Second Up: Konica II

[maiku]

<p>This is the second part of a three part post. Today, I am presenting a Konica II. The Konica II am presenting is the original Konica II released in 1951. I do not like this camera. I will explain shortly, but for now lets get to the design and features of the camera.</p>

<p>The camera like all Konicas 1950s rangefinders is well-built and weighs a ton. It design is elegant and well-balanced design. The film advance and rewind dials give a symmetrical appearance. The engraved markings give added style. The front, with its smooth curved steel plate, give it a sexy appearance. It kind of invites the user to place his fingers in the sweet spot. The cocking shutter tab is well placed. When not cocked the tab sits in front of the viewfinder to remind the user to cock the shutter. To right of the cocking shutter tab is a lens mounted shutter release. I hate it there. When you release the shutter with the lens mounted shutter release you cannot advance the film. You have to re-cock the shutter and take a double exposure. To advance the film you must use the top-plate shutter release button, so if you accidentally trip the lens mounted release you are screwed! The Konica I has the same design. However, with the Konica I you can advance the film. Another annoyance the I/T dial. The I stands for Instantaneous exposure. The T stands for Time exposure. The is poorly designed. I accidentally hit the dial two or three times and move from the I setting to the T-setting. As a result I have two very long exposures! The shutter was true, but my judgement was wrong.</p>

<p>The Konica II has Konirapid-S shutter. The shutter speeds range from 1 second to 1/500 second. The shutter also has a T and B setting. The lens is a fixed rigid collapsible. Unlike the Konica I, where you pull out and turn the lens barrel to lock the lens in place, with the Konica II you rotate the focusing tab downward and the lens extends. To collapse the lens rotate the lens focusing tab upward, gently lifting the focusing tab up at the infinity mark to continue the upward rotation. Smart design. The added benefit is the when the lens is collapsed you can not cock the shutter or advance the film. All focusing measurements are in feet and displayed on the ring mounted to the body. Focusing is simple. The viewfinder is clear and bright, like the Konica I it lacks frame-lines, which makes it harder for me to frame a shot correctly. Adding to my ineptitude at framing is the lack of parallel correction. I am forever cutting peoples head off!</p>

<p>When I do get framing correct the lens does the rest. Like the Konica I the lens is superb. The lens is a 50mm f2.8 Hexanon. It has five elements in three groups. The photos are sharp with nice contrast. I like the photos more because the lens seems to produce a nostalgic look of the 1940s and 1950s with heavy grain. </p>

<p>As I mentioned the Konica II I have is the original Konica II released in 1951. Konica made other variants. The others invlude the Konica IIB, Konica IIF, Konica IIA, and Konica IIBm. There was a inter-changeable lens prototype displayed in Tokyo department stores. The prototype would have offered a 50mm f1.9 and 85mm f3.5 lens combo. Unfortunately, it never went into production. I sure would like to get my hands on the prototype to resell to a collector these days.</p>

<p>I hope you enjoy the photos.</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Konica II #2</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Photo 1</p>

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[maiku]

<p>Photo 3</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Photo 4</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Photo 5</p>

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[maiku]

<p>Photo 6</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Photo 7</p>

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[maiku]

<p>Photo 8</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Photo 10</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Photo 11</p><div></div>

[maiku]

<p>Photo 12</p><div></div>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Excellent write up Mike, and I love the junk photo and the Japanese Maccas sign! The Konicas do have a lovely solid feel to them, and I'm jealous of that lens hood!</p>

[Mike Gammill]

Top notch results. And the subjects show the cameras capabilities well.

[harveysteeves]

<p>I think I might have one of these. I bought a few Konicas 2 years ago and I think one is in there.<br>

Michael, where did you learn all this stuff?</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Great description of a very attractive camera, <strong>Mike</strong>, and excellent images, too. I really like cameras with the rotating focus handle/lever, but I guess they aren't as practical as a steadying hand wrapped around the body of the lens, gripping a focusing ring. I like your eye for shadows and patterns.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

Good post. I think it's often easy to look beyond limitations of older cameras and find them interesting..but when they really bring you out of step..it ain't nice. I would like on of these if only for the sweet lens. You do have a good feel for shooting in general and I like that you mainly do B&W. Well done pictures.

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>It may not be the most hand friendly camera but you gotta love the swoopy metal cut-out design. Nice images of the local stuff, Mike! What's next? Konica III?</p>