Old Konicas are my favorite SLR cameras by far. I just love them. I own a 1965 Konica FM boasting the legendary copal square shutter, and also a 1966 Konica Auto-Reflex P in black color of which only a very few were ever made. I am now looking for a 1964 Konica FP in good working condition. In my opinion the FP is the most beautiful camera in the whole universe.

Criminally underrated is about right. I way more pleased with my T3 50mm 1.7 photos than with just about all my other 35mm cameras, even a M2 35mm 1.2 voightlander

Thank you for this excellent video. I have been a big Konica fan for many years. And yes, they are incredibly underrated. My main cameras (two of my biggest go-to's) are the FC-1 and the T4. I have collected every camera from the Auto Reflex line. It does kind of annoy me that people can be dismissive and even snobby about Konica, but like you said, I don't think many younger people who are just getting into film photography realize how popular and respected they were in the 60s and 70s. In a way I actually kind of like that people overlook Konica, because it means that I can get the camera bodies and lenses for dirt cheap. :) Keep up the great work.

@orestes1984

6 ай бұрын

I have a full assortment of Konica and Minolta cameras and lenses, Konica and Minolta are criminally underrated camera brands. I don't think anyone born after 1990 know that Konica was so big it was literally the third wheel between Nikon and Canon up until 1982 when Canon finally released the AE-1 program that did what Konica cameras did. Like most old companies though they are slow to adapt to market standards, and if you stand still for long enough someone will copy what you do and finally do it better which is what the Canon AE-1 Program did unfortunately. The shift was problematic the Konica and Sakura logos were synonymous to Konica, when they merged with Minolta Konica lost its markket traction. Although, almost all Konica mechanical cameras except the TC-X (manufactured by Cosina) are bulletproof cameras.... And if you are looking for a true mechanical camera then Konica provide some of the best mechanical cameras in terms of reliability for SLRs, the only rival to it that are mechanical and SLRs of the same quality from Japan of that era are the Olympus OM series cameras. None of them do half frame like the original Autoeflex (Autorex in Japan). An Autorex is the best unicorn mechanical camera you can get your hands on though really. Although original full/half frame Autorex cameras are going up in price due to their scarcity value and reverance in Japan now for what they represented so I would not expect to pay less than $500 for one in good working condition. Good condition Autorex cameras are rare, and hold novel value for the eccentricity, and ability to shoot half frame with electronic exposure control and metering. Regarding their film and printing company components it was sold to what is now known and still producing printers under another Japanese company known as Noritsu who bought the rights to their film emulsions, scanners and printers. Many of which are still used as the primary wet/dry film labs in walk in processing labs to this date.

This video really deserves a lot more views, thank you

I own a few Konica AR lenses and I adapt them mostly to my Canon R7. But I did buy a Konica FC-1 that I have recently loaded with new batteries and some Ilford HP5+ and I'm exploring shooting and developing B&W film again. The FC-1, while now super exciting to use like say a Canon F-1, is a very nice camera that does the basics very well. And with the grip of AR lenses that I own (28/3.5, 40/1.8, 50/1.7, 50/18, 57/1.4, 135/2.5 and 135/3.2 + a full set of AR extension tubes and a 1.4X extender)), I get to play around with a lot of great lenses to be creative that way. The Konica glass is crazy good! I recently picked up a Minolta 58mm f1.4 and in a head to head KH AR 57/1.4 vs Minolta Rokkor-PG 58/1.4, I currently have to give it to the Konica 57. The closer focusing, the colors, the contrast and the sharpness seem to all be better with the Konica Hexanon 57mm f1.4 vs the Rokkor-PG 58mm f1.4. And that 135/2.5 is super cool and sharp at f2.8. And like you mentioned, the 40mm f1.8 is just amazing to use. Probably the sharpest of all my vintage lenses and I have more than a few...

Konica also manufactured the first and only 35mm slr that shoot both half frame and full frame.

@willandhischannel

6 ай бұрын

I am planning on making a video about that soon, it’s probably the coolest camera in my collection atm.

