I currently own both a Konica FT-1 and TC-X. The FT-1 viewfinder is considerably brighter than the TC-X, making viewing and focusing much easier on my 55 year old eyes.

I have read all of the reviews of the camera bodies on these pages but would appreciate comments from those of you who have used the FC-1 and/or the FS-1 as well as an FT-1. Do either of these models have viewfinders as bright as the FT-1?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jim Rooks

-- Anonymous, January 17, 2001

Answers

Hi Jim!

To my tired ol' 54 1/2 year old eyes the FS and the FT are about the same in the brightness department.

Lee Jones

-- Anonymous, January 17, 2001

Dim Viewfinder

With my 61 1/2 year eyes, I had a FP that was always brighter than any of my 5 FT-1's until they were "factory recoditioned"!! Then I wondered why the FP was so dim. And so it goes, as we (cameras and us) get older everything gets dimmer. ....... What was I just talking about?....... Oh yes, my FT's had a much harder life and the pentaprism in the viewfinder gets crud deposited on it over the years. It's happening so gradually we don't know it's happening! Sound familiar?? My FT's were subjected to 0 degrees to 85 deg. by going into an indoor swim pool continually with 100% humidity. Ack!!! The worst conditions for any camera! As a "by the way", I used other brands of cameras in the pool areas and NONE lasted like the Konica!! Granted, some could rip off pics much faster but what good is that if it doesn't last? Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents............jim

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

FT-1 viewfinder

Hi Jim,

Interesting you observed the FT-1 viewfinders were brighter after reconditioning. I recently got hold of a Konica/Berkey Marketing service manual addendum that discussed, among other things, an upgrade to the mirrors in the FT-1s to improve viewfinder brightness. I imagine yours were upgraded as a matter of course when you sent them in for their 100,000 mile tuneup.

This manual discusses a number of other changes and improvements which were made to the FT-1 during the production run. Unfortunately, it doesn't give the dates or serial numbers when changes were made. It does mention that cameras sent to the factory for repair would automatically have certain upgrades made.

Cheers!

Alan Myers "Frigid" San Jose, Calif.

-- Anonymous, January 19, 2001

Dimly Lit myself

I guess I should consider reconditioning, since my photography buddy that I go out shooting with was amazed (and somewhat smug) about how much brighter his Nikon viewfinder was versus my dimly lit FT-1. Although I would put up any of my pictures against his ANY DAY!!

I was trying to figure out what I need to do to make mine brighter. Thanks for this thread to help me out. And stop with the age thing already!!!! I am only 39 and its a stretch for me to see what I am doing. (Except if you ask my son who is convinced I have eyes in the back of my head - which of course all of us Mom's do!!)

J.F. Macillus Livermore (colder than San Jose any day) California

P.S. Alan...Frigid San Jose huh?? Uh-uh. Not until you have to wrap your pipes twice, take water out with you to do your windshield because the scraper hasn't gotta chance and you have gone through more wood in one week than you did all of last year can you officially use the word "frigid" ROFL

And just so you people in Canada and back East are placated, I bow down to your ability to deal with your winters. I admit I am a wimpy, spoiled Californian!

-- Anonymous, January 19, 2001