Konica Auto S2 photos
Overlooking Oslo
Early autumn in Oslo. This is the city as seen from Nordberg, north west of the city center. A great place for downhill skiing in a few months' time, I would think.
Notes from a rangefinder newbie
I knew the name Leica. Other than that, I knew nothing about rangefinders.
I wanted to know more, but spending two months' salary on a Leica is not my style (call me a bore). By coincidence I came across the Konica Auto S2 on a Norwegian photo site. 500 NKR (about $80) for an old rangefinder seemed like a reasonable deal.
The Konica Auto S2 was produced in Japan in the mid 1960s. This camera must be really frightening to those who learn to shoot with the digital wonders of today. Digital cameras make people trust their instincts less. Even seasoned professional photographers look at the LCD screen right after shooting. Was the lighting good? What about composition, focus and flash?
Rangefinders are the complete opposite. Not only is it impossible to watch the photos after you have taken them. You don't even see the actual framing when you take a picture. You look through the finder, but the lens records it from another angle.
So when you see the pictures afterwards, it's not what you saw through the camera. Thus macro photography is difficult with rangefinders. My rangefinder can't focus on things closer than 90 centimeters, so macro is not an option anyway.
When pressing the shutter, it feels like a toy camera. When you press the shutter on an SLR, the whole thing goes chacka-chuck, and vibrates. The rangefinder goes click. There is no slapping mirror, and little shaking. Rangefinder enthusiasts claim that this makes it easier to hold the rangefinder by hand for longer shutter speeds. I'm not so sure. Less mass also means less stability.
Common wisdom says that rangefinders are great for people photography. After my first roll, I have to say it's good for most things. Especially nature shots came out great, with excellent contrast and detail. I like the way Konica Auto S2 handles shadows.
Konica Auto S2 makes you go with your gut feeling and your photography brain. If you have become a LCD screen junkie, maybe it's time to get an old rangefinder.
I wanted to know more, but spending two months' salary on a Leica is not my style (call me a bore). By coincidence I came across the Konica Auto S2 on a Norwegian photo site. 500 NKR (about $80) for an old rangefinder seemed like a reasonable deal.The Konica Auto S2 was produced in Japan in the mid 1960s. This camera must be really frightening to those who learn to shoot with the digital wonders of today. Digital cameras make people trust their instincts less. Even seasoned professional photographers look at the LCD screen right after shooting. Was the lighting good? What about composition, focus and flash?
Rangefinders are the complete opposite. Not only is it impossible to watch the photos after you have taken them. You don't even see the actual framing when you take a picture. You look through the finder, but the lens records it from another angle.So when you see the pictures afterwards, it's not what you saw through the camera. Thus macro photography is difficult with rangefinders. My rangefinder can't focus on things closer than 90 centimeters, so macro is not an option anyway.
When pressing the shutter, it feels like a toy camera. When you press the shutter on an SLR, the whole thing goes chacka-chuck, and vibrates. The rangefinder goes click. There is no slapping mirror, and little shaking. Rangefinder enthusiasts claim that this makes it easier to hold the rangefinder by hand for longer shutter speeds. I'm not so sure. Less mass also means less stability.Common wisdom says that rangefinders are great for people photography. After my first roll, I have to say it's good for most things. Especially nature shots came out great, with excellent contrast and detail. I like the way Konica Auto S2 handles shadows.
Konica Auto S2 makes you go with your gut feeling and your photography brain. If you have become a LCD screen junkie, maybe it's time to get an old rangefinder.
- I own a Konica Auto S2 with a Hexanon 45mm f/1.8 lens. Made in Japan, 1965.
- You can shoot in full manual mode, or you can set the shutter speed and let the camera decide the aperture.
- Cool feature: Stepless aperture adjustment.
- The light meter is the only thing that runs on batteries. The camera is fully usable without batteries too.
- ASA: 25-400.
- People who know this camera better than I do:
Matt Denton
Edwin Leong (though decidedly negative)
Features:
Previous photos
October 2005 November 2005 December 2005