & 9 - same roll
The Konica's touch : in french we call them encoche, is notch the correct word in english ?
Each shot is rectangular with four "ears". Later, Konica will put a specific notch in Hexar and Hexar RF cameras.
Hasselblad and Fuji Xpan have their notch too. Konica IIIA does not have any.

 

[Koni Kowa]

There are other threads talking about Konica III cameras here and there on RFF.com :
- Konica III by Jack Conrad
- Konica III by lxmike
- Konica III CLA service ? by Jay Decker
- Konica III help needed by Fawley
- Newly acquired Konica III by mrgooch
- Konica IIIA user manual by Kathmandu
- etc.

 

[Lauffray]

Je vais suivre ce fil, ca promet, pas d'autres contributions ?

 

[raid]

I had a write-up on my Konica RF cameras at RFF. I have the Konica I, II, III, and IIIM, plus the Auto S2, and S3. The lenses are first quality.

Link to the Konica write-up:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46638

 

[raid]

My Konica IIIM has the 50mm/1.8 while the III has the 48mm/2. Both are superb lenses.

 

[caila77]

I have one of the konica IIIa.....I love the lens and the camera... solid , easy to use and great quality lens...

 

[Koni Kowa]

It's been quite a nice november here, and the Hexanon is prone to flare. I don't really care, do you ?

- .
#10 & 11 Come shine - Tri-X and LC29

 

[Koni Kowa]

I like the viewfinder so much that I often use it for vertical composition.
But you may prefer horizontal landscape, and I have some too. 😉

#12 - same roll