My favorite lens of all time is the Hexagon AR 57mm 1.2. A rather odd focal length. I no longer have any Konica cameras, but I have adaptors for most of my mirrorless cameras. And on my Olympus cameras, it becomes a short telephoto 114mm/1.2

@willandhischannel

4 ай бұрын

Legendary lense the 57 1.2 I hope to own one someday!

thanks for sharing this information!

working on a rokkor review video and let me tell you .. this was outsnading and ifformative .. looking forward to more content like this.

Hex-an-on lol its Hexa-non. They also had the fully pofessional Konica Autoreflex that did full and half frame in full production. The FM2 does not count as it was never in full production. Actually, the second line of their glass was better than their first also as it was manufactured by none other than Leica during their partnership with them although put together by Tokina at the time, it was to Konica's standards. The biggest let downs for Konica are two fold. They never released a 1/2000 or faster camera until the much revered Konica Minolta pro series cameras. Probably the best of which is the A7 and A9. I love the A7 albeit most of them are temperamental, they are super lightweight cameras that are compatible with the Sony internal motor drive lenses such as the Sony Zeis Vario Sonnar. When its paired with that lens you have a reliable all purpose camera (outside of wildlife photography) that is far lighter and better handling than the Nikon F6 or the Canon 1N/1V with an equivalent lens and with the much more powerful built in computer of the A7 which includes a fully visible matrix meter crossing the divide between analogue and digital, while also being able to output meta data. The problem with the A7 and A9 was that they were released between the years of 1999 and 2003 and most people had already gone digital by then, albeit you can find exactly the same camera lineage in digital from Sony up until the A99 II which is just a digital version of the A7 which you can see though the design principles in the body.... Sony would maintain the KM body design and lens mount right up until the released their version of the digital A7. Barring some minor cosmetic updates the A99 II is strikingly similar in design philosophy to the A7 with its mode dial, shutter and control wheel layout. Even the body shape is strikingly familiar between the A7 and A99.

The camera that appears at 0:50, the Auto-Reflex, called Autorex in Japan, was released in 1965, not in 1967.

Excelllent work, William! Looking forward to more of these incredibly produced works!

When I had to take a black and white photo class in college, I had to go hunting for a camera and I found a Konica FC-1 with a zykkor lens for $7 at a thrift shop. Needless to say I came to really love that camera and eventually I came into possession of a few hexanon lenses and T bodies. Recently I found a box of Konica gear for less than a holga. Absolutely beautiful glass.

Konica is underrated, but most of their film, either under their name or sakura, is hard to get results out of more than most films because the expired stocks to do age as well. The black and white is better, but I am shooting some Super 8 Sakurachrome, so we'll see how that turns out. They were also smart enough to make Super 8 AND Single 8 format movie cameras when both competing formats (delisted using the same exact film size and type) were introduced. Their two Single 8 models tend to hold up better than most of the ones the formats inventor, Fuji, made themselves. Minolta was not bad either, but Agfa-Gevaert went the same rout in the digital era only producing products for corporations, though they continued to make movie and still photochemical film for other companies to sell as relabels to this day. Thanks for the great video!

I don't really know much about their cameras but the last couple of films they produced; Centuria Super and VX Super are great....even though they're grainier than other films at matching speeds their color palette is beautiful and unique. I have a bunch of it stashed in my freezer.

In defense of the TC, just the top and bottom outside covers are plastic. Body, mirror cage, etc... all in metal. Additionally, it includes the reliable Copal Compact Square vertical blades shutter . In my case, after a good CLA (and a full leatherette replacement, of course!) It works and looks as new.

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly this haha I also daily the TC wrapped in “The Office” themed stickers ✊

@therealchickentender

2 жыл бұрын

I love the TC. I have three right now. (I'm usually fixing one or two up to resell. Don't make any money but get another affordable Konica back shooting in the wild.) The early ones had a metal bottom cap but it doesn't matter - that poly plastic used is pretty much as good or better than metal (metal that's thin which most companies were using for compacts). It doesn't dent and rarely ever cracks. It's awesome stuff.

