Is anyone here using old Konica glass?

Hexanon 50/1.7

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28/3.5

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I have some hobbyist experience fixing the Autoreflex T3, of which I have two bodies, one a black paint, the other in chrome. The lenses are stellar. When I got my 135/3.2 I thought that Konica should have been the company that Leica paired with instead of Minolta. Their lenses are definitely equal to Leica R glass. The "flimsy" body that most folks have experience with is the Autoreflex TC, which is not a bad camera, just a little lighter and with fewer options than something like the T4, which I also love using. That said, I have enough TC bodies that I could outfit a small classroom, and I actually lent them out last summer to a local community arts program.

Phil Forrest
 
Got some Konica as well. My favorite is the Autoreflex T4. Have two T3 with sluggish shutters and hazed viewfinders. T4 is quite light and nice to use.

My favorite lens are the 40mm and the 55mm. I use the 135 from time to time.

Quite fantastic lenses.

Marcelo
 
The Autoreflex T-3 is the opposite of flimsy. Excellent camera body -- just know that it takes 2x675 cells (1.3V mercury; 76 or 357 cells are a perfect fit but you need to compensate the film speed -- 200 instead of 400 speed for instance). And it's not quiet either -- the Copal Square shutter isn't stealthy. But it is extremely durable and accurate.

Thanks for this! I've looked at the T4 as well. The size and price are right that's for sure.
 
The T4 is similar in design to the TC (though with more features) -- can't say I ever warmed to these two smaller bodies. "Flimsy" is the impression, for sure. And the body covering is very prone to shrinkage -- conveys a shoddier impression of Konica than is warranted.
 
I inherited an Autoreflex TC with 40mm 2.8 from my father. Since then I have added the 135mm 3.2, the 28mm 3.5 and the 50mm 1.7 lenses. I have not used the equipment a lot, but I do remember shooting a roll of Kodachrome 64 with it and the slides had a lovely saturation and sharpness. I had Greg Weber convert the camera for use with modern batteries. It does make a very loud shutter noise for such a small camera!
 
Consistently impressed with Konica glass, but what bodies are folks shooting on?

The Konica cameras I've handled have felt pretty flimsy.


I am using an FT-1 that a seller said was dead and included free when I purchased a lens from him. Funny thing, when I put in batteries it started right up and has worked fine ever since.
 
Consistently impressed with Konica glass, but what bodies are folks shooting on?

The Konica cameras I've handled have felt pretty flimsy.


umm T4 'seems' flimsy :) but build quality is definitely there. I mean, it looked pretty toylike on internet but handling is pretty nice IMHO.

Marcelo
 
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