Konica Auto S3 or Canonet QL17

[re_visible]

Hope you can help me, because i can't decide my self:

I need to get rid of some part of my RF collection, actually selling of everything i do not use, as i do not like gear just lying around collecting dust.

So now there is this nice, black Canont QL17 Glll, close to perfect cosmetically and technically. I just don't use it much, i shot like one roll in last 18 months....

And on the other side, there is a close to mint, recently serviced Konica Auto S3, perfect lens, small and light. Actually i have 3 in total, but only one is so close to perfect.

Both deliver results which i can't really distinguish from each other, the Glll has some more technical advantage, but the S3 is smaller and lighter, and almost silent. For street shooting, it is not much difference to me.


I can keep only one.


What would you sell, what would reach a better price?

 

[amateriat]

Hmm...why not sell off the two "lesser" S3s and keep the good 'un and the GIII?

Both are damned good, and I'd have a hell of a time choosing. I suppose I'd keep the S3, but that's largely because that's the one of the two I currently own. You'll hear a lot in favor of both, probably in more-or-less equal measure.

Price? A clean, black GIII will likely fetch a good deal more than an equivalent S3; the S3 came only in black (except the Japan-market-only variation), while the GIII in black is quite rare, especially in clean condition.


- Barrett

 

[f16sunshine]

It sounds like you are just clearing space.
If you need the dough. Do as Barret says and sell the lesser S3 and keep one of each.
If you don't need the dough. Keep them all.
Those little cameras will not last forever on there own.
If you have 3 in rotation, the trio will last you a lifetime.

 

[daniel~]

Can keep only one? Then I would sell the black Canonet, the camera model that's consistently sold at amazingly high price.

I have both, and I haven't used the G-III for ages, and yes it's also "close to perfect" as a result... Such slight technical advantage over Konica S3 doesn't amount to anything eventually, in my experience. At the end of the day, it's the camera that you shoot with that matters.

BTW, what the other two Auto S3 are there for? Maybe they should go first.

 

[elwrongo]

I'd be happy to take a "lesser" S3 off your hands....I'd keep the good S3 qnd the Black Canonet - you'll never get another. I got mine for $10 and can't bear to part with it even though they go for silly money

 

[re_visible]

You are probably right, i should probably keep both and get rid of all other less "shiny" ones...

But then...
I played with both the S3 and the Canonet, and even with the Canonets extra weight, the shooting experience was better as with the smaller S3.

The S3 feels much less solid and precise, and focussing on the Canonet was easier for me. For using, the QL17Glll wins.



So it might happen that a total of 3 Auto S3 appear in the classifieds here in the next few days...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Nokica S3 feels like a "lightweight" compared to the Canonet. I kept the Canonet, sold the Konica S3 and Minolta 7s-II. Neither is constructed as well as the Canonet.

 

[re_visible]

Yep, 2 of 3 S3 are in the Classifieds now, i will take some to time to finish a roll or two with the third, and decide later... Hope my pricing is not too off.

The Canonet is built like a tank, but still, in the past i had some bad examples that just stopped working on me.
If i take reliability in count, the S3 beats the QL17Glll in my experience, maybe because of the lighter, less complicated construction?
I don't know, just guessing, as I have never opened one.


Hell, i have so much gear around i don't use, it just makes me feel bad.
So many good cameras, and the life is so short... 🙂