The Autoreflex T3 is one of the mechanically best cameras ever made. Konica lenses were at least on par with each and every other major brand including Leitz, Zeiss or Nikon. The Konica Pearl IV as a 6x4.5 camera is mechanically and optically better than Fuji's 645 rangefinder cameras - thus, they are still very pricey; if I would by another Konica camera besides my Koniflex TLR, it would be the Pearl IV.

Excellent and informative report!

@willandhischannel

11 ай бұрын

Thank you!

great video. i own konica lens 15/28/50 and konica m 28mm. it is great lens. even it is not sharp as a nikon lens. but have a unique render

Thank you for the history, just shot a roll of expired Konica Centuria 100.

I like the Konica lenses. I own most of their 50mm's and the iconic 40mm. I also have their 200mm f/3.5 I got for a deal.. However, The SLR bodies I have owned were of poor quality or a mixed bag at best. They either just didn't work, the light meter did not work or just overall second rate. I have the T body which is impressive quality with a 125th flash sync and all metal. Works great accept for the weird light meter which I cannot tell if it is broken or just meters weird. That said, the Konica lenses are sharp, contrasty and produce very nice results on digital, that is why I own them. Probably the biggest Konica shining stars are the Konica III,Konica IIIA and Konica IIIM range finders, which I love. Can't say the SLR lenses outshine my Takumar's or K's

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

I have a IIIA I am looking at 👀

@MichaelRusso

2 жыл бұрын

@@willandhischannel Nice, I have the Konica III which produces beautiful results, however, the range finder mechanism had issues which I needed to fix by pulling the top plate off and gluing the center glass into place with epoxy making sure the frame lines match up to infinity. Like I said, Konica is a mixed bag when it comes to fit & finish but what should one expect for cameras pushing 70 years of age.

yeah i shoot a lot with my Konica TC and T3, love the lenses i also see them as very underrated…

Great video Will! I think this is my favourite of yours, editing is on point and excellent music backing the visuals. Thanks to the lenses I found in my closet, I mostly got into Soviet lenses, so for instance Pentax, Helios or Jupiter glass, some of those lenses being based on Carl Zeiss lens designs and they also have very interesting visual artefacts. I also have a Minolta SLR in my closet! I would love to get into film photography at some point, but I would need to get certain things sorted out, like getting some form of Dark Room setup, or looking into what chemicals and gear I need to develop the film. (I have some experience in doing that from art school years ago so I have a basic idea on where to start) I don't have much space, so I wonder how I could make things work 🤔 I will look into Konica glass when I need more lenses! I have a range of Soviet M42 mount lenses now and I think I want something else to be my next purchase. Thanks for making this video! I learned a lot of new things from it!

Nice documentary on this under loved camera brand.

i own a Konica Autoreflex T3, and currently using my first film roll. Excited to see the developed photos.

@willandhischannel

11 ай бұрын

Absolute TANK of a camera, the 40mm and 85mm is enough to shoot your entire career on.

Awesome video - Konicas are great, fun, unassuming cameras. The Genbakantoku 28WB is my favorite. It’s nice that they currently don’t have the same recognition as the other brands so it doesn’t make them difficult to collect!

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

True! Genba Kantoku is one of there rugged point and shoots right?

@studiosnch

2 жыл бұрын

@@willandhischannel Yes. Sometimes called the Construction Camera. It has two versions: 28mm and 35mm (I own a 35mm) at f3.5. There were also three generations of the camera, most common is the second one.

Found your video during one of my annual Konica searches. On my Sony A7II I almost exclusively use Konica AR lenses, 24,28,40,55,57 and the monster 80-200 F3,5. The 24 f2,8 and the 57 f1,4 is the ones I use most. But the 55mm f3,5 Macro is maybe the best one, worst is probably the Zoom monster. Really nice video !

