Please tell me I don't want a Koni-Omega and 58 mm!

[retinax]

Hi all,
Can you confirm that it's too heavy, too large, the wind/shutter cocking action is extremely uncool, that the 58 is a bad lens and that these cameras are far from the best price/handling/image quality for something hand-holdable with a 28-ish (in 135 terms) angle of view? Please?
How big and how heavy exactly are they? Haven't found any numbers on the internet. 😎
Thanks!
J.

 

[farlymac]

Well, the 58mm is preferable over the 60mm. 😀

Yeah, the rig is big, loud, and heavy. But it will put muscles in your arms!

PF

 

[mpaniagua]

Yeah, heavy and ugly as well 😛

 

[someonenameddavid]

But in a fair fight it is the only camera that is a better weapon than the Nikon F or the Speed Graphic (see Weegee's comments on why you should use a Speed Graphic)

Hope this helps, David.
( I always wanted to try a 58mm on 4x5 and see what coverage it had)

 

[raid]

I once owned a 58mm lens and finder. I sold them. My wrist hurts when I haul the camera. I may still have it with a 90mm lens. It may be useful against burglars.

 

[sevo]

The lens is good. But the cameras (and even more so the film backs) often are heavily worn. And as they only saw very limited distribution in Europe, chances to find a working one for a reasonable price are small unless you want to import from the US, where you are pretty much SOL if you receive a dud (shipping there and back exceeding the value of the camera).

 

[Merlijn53]

I had a complete set a few years ago, 3 lenses, including the 58 and some backs.
Everything you hear about it is true. Heavy, indestructable. It's great if you like fully manual, lenses are sharp.
But imo it is not better than any other mf system. Maybe cheaper, but not better. Different though 🙂
Sold it, so can't help you any further.
Regards,
Frank

 

[agfa100]

Yes, they are heavy the 90mm and 58/60mm lenses are good. The film backs will have issues if worn, they will overlap. I would recommend that you get in touch with http://www.webercamera.com/
You will need to call or send a e-mail and see what he may have in stock to sell it will be repaired/overhauled and ready to go. I have bought a body and lens from him, I don't know what the tax would be for used camera gear but at least get in touch with him.
wbill

 

[agfa100]

One other web site to ck out
http://randamteagarden.tripod.com/id31.htm

This is how to overhaul the film back with overlap problems. I did it on one of my backs and it worked fine afterwards BUT your are working with small springs and they tend to go where you don't want them too. It took me a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon when it was raining outside. Enjoy

 

[sleepyhead]

You may want to consider a Horseman VH-R with either 75mm or 65mm Lens. That is quite close to 28mm in 35mm terms.

The Horseman is a 6x9 cm Rangefinder camera or a View camera (with some movements), so it is quite versatile and I suspect it's lighter than the Koni-Omega. It is a simple and reliable camera with lots of reliable film backs available.

 

[retinax]

thanks for the comments so far! I especially appreciate the links. Seems like nobody here currently uses one? Could someone measure and weight their Koni please? I'd like to have a better idea of the actual dimensions.
sleepyhead, the Horseman doesn't have a coupled rf and coupled film a advance/shutter cocking, does it?

 

[shawn]

I picked up a Rapid M a couple of weeks ago with the 60mm. I haven't put film through it yet. I need to make new light seals for the film back and maybe the carrier insert. It is an odd camera but once you figure it out it makes sense.

My plan is actually to convert it to a 35mm panoramic camera. The feed should be OK and the pressure plate is awesome in that it moves back to advance the film and then presses forward to take the shot. I need to trim to pressure plate slightly (maybe a mm or two on each side) so that 35mm cartridges will fit and hopefully feed properly. I am going to feed from one into another to avoid having to worry about rewinding.

On the Rapid M and 200 models the film carrier also comes out (not just the film back). That should make it easier to add a 35mm mask into the camera as you can get at that easily with the carrier out. It would also allow one to switch between panoramic 35mm and 120 easily.

My bathroom scale said 4.6 pounds for the Rapid M with the 60mm, a back in it but not having the 60mm finder on it. The finder is pretty close to the actual viewfinder size so it may not really be needed.

Shawn

 

[BillBingham2]

About the same value in a fight as a Leica SL-MOT.......

I have nothing but good things to say about them when they work. Only issue I ever had was the bar on the light slide not being properly positioned when I swap backs.

While not the same size negative, it's close. A bit lighter but still MF fun might be the Fuji GS645W. If I go back to do film it will between one of them and a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Crown, Century, or Speed Graphic.

Look a the M as an alternative way to get pumped-up.......

B2 (;->