kiev4a
Well-known
Recently, I picked up a Koni Omega Model 100 on Ebay. The bad news was there was a little misrepresentation concerning what came with the camera. The good news was that it arrived equipped with the 58mm WA lens and finder. The bad news was the lens (which allegedly was perfect when shipped) had a big ding in the lenshood and a shutter that only works right with the aperture set on f8! Also, it only had a 220 back.
After some negotiation with the seller, a couple of 120 backs are on their way and there was a reduction in price on the camera.
Meanwhile, I sent off the 58mm lens to Mark Hansen (mentioned on the forum) in the hopes he can fix it Then I mentioned on the forum I was looking for a 90mm Koni lens (in case the 58mm is unrepairable) and Karl, also in Portland, contacted me and put one in the mail) Turns out Karl is also a good friend of Mark. Small world
With the 90mm lens in hand but the 120 backs still enroute, I figured it would be a good time to get some haze out of the koni viewfinder, which I did following directions from someone on another forum.
So, next week when I get the 120 backs, hopefully they won't have any light leaks and the camera will finction perfectly and I'll be able to produce some really sharp images. And if luck stays with me, Mark will say the 58mm lens problem is an easy fix. Oh yeah, I also have a dark slide on the way although I won't have much use for it unless I have two lenses.
The Koni adventure has been more complicated than expected, but after collecting old Soviet cameras "MINT W@W CONDITION" for several years this isn't anything that unusual. One learns to have patience.
I hadn't been around a Koni for close to 30 years. My initial reaction is that yes, it is very heavy. But it also is very compact for a 6x7 camera and I like the feel. Or, as they said on American Bandstand, "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it."
So that's how I have spent the past two weeks. Ain't the Internet a kick?
After some negotiation with the seller, a couple of 120 backs are on their way and there was a reduction in price on the camera.
Meanwhile, I sent off the 58mm lens to Mark Hansen (mentioned on the forum) in the hopes he can fix it Then I mentioned on the forum I was looking for a 90mm Koni lens (in case the 58mm is unrepairable) and Karl, also in Portland, contacted me and put one in the mail) Turns out Karl is also a good friend of Mark. Small world
With the 90mm lens in hand but the 120 backs still enroute, I figured it would be a good time to get some haze out of the koni viewfinder, which I did following directions from someone on another forum.
So, next week when I get the 120 backs, hopefully they won't have any light leaks and the camera will finction perfectly and I'll be able to produce some really sharp images. And if luck stays with me, Mark will say the 58mm lens problem is an easy fix. Oh yeah, I also have a dark slide on the way although I won't have much use for it unless I have two lenses.
The Koni adventure has been more complicated than expected, but after collecting old Soviet cameras "MINT W@W CONDITION" for several years this isn't anything that unusual. One learns to have patience.
I hadn't been around a Koni for close to 30 years. My initial reaction is that yes, it is very heavy. But it also is very compact for a 6x7 camera and I like the feel. Or, as they said on American Bandstand, "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it."
So that's how I have spent the past two weeks. Ain't the Internet a kick?
