An Outing With A Dysfunctional Konica C35 AF

Analog Diary: Film photography favorites, image making with a dysfunctional Konica C35 AF, the world's first production autofocus camera.

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I went on a street shoot, some time back, with a dysfunctional Konica C35 AF, and came back with a whole roll of out-of-focus images, five of which as posted here. The images do show what the Konica Hexanon 38mm F2.8 was acknowledged for.

The C35 AF I was reviewing had, among other things, a dysfunctional AF module, a dead underexposure warning light, and, despite a working flash, a non-working flash-ready light.

A non-manual function that was still working on the camera was the exposure control, which was automatic with the CdS AE system fitted. The shutter works as well, and I can only assume that it does so at one of the three speeds of 1/60, 1/125, or 1/250 second that the camera was specified. The AF camera to subject distance module, indicated by a distance pointer located on the outside of the lens housing mount, after the shot is taken, is not working either.

Regardless, the outing was fun and enjoyable, and the time spent with the camera was full of expectations. The Konica C35 AF, nicknamed 'Jasupin' in Japan, was the world's first production autofocus camera.

Konica C35 AF

The camera was launched in November 1977, a year after the production of the C35 EF ('Pikari'), which itself is a follow-up to the Konica C35 Auto S2, one of the ultimates of the C35 series. The C35 AF has the same Hexanon 38mm F2.8 lens as the others.

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Konica C35 EF, Sights and Scenes III

Analog Diary: Film photography favorites, image making with a Konica C35 EF, sights, and scenes from a walkabout in the city, Part III.

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Last in the series of five images with the Konica C35 EF, one of the cameras mentioned to have a very capable lens and very good shooting habits. The camera, nicknamed 'Pikkari' in Japan, was the world’s first 35mm compact camera with built-in flash, and the first plastic-bodied C35 that was introduced after the earlier Konica C35 series.

The C35 EF is available in two iterations, with the latter incorporating a self-timer located to the left lens at a new speed of 1/250th of a second, added to the 1/60 and 1/125 from the older model, and an orange plastic flash release knob (the old one came with a black plastic one) and the focusing symbols on the lens focusing barrel are framed. Otherwise, the two cameras were mechanically similar.

Konica C35 EF

The C35 EF's light meter requires a 1.3V PX675 mercury battery. As a replacement, a 1.5V button cell should work almost as well. Flash requires two AA alkaline batteries, while NiMh rechargeable batteries are not advised.

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Konica C35 EF, Sights and Scenes II

Analog Diary: Film photography favorites, image making with a Konica C35 EF, sights, and scenes from a walkabout in the city, Part II.

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The second set of images, after Part I, on my walkabout in the city with the Konica C35 EF. Nicknamed 'Pikkari' for being the first 35mm compact camera that came with a built-in flash, the camera was introduced in 1975.

Name-wise, the C stands for 'compact', the 35 for 35mm film, and EF for 'electronic flash'. Focusing is enabled by selecting preset distances on the rotating lens barrel, using the zone focus method.

One regret of the camera over its predecessor, the C35 Automatic, is that the camera is not a rangefinder anymore. It is now a zone-focusing model, with a four-zone setting dial located on the rotating lens barrel. The camera, as dictated by its development, is available in two iterations, one from its release date in 1975 and the second from 1977 onwards.

Konica C35 EF

The difference between the two models is the addition of a self-timer and a new speed of 1/250 second, which is added to the 1/60 and 1/125 from the older model. On the new model, the self-timer lever is located on the left side of the lens, an orange plastic flash release knob (the old one came with a black plastic one), and the focusing symbols on the lens focusing barrel are framed; otherwise, they are similar.

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Konica C35 EF, Sights and Scenes I

Analog Diary: Film photography favorites, image making with a Konica C35 EF, sights, and scenes from a walkabout in the city, Part I.

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One of my favorite film cameras, to date, is the small and compact Konica C35 Automatic, a true rangefinder and a favorite with a tack-sharp four-element Hexanon 38mm F2.8 lens.

The camerais part of a four-camera series by Konica, which includes the original C35, C35 V (C35 E&L), C35 Automatic (C35 Flashmatic), and Auto S3 (C35FD).

The follow-up series, which started with the Konica C35 EF, nicknamed 'Pikkari' in Japan, introduced in 1975, was the first 35mm compact camera with a built-in flash. Over the original series, the C35 EF was an all-black plastic body and, much like the earlier C35 V, comes with only a zone focusing feature.

Konica C35 EF

The camera itself is slightly bigger and wider than the original C35, and as I can see from the ads listed on auction sites, it will be a hard sell if you find one that is fully functional. Mine had a non-working flash. You still need a battery to run its AE electronics. I had a 1.5-volt SR44 installed, which should work just as well. At a pinch, you may want to set the film ISO speed to a lower setting to cater to the difference.

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