@edoardobattistini3013

Жыл бұрын

Give a try to the hexanon UC 80-200 f4: lighter and with a MFD of 70 cm on every focal lenght

Wicked as video. My all-time favorite C41 film (now finally almost impossible to find) is Konica Minolta Centuria 400 Pro. Has the latitude of Fuji 400H or Portra with slightly more contrast and a more Ektar-looking palate, but with incredible skin tones. Love it. Miss it. The non "Pro" version is good too but not the same. The VX stuff is really nice looking for 35mm. Still have 3 or 4 propack boxes of Centuria Pro in 220 frozen but I treat that stuff like a princess locked in a tower.

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

It’s a damn shame we will probably never get film like this ever again.

lovely video on konica. I've been trying to get as much information as possible on them haha. I just bought a konica t3n and I believe it's one of konicas best mechanical slrs. It was made for 'professional' use but it didn't really take off. Another similar line of cameras would be Minoltas X-1/XM which was made to compete with Nikons F-1 and other professional high-end bodies. But the timing was horrid, it never picked up traction. I feel like Minolta srts, Konicas autoreflex/ F's, and the mamiya sekors are definite gems for film photographers starting out and they maybe the only cameras you need!

Hi Will, love your channel! I shoot with Konica 40, 135 and 28mm on a Fuji X-T1 body. I do also own a Konica FS-1 but I'm still at the start of my film photography journey since I enjoy shooting digitally for documentary type of stuff way too much

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

How do you feel about your Fuji? I’m looking into a new digital camera and the Fuji line fascinates me for there different form factors. I’m a firm believer a camera should be fun to use > spec sheet

Great video! I do not own a Konica camera but several lenses (primes and zooms). Even the zoom lenses produce a unique look and are reasonably sharp. My favorite prime is the Konica Hexanon AR 57mm f1.4. In the zoom lenses category I like to use the 65-135mm f4. But I have to admit that I did not look deep enough into my Konica lens collection (out of my mind I even don't know how many Konica lenses I have but for sure a lot more to test). Your video clearly motivates me to do so.

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Konicas for life, the deeper you start delving into their line up the cooler stuff you can find :)

Konica is besides Kodak, one of the most popular photography brands here in the Philippines. I definitely grew up being photographed with Konica film using an Olympus AF-1. Right now I own a Konica Genba Kantoku 35WB and it's one of my workhorse cameras. Thanks for this video feature!

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

I love hearing this! I think one of the reasons why cameras are cool too is a lot of it is different based on region, sort of like cars. Really great stuff thanks for the comment!

@studiosnch

2 жыл бұрын

@@willandhischannel True. As with cars, photo equipment here are mostly Japanese. So hearing do say about Konica being a no-name thing kinda surprised me, but then you're talking from your perspective there in the US. Anyway Bellamy Hunt aka JapanCameraHunter has a great video on the Genba Kantoku which you should checl out. Another premium Konica P&S is the Big Mini, which probably shares the same lens as the Genba Kantoku (which means something like "site supervisor", but it is commonly called in English as the "Konica Construction Camera"). Of course, my top choice would be the Konica Hexar AF, the half P&S half RF 35mm f/2 beauty with a lens that's 9/10 compared to the Leica Summicron.

@therealchickentender

2 жыл бұрын

@@studiosnch The Genba Kantoku. Have wanted one for a good while. Those things *look* like business. 📷

@studiosnch

2 жыл бұрын

@@therealchickentender that was actually an impulse buy back then, but having brought it to countless trips I'm happy to say that it earned its spot in my work collection

wow wish I could have seen some images of sakura400 ! I shot some Konica film 100 once, loved the tones This was very indepth research video! loved it!

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks buddy! Even for like just archiving purposes it would be sick to know what some of these film stocks looked like. I was asking a historian about it and he basically he said almost everything pre-1945 in japans major cities was lost to history.

@nicksucio

2 жыл бұрын

@@willandhischannel that is very true, I hear that alot and same for China. but still amazing that you researched that much and that far!

@eyewandersfoto

2 жыл бұрын

Those early emulsions especially. But even the recent stuff ... Every time I open the film-door on an AR or C35 i see that Sakura sticker and wish I could pick up a roll.

I definately remember how good Konica colour film was, preferred it over Kodak and Fuji. I also recently acquired a Konica III rangefinder; can't wait to see what it can do.

