Konica Auto S3 Production Quantity

[teamsc10190]

I have more FLRF's than I'd like to acknowledge, but the one that I continue coming back to is my beloved Auto S3. Having owned my copy for some 37 years, I started looking for a back-up copy should mine finally give up the ghost. Observing how very few of these actually come up, I wondered how many Konica originally built when it occurred to me that the means to put a pretty good fix on production numbers probably resides within this forum.

If forum members would be so kind to respond to this thread with their Auto S3's serial number along with the number and alpha character stamped on the Sakura silver foil label in the film chamber, we could probably pin down the production quantity pretty closely by correlating serial numbers with production dates.

Between myself and a buddy who also owns an Auto S3, we were able to place the first year's production pretty closely. My camera was built in January of '73 that meant it was close to the beginning of production. Turns out that my buddy's camera was produced in February of '74, and the serial numbers are only 3,306 units apart!

I'd imagine that Konica ratcheted up production quantity over the years, but if we can get responses from forum members we could figure fairly closely how many were actually produced and when. The more data we can put together, the more accurately we can estimate the production quantity.

Lets hear those Auto S3 serial numbers and Sakura label markings!

 

[Brian Legge]

sn: 199513
stamped: 4?

I picked mine up locally. Great cosmetic condition but the electronics don't want to go, despite re-soldering the battery wire. I have yet to shoot it. 🙁

 

[teamsc10190]

Can you provide me with your serial number and the Sakura label markings from your camera please?

 

[Brian Legge]

It looks like a 4 stamped above Sakura and a C under it.

I'm not familiar with the serial number or markers - any idea how to interpret those?

 

[teamsc10190]

4C would indicate February 1974. How about the serial number engraved on the back face of the top cap?

 

[Brian Legge]

The only engraved one I am seeing - to the left of the eyepiece, on the back, below the shoe - is the one I gave above. 199513. Is there another sort of number I should be looking for?

 

[teamsc10190]

The only engraved one I am seeing - to the left of the eyepiece, on the back, below the shoe - is the one I gave above. 199513. Is there another sort of number I should be looking for?

No; those are the appropriate numbers. If your Sakura sticker indicates 4C, this means that your camera was produced in 1974 during the two week window of weeks 5 & 6, (January 28 - February 15). Thanks; hopefully some other folks will respond with later serial numbers to help fill out the picture.

 

[mfunnell]

Mine is 302179. A lovely little camera, BTW, with a frightenly good lens. I don't use mine enough, I guess. It's been my "keep in the drawer at work" camera but I think it performs better than that implies.

...Mike

 

[teamsc10190]

Mine is 302179. A lovely little camera, BTW, with a frightenly good lens. I don't use mine enough, I guess. It's been my "keep in the drawer at work" camera but I think it performs better than that implies.

...Mike

Mike, your camera is later production (probably mid-1977). Can you see the number and letter stamped on the Sakura silver foil label inside the film compartment on the rear door?

 

[alistair.o]

Mine is:

254023

5B

Al

 

[mfunnell]

Can you see the number and letter stamped on the Sakura silver foil label inside the film compartment on the rear door?

Perhaps I can, once the film is done. (Counter says 16 from a roll of - I'm guessing - 24.) I'll post again when I'm prepared to open it up 🙂 .

...Mike

P.S. I think this is my favourite shot taken with the Auto S3:

 

[teamsc10190]

Mine is:

254023

5B

Al

Thanks Alistair. Your S3 was produced Jan 13- Jan 24, 1975

 

[alistair.o]

Thanks Alistair. Your S3 was produced Jan 13- Jan 24, 1975

That's nice to know - thank you.

Al

 

[ZeissFan]

Was this camera made by Cosina? I thought that I had read that Cosina made this and the Konica C35.

There are companion Vivitar models for the cameras that are identical in dimensions, features and operation.

I have the Vivitar version of the Auto S3. Seems like a great little camera. It needs some work.

 

[teamsc10190]

Was this camera made by Cosina? I thought that I had read that Cosina made this and the Konica C35.

There are companion Vivitar models for the cameras that are identical in dimensions, features and operation.

I have the Vivitar version of the Auto S3. Seems like a great little camera. It needs some work.

The Cosina connection seems to have become a standard part of the street lore surrounding these cameras, but only Cosina would know for sure and original design manufacturers (ODM's) don't typically share their client list. It's conceivable in that Cosina made a name for itself in the '70's with a fixed-lens aluminum camera chassis using a simple shutter-priority AE system that could have been a common basis for the Vivitar and the Konica, but the Hexanon lens is pure Konica. It makes more sense that Konica might have purchased the basic chassis from Cosina and then finished the camera with addition of the 38mm Hexanon lens, the innovative automatic flash system and anodized aluminum caps that were all unique characteristics for the Auto S3.
The Vivitar had to be completely built by an ODM as Vivitar was a marketing company incapable to design their own cameras. Konica as the oldest camera manufacturer in Japan had every capability to have built the Auto S3 by themselves from the ground up, however the evidence from my seat points to a purchased chassis finished by Konica.

 

[f16sunshine]

The dog tag on mine reads:
190526 3A and it's hammered boy and still working

 

[teamsc10190]

The dog tag on mine reads:
190526 3A and it's hammered boy and still working

So far you have the oldest one! Produced Jan 1 - Jan 19 1973. Since production of this camera started in 1973, perhaps they started with serial number 190000? My S3 from the same production period is serial number 191015.

 

[raid]

The number is 304800 . The golden sticker states:
JC II 71
PASSED
JMDC

I have film in the camera, so I cannot check inside the film chamber.
My S3 loos like new. A gentleman sent it to me as a gift a few years ago. He may have been a member of PN. There isn't a single scratch on the body.

 

[teamsc10190]

The number is 304800 .

I have film in the camera, so I cannot check inside the film chamber.
My S3 loos like new. A gentleman sent it to me as a gift a few years ago. He may have been a member of PN.

Thanks for your reply. I'd appreciate getting your date code when you finish your roll because you have one of the later production cameras that are not represented in the data I have so far.

So far with a small sample (9 documented S/N's and date codes), if production trending was consistent from 1977 until end of production in 1980, Konica would have produced about 200,000 Auto S3's per my calculations. Helps explain why Auto S3's are difficult to come by.

By comparison; competitive compact FLRF's of the time tallied production numbering in the millions.

 

[raid]