Friday, September 23, 2011

The User’s Review: Konica Auto-Reflex Full and Hall Frame SLR Camera, released in 1966

It's big, heavy and loudly, but unique for its full and half frame switch whenever you want. To my knowledge, the Auto-Reflex is one of the three camera models that can take full and half frames. The other cameras are Konica IIIm, a rangefinder, and Canon's Multi Tele, a point-and-shoot.

The removable 'cold' shoe

The light window on the right side of the 'roof'allows light to show the aperture settings in the viewfinder. 




The full and half frame switch

The full and half frames

The meter and meter window

A long shutter release is a obverse feature of Auto-Reflex

The meter switch and battery check

Two versions of battery cover. The top one was found on a camera with a higher SN.

Two versions of top cover of the case. I believe that the version on the left  was designed for Autoreflex P with the light meter III.

Three versions of bottom of the case: the top two are different from the bottom one, and the top one has a metal core inside that is much heavier than the others. I think, the bottom one was designed for Auto-reflex P without the meter/battery check switch. 

All versions of case have a label at bottom, showing how to switch between full and half frames. The bottom piece with a camera also can be screwed onto a tripod.


In the States, Konica Auto-Reflex was sold with f1.4 or f1.8 lens in two kinds of kits.

2 comments:

  1. Whatever company owned the Argus name in the late 1980's made a couple of full frame/half frame cameras. The Argus HFM and the Argus Dual 35.

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  2. Konica IIIm released in 1959 is another to shoot half frame when a kit inserted. For one roll of film, either full or half frame, no switch in mid roll in both IIIm and Multi Tele.

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