jean_jacques_granas1

Hello,

Vincenzo, I am afriad you are probably mistaking the Autoreflex TC for the Konica TC-X. The latter camera was indeed sold in the middle 1980s (but it was manufctured for Konica by Cosina). The Autoreflex TC was introduced in 1976, as a fairly simple all-mechanical 'consumer' SLR of sorts. It is nevertheless a dependable camera, and probably the most common and cheapest Konica SLR available.

One more camera that wasn't suggested here is the Konica FC-1 (1983, I believe), a much underrated body which has the very bright viewfinder and very accurate auto exposure system of the later electronic models, but not the problems that occasionally surfaced with the integrated winders of the FT-1 (rarely) and especially the FS-1 (all too frequently, although its a wonderful camera otherwise).

Look here for the best source of technical info about Konica SLRs on the web: http://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eKonicaStart.html

... and here for a Konica SLR discussion list, starring a friendly and extremely helpful bunch of Konica afficionados: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/konicaslr

Enjoy your lenses, you'll be back for more :-)

Jean-Jacques Granas

Warsaw, Poland

Hi Jarryd,

Here is some info about the lens gleaned from two Polish pages:

The Exakta Varioplan 18-28/4,0-4,5 lens has a metal bayonet mount of the PB type (Praktica). Manual focus from 0.5m to infinity. Manual aperture from 4.0 to 22 for 18mm focal length or 4.5 to 22 for 28mm focal length. Filter size: 72mm. The first element of the lens rotates during focusing.

(http://magma.home.pl/komis/product_info.php?products_id=478)

AND

Average quality optics, but makes rather decent pictures. At focal length 18mm and with the filter on, one can see vignetting quite clearly. Closing down the aperture doesn�t help. I didn�t make prints and only examined the pictures on the monitor after scanning the film to 3089 x 2048 resolution. One of the few lenses to have contacts for both Ricoha P and for Pentaksa A.

(http://www.pentax.osw.pl/forum/watek.asp?id=16924)

Hope this helps a little,

Jean-Jacques Granas

Warsaw

Hello Al,

I realise this may be a question you have no answer to, but what sort of 'radioactivity' are we talking about here? Is it potentially harmful? Do you have to keep the lens in a lead-lined container? Do you glow at night? :-)

Jean-Jacques

Bob, Just for the record, Canon made at least a couple of standard lenses with an aperture of 1.2 that I am aware of. I own an FL 55mm 1.2 that I just picked up last month for the equivalent of 125 US.

About the Hexanon 57mm 1.2: The lens is not as sharp as the 1.4 and the 1.7, the latter of which may just be the best standard lens Konica ever made, but if you are into potraits the 1.2's softness wide open will produce beautiful pictures. The bokeh on that lens is to die for.The 1.2 is very sought after and has held its value over the years. If you have one, hang on to it.

It is worth to get a Konica body to try this lens out, especially as you can usually get a body in very good shape for a fraction of what this lens fetches on ebay, when it shows up, which isn't very often. I recommend the T3, a traditional all metal camera with multiple exposure capability. I especially recommend its later version, called the T3n. I've had mine now for over 25 years and never had a single problem with it. In addition, a Konica body will give you access to the rest of the Hexanon range of lenses - some of the greatest optics on the market in the 70s and 80s - most of which can be had for extremely reasonable prices now.

For more info about Konica, check out the two following links:

http://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eKonicaStart.html

http://hometown.aol.com/amfoto6/amfoto6_001.htm

Cheers,

Jean-Jacques Granas