Konica MG

[Greyscale]

It's very curious how some of the vintage AF P&S cameras achieve cult status as "street shooters", and other excellent cameras get completely overlooked, and not even mentioned in the discussion.

Case in point, the Konica MG. I won one of these for $3 last week, and just got around to loading a roll of film in it this afternoon. So far, I am impressed by what I see. Or rather, what I hear. No, in fact it is what I don't hear that is impressive. No annoying low-light "beeps" like some of the other early cameras of its vintage. But the thing that I don't hear the most is the auto-wind. It whispers rather than shouts. No "click, clattter, whir". Just a gentle "purrrr", and on to the next frame.

With its nice Hexanon 35mm/3.5 lens, nice size (midway between an Olympus Stylus and a Canon AF35M), and solid construction, you would this camera would have garnered some reputation, at least.

Who knows. Maybe it's a lousy picture taker. I guess that I'll find out when I get this first roll processed.

 

[btgc]

It's very decent camera, Greyscale. It were one of first P&S I've got, though mine has a worm - sometimes it doesn't release shutter. Because of unreliability I have given up and don't even load it anymore. Should dig it out and check current success/failure ratio.

 

[Greyscale]

I knew you had one, btgc, your Flickr was one of the few places that I found example photos from this camera.

It may be the faulty shutter button was common, my example has been somewhat modified in this area, the original plastic shutter button has been rather cleverly replaced with a small piece of metal rod. I will post a digisnap later so you can see how this modification was made, perhaps you can "fix" yours in the same manner.

 

[btgc]

Thank for advice, will be interesting to see modified MG.

Yesterday tried mine - if I work release button before (with closed shell) then afterwards it releases surprisingly consistently. Looks like something is sticking under hood.

P.S. Note - MG has additional roller on film door like "good" compacts of era, like Ricoh FF-70 (90) and such.

 

[btgc]

Digging up old threads is my favourite sin 🙂

Moving my suspect MG from place to place, I suddenly heard rattling noise. Opening battery compartment I discovered one of little screws securing far ends of battery spring contacts, has fallen out of place. I screwed it back and now MG releases properly 99.9% of all tries. Interesting that I didn't see loose screw before it fell out completely.

P&S cameras taking AA or AAA batteries and having flimsy plastic battery door all are suspect but screw at remote contacts is good idea to check.