Konica C35

The 1968 Konica C35 is a 35mm camera that was the first of a wave of small compact cameras that swept the marketplace in the late sixties and early seventies. Others of similar size and specification soon emerged, of which the Olympus 35RC was the most successful. Others that also did well in the marketplace were the Fujica GER, Minolta Hi-Matic F, Ricoh 500 G/GX

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Four Konica Models

It could be said that Konishiroku was a follower of fashion and that it merely "took up the baton" of the earlier 60's Minoltina and Olympus Trip 35. If you look at the competitors, the importance and influence of the Konica C35 is clear to see - they have coupled rangefinders, a programmed shutter, a CdS cell mounted in the lens housing and measure around 115mm wide by 80mm wide.

However its appeal was obvious from its launch - it was compact, light and a simple to use camera that took good photographs because it could be focused accurately and had an excellent lens. It was an outstanding sales success throughout the world.

There are three basic variants: Konica C35 introduced in 1968, then the later non rangefinder Konica C35V and the Konica C35 Automatic with a more advanced flash control.

The same basic chassis then had a different shutter/lens assembly incorporated and emerged as the more expensive Silver Konica C35FD (quite rare outside Japan, so wonder if it was home market only?) and then as the widely marketed Black Auto S3. This name & colour change was obviously to distance itself from its cheaper brethren. The C35 had no manual exposure, but the C35FD & Auto S3 had a shutter priority system.

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Konica C35

Konica C35 specifications

• Available in black or silver
• 38mm f2.8 four-element Hexanon lens - 46mm filter mount
• Coupled rangefinder - baseline 12mm
• CdS meter (19 -27 DIN - 25- 400ASA)
• Self timer
• Closest Focus - 1m 3.3ft
• Copal B mat programmed shutter
• Combined aperture/shutter blades
• Speeds 1/30 to 1/650
• Leverwind, double exposure prevention, resetting frame counter
• Brightline finder
• Needle indication of shutter speed and aperture visible on right hand side of viewfinder

• Width 112mm (actual 120mm with strap lugs) Height - claimed 70mm (actual 75mm) - Depth 52mm
• Weight 380g (13.4 oz)

• Price £42.15.0 (April 1970) Black version £4 extra

• Konica X-14 matching flashgun available
• Set to 1/25 automatically for flash

Konica C35 V specifications

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Konica C35 V

• Available only in silver
• 38mm f2.8 4 element Hexanon lens - 46mm filter mount
• Zone adjustement Adjustment by four click stops (with pictograms)
• CdS meter (19-27 DIN, 25-400ASA)
• No self timer
• Closest focus - 1m 3.3ft
• Copal B mat programmed shutter
• Combined aperture/shutter blades
• Speeds 1/30 to 1/650
• Leverwind, double exposure prevention, resetting frame counter
• Brightline finder
• Needle indication of shutter speed and aperture visible on right hand side of viewfinder
• Window lower right to few focus positions on lens

• Width 112mm (actual 120mm with strap lugs) Height - claimed 70mm (actual 75mm) - Depth 52mm
• Weight 340g (12 oz)

Price £41.48 (April 1974)

• Konica X-14 matching flashgun available
• Set to 1/25 automatically for flash

Konica C35 Automatic specifications

Konica C35 Automatic

This was a later version of the C35 and had "Flashmatic control" and is identified by the "Automatic" badge

• Available in silver
• 38mm f2.8 four-element Hexanon lens - 46mm filter mount
• Coupled rangefinder - baseline 12mm
• CdS meter (19 -27 DIN - 25- 400ASA)
• Self timer
• Closest Focus - 1m 3.3ft
• Copal B mat programmed shutter
• Combined aperture/shutter blades
• Speeds 1/30 to 1/650
• Leverwind, double exposure prevention, resetting frame counter
• Brightline finder
• Needle indication of shutter speed and aperture visible on right hand side of viewfinder

• Width 112mm (actual 120mm with strap lugs) Height - claimed 70mm (actual 75mm) - Depth 52mm
• Weight 380g (13.4 oz)

Price £49.90 (April 1974)

• Konica X-14 matching flashgun available
• "Auto Flashmatic system automatically activated when flashgun is mounted on Hot shoe"
• This was the catalogue description of a system which adjusted the aperture as the camera was focused

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Konica Auto S3

Konica Auto S3 specifications

• Available in black (The earlier C35FD version was Silver only)
• 38mm f1.2.8 six element Hexanon lens - 46mm filter mount
• Coupled rangefinder - baseline 12mm
• CdS meter (15 - 30 DIN - 25- 800ASA)
• Self timer
• Closest Focus - .9m - 3ft
• Copal 7 Speed shutter
• Shutter priority automatic
• Speeds - 1/8 - 1/500
• Leverwind, double exposure prevention, resetting frame counter
• Brightline finder
• Needle indication of aperture visible on right hand side of viewfinder
• Auto Flashmatic system with indication in viewfinder

• Width 112mm (actual 120mm with strap lugs) Height - claimed 70mm (actual 75mm) - Depth 60mm
• Weight 410g

• Price £82.90 (April 1974)

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Konica C35, C35 V, C35 Automatic & Auto S3

Konica C35 & Auto S3 links

• http://mywebpages.comcast.net/youngds/Classic35/KonicaC35/KonicaC35.htm
• http://www.butkus.org/chinon/konica/konica_c35/konica_c35-splash.htm
• http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/c35/
• http://www.erikfiss.com/foto/cams/konicac35/e.html
• http://homepage1.nifty.com/fukucame/c35fd.htm
• http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/konica_c35auto.html
• http://35mm-compact.com/compact/konicaautos3.htm
• http://www.cameraquest.com/kons3.htm