Analog Therapy/A Bargain Gem: Konica C35 AF2 – Kentmere Pan 400.

I have stated previously:

Have created images I am happy with using film cameras costing less than a memory card.

The Konica C35 AF2 is one of those cameras.

I would put this camera up against any camera regardless of price point. It has precisely one legitimate downside in my opinion.

An utter lack of control.

There is no manual anything.

Want it in focus? Center of frame.

Want it exposed properly? Center of frame.

There will be no focus and recompose, exposure compensation, manual focusing, etc. But in trade, once you hand off the controls it will reward you greatly in return.

Very affordable. I bought a clean copy at my local camera shop for $50 years ago at Dennis’ suggestion.

Durable. Dropped mine onto concrete from waist height day one. It bounced and other than some minor scratches on the bottom it is just fine.
Has a built-in flash that I usually forget to use. But when I do fill flash works very well. To deploy just hit the release for it to pop up and push it back down when you are done.

AF is very accurate. What good is a sharp lens if there are focus issues? I do not mind handing off control so much when the camera is this competent.
Very sharp lens. I have not used a compact camera with a sharper lens ever, including the Contax T2 I once had.
Easily fits in a jacket pocket.
Manual load, wind, rewind, and advance means fewer things to break. May pack it in one day but at least there are fewer electronic things to break.
Loading, winding, and rewinding are very simple.
Humble livery. With the diminutive Contax T2 even folks who knew nothing about cameras would take notice, but this camera? You can snap away and no one pays you any mind.
Rather quiet. All you hear on shutter release is a light pong that brings no attention.
Easy use means easy stealth. Since there is nothing to control if you are fairly confident with your framing snap away and let the camera handle the rest.
Did I mention that a clean copy only cost me $50?

And there is a beauty to this simplicity. Like the recently released Kodak Ektar H35, it is a camera that lets you just concentrate on framing and pressing the shutter button. A nice break when you just want to shoot and be confident that you are getting a great result. That last sentence cannot be said for the H35. You get what you get since there is nothing that changes since all the controls, focus, aperture, and shutter speed, are all fixed. With the C35 it will do its best to accommodate the given situation by adjusting accordingly on its own. I am not surprised. I have had a good run with Konica. The, “I still have it, and so weird only a Mom could love it.”, Konica AiBORG,…

…only had it for a minute Konica Hexar AF,…

Konica Hexar AF Silver — Nothing wrong with it. Just found it redundant with my Contax G1. No manner of justification gymnastics could overcome it.

…and the excellent Konica Hexar RF…

…are all very different cameras but all take excellent photos. Another one I recently added is the just as inexpensive, but much better looking and sporting a proper rangefinder Konica C35 Automatic.

With Pentax talking about making film cameras again I am wondering if anyone has Konica’s number? Can we get the band back together? I really like their older stuff. Anyhoo. Back to the task at hand.

The film of choice this day was Kentmere Pan 400, which was developed at home with Cinestill df96.

My mission was to stop by locations where I had said in the past, “I need to stop there and take some photos.” Here are my favorite captures from the roll.