Konica III/IIIa

What is the difference between the 3 and the 3a? Thanks.

Bill,

 

The IIIA has a far superior VF/RF system to the III. IIIA has a moving frameline to correct for parallax, while the III does not. The IIIA VF/RF is much brighter than that of the III and offers more eye relief as well. If I can live with only a 50mm lens, I prefer the VF/RF of the Konica IIIA to that on my Leica M2. Compare both and you will understand why. Another minor difference between III and IIIA is the lens. Most Konica III have 48mm/f2 lenses. While some IIIA also have this lens, many came with a 50mm/f1.8. Once you have used a IIIA, you may conclude it was one of the finest 50mm fixed lens cameras ever produced. Truly a quality creation.

The III is usually 1/2 or 1/3 the price of the IIIA. ;-)

 

With a sample size of one each, I prefer my III.

 

The lens (48mm f/2) is better, especially wide open. It's also slightly smaller, both in height (due to the traditional viewfinder) and depth (the lens is smaller). It's much easier to set aperture and shutter speed on the III.

 

The viewfinder of the IIIA is truly spectacular, though.

 

You can't go wrong with either. Really nice cameras.

There is also a Konica IIIM the M stand for meter. It has a built in flip up selenium meter cell just above the view finder. This camera also have a special half frame mask so you can shoot 24x24 size image. The Konica IIIa and IIIM are the most desirable of Konica early RF models.

I just got a IIIM, and I am delighted. The III is also a very good camera with an excellent lens, but its viewfinder is inferior to that in the IIIM.

<p>Well, fast forward to August, 2010; I just snagged a IIIM in near-mint condition on _bay for $178.00. How times change.</p>