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

Do you live in Japan? Any hook ups over there 😂 I am trying to buy some expired konica film on eBay but you know how that goes.

Konica lenses are fucking amazing and I'll gatekeep the fuck out of it until I own every AR.

Nice video! But you forgot to mention the Konica C35 AF was the first camera with autofocus! Konica SR-G film was amazing too.

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

👀 the more you know lol !

Great video! Nobody talks about Konica, sadly underrated...but well on the bright side prices are still ok in comparison with the ridiculous nikon and Co. 😅 A couple of years ago I got my hands on a 85mm 1.8, 35mm 2.0 and 200 mm 4.0, plus an autoreflex T3 for 150 dls.

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

Insane deal the 85 is worth close to $500 alone

📷 Dude. You get all of today's (December's?) internet points for being someone young enough on KZread championing this to fuggin matter. 😁 Really well put-together Konica crash-course here. I shot film originally and had heard of Hexanon and Konica in hushed reverence for years but didn't "discover" them until I randomly threw a roll in a C35 EF that had been my grandmothers that I got about 6 yrs ago, and promptly lost my mind a little bit when I saw the first scans. T4, T3 and FT-1 Motor are my favs (in that order). As well as C35 FD and Auto S2. 👌 Have others cuz you can afford to. TCs are my beat-arounds... the plastic top (and often bottom) cap is made of the most bomb-proof polycarbonate I've ever seen. They're way stronger than they look/feel. Glass is superb. That 40mm is superb. Favorite is it and 57/1.4. Have a very broad kit now and there's not a bad or even less that average lens made by them it seems. I'm on the verge of selling off 75% of Pentax gear - 18 years of it - because I just never shoot it anymore. There's just something about the Konica ARs handling I just clicked with immediately and they even won me over to actually *preferring* shutter priority (for reasons I won't blabber on more about). Konica. KONica. KonICA. 📷

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

Extremely underhyped cameras, I want more people to know but also don’t want the prices to go up any more haha

@eyewandersfoto

2 жыл бұрын

@@willandhischannel That's the trick innit? 😅

@therealchickentender

2 жыл бұрын

@@willandhischannel Sorry that was me "Eyewanders Foto" is my 2nd acct and I forget which I'm logged into half the time, laptop or phone depending. :)

MADE IN JAPAN BY KONICA

I can't believe you would make a history video about konica and skip over the DiMage series of cameras!

@willandhischannel

4 ай бұрын

Fill me in what is this? :)

Hey Will - Just wanted to let you know I've really dug your content but am not interested in the more recent streams & uploads... or perhaps not *uninterested* per se - it's wacky and very well presented, but just not something I'm keen to have popping into my feed all the time. Un-subbing for the time being. "Will and His Channel" is obviously an eclectic mix of topics and supported by the channel name, but you might consider creating a separate channel or two for the different types. Or not. It's you and your channel. :) Just thought you might appreciate the feedback. Cheers.

@willandhischannel

2 жыл бұрын

Bummer, I appreciate the honest feed back though. I have been considering what you have suggested, I was going to wait and see if people thought it was annoying. I will take what you say seriously! You’re right it’s a weird mix of stuff, like my next actual release is a photography video, but I am working on a documentary and have been dual streaming the progress, a part of me wants to make a new channel for this material but also my channel is so small to begin with I feel like I am throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Once again thank you and you have been heard and taken seriously 🙏

@eyewandersfoto

2 жыл бұрын

@@willandhischannel Yeah of course. Just wanted to make sure my note didn't come across as "this new stuff sucks!". :) It's fine, just doesn't hugely interest me in the same way. NBD. Keep it all up!

I bought a Konica FC-1 with a 28 mm and 135 mm lens in perfect condition during the pandemic for 25€. Mainly for its looks ;-) But I did shoot film with during my summer holiday and enjoyed both the experience and the results. It's a keeper. I always liked the looks of it and don't see it as boring. It is solid and well built.

@willandhischannel

3 ай бұрын

That 135 is a great lens too the Konica glass stays hittin.