I will be in contact with some important people at Konica very shorty to ask some important questions about the discontinued Konica SLR line of cameras as well as plans for the future.

Does anyone have any questions they would like me to ask upon your behalf?

Here are some of the questions I will be asking:

Q. Year Konica SLR production Stoped:

Q. Why production Stoped (What happened):

Q. Is Konica considering another line of SLR's?

Q. Why did Konica put so little effort into Europe?

Just add your questions here or email them to me (short questions please) at: michael.lepard@home.com

Thanks,

Mike The Photography Blue Book website http://photobluebook.virtualave.net/

-- Anonymous, March 26, 2001

Answers

Questions for Konica

Why does Konica not produce one or two (one fully manual, the other with automatic features) single lens reflex cameras for people like us who continue to faithfully use their past slrs? Olympus and other companies do that, while producing point and shoot cameras for the non-thinking picture taking crowd. I, for one, would purchase a continued Konica slr camera, especially if it came with the K/AR II lens-camera coupling system? I believe there are thousands that would do the same. Konica, in my view, would sell many, many more slrs than Hexar RFs.

-- Anonymous, March 26, 2001

I agree

You're right, George... there is a huge potential market out there for a Konica SLR, simply on the basis of the continuing users of the brand despite being "orphaned" 15 years ago. All Konica needs to do is build something K/AR compatible!

With the apparent success of the Hexar RF, you'd think they must be considering it...

If so, they need to develop one or two bodies which can compete with other manufacturers. Any design will need to be durable and full-featured. AF capability is probably important. Also, a digital future will definitely need to be considered (don't flame me, it's just the facts, folks). Beyond that, there are dozens of obvious features we've discussed on this board, K can just look at current Canons and Nikons for a list!

In this day & age, it should be possible to design a backwardly compatible system, simply expand on the old systems capabilities... in fact, that's just the sort of challenge Konica has risen to in the past!

The FT-1 is actually a great starting point... "simply" re-engineer it to add circuitry & sensors to drive AF motors in new lenses, TTL flash sensors, faster motors &/or power boosters, auto rewind, a 100% prism with a viewfinder shutter & interchangeable focusing screens, depth-of-field preview, yada yada yada! Of course, new AF capabilities would necessitate some new lenses... lot's of possibilities there, too, I should think.

Incidentally, George, your description of what you think Konica should produce sounds familiar... like the current Leica R series. And, gee, didn't Konica decide to hang with Leica on the RF project? How's that for going after the European market, too? (NOT that I think the SLR should be Leica R comaptible!)

Cheers! (I'm not holding my breath)

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

I agree with you too

I appreciated your comments, Alan. One other thing I might add. While Konica Corporation has shown itself to be innovative in producing a few "firsts" in its history, it tends to drop out when others run with its ideas and develop them further. And anyhow, the bottom line for them is, will the product be profitable? (as opposed to, "we really do care about our faithful customers and supporters"). Anyhow, they've heard from me on a few occasions now, but ne'er a word from them stating "thank you for your letter of concern, which we've received and will consider." I hope others of you, Konica slr users, have written the Corporation about your concerns and desires on the subject of slrs. If enough of us write them, then maybe, just maybe they might consider what we're saying and come to the conclusion that a new line of slrs will, after all, bring in many a yen for a great profit! Here's hopin'... GR

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001

Some questions to present for me (us)

I have people tell me that Konica AR lenses will mount on the Sigma SLR and that the Sigma is developed from the tooling that Konica originally was working on for their AF SLR that was dropped. Is this true?

I also heard that a short run of FT-1's was being considered because of the considerable demand and the large pool of treasured Hexanons people wanted to keep in use. True? Possible?

What is at the root of the considerable electronic ills that seem to trail the FS-1? The A-4 has a consistent failure to halt rewinding and will take off uncontrolled at some point during the roll. I've had 2 do the same thing and have heard of others. Is there a fix?

There should be an award given for the stout shutters used in the SLR's over the years. My T-3, T-3n, FT-1 (3), FS-1 (2), and T4 all check out within 1/3 stop at all settings with my shutter tester. They continue to synch at the proper speeds and seem absolutely bullet proof.

Of course, the realities of business/economics dictate Konica's future plans, but there are a loyal group of users out here that hope we can someday buy the Konica products that coordinate with our collections and extend the useful life of our wonderful optics. I've tested my Hexanons with photo club friends and found that they are consistent and normally right at the top of the performance charts when our testing is done. They stand up to old and new Nikon, Canon and Minolta offerings and actually surpass most of them. My 35 ƒ2.0 remains the sharpest (2nd is my 55 ƒ3.5 Macro) lens we've tested and the totals are about 200 lenses at this point. It's a shame we can't buy modern bodies or at least modern production bodies to better utilize these fine tools.

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

Sigma body compatibility with Hexanon lenses?

Hi!

This is an interesting possibility. Maybe somebody visiting aaa camera or other such stockist could check this out?

Tapani

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001

Konica Questions?

Mike, ask them when the are going to build a 6 megapixel digital that will use all my Hexanon K\AR mount lenses as Nikon, Canon and Fuji have done for their customers?

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001