Konica IIIa Review - A true Leica M3 alternative?

In today’s episode, I review the Konica IIIa, arguably one of the best fixed lens 35mm rangefinder cameras ever created. It was introduced in 1958 and positioned as a direct competitor to the Leica M3 released four years earlier. In contrast to the interchangeable lenses on the M3, the Konica IIIa was available with either a 50mm f/1.8 or 48mm f/2 fixed Hexanon lens which aimed to perform on par with the 50mm Summicron available back then. Thanks to its bright viewfinder with 1.0x magnification and parallax compensation as well as its excellent build quality and smooth mechanical operation, this camera is considered by many collectors and photographers to be outstanding - even from today’s perspective. I purchased the camera in great condition from a Japanese dealer for a premium of around 270 Euro. My credo is condition over price. So if you are a 50mm shooter and look for a rangefinder camera, the Konica IIIa is worth a very close look as it offers an even larger viewfinder magnification than the M3 and obviously costs significantly less. I took the camera with me on a trip to Berlin shooting some Ilford Delta 100. On the way back, I stopped in Dessau to take some photographs of the Bauhaus Master Houses. I also used it for some black and white street shots in my hometown Munich and some color shots with Kodak Gold 200 at a lake nearby. Find the Oberwerth Colorado strap here: https://oberwerth.com/?sca_ref=869298.iG5wCx9DzW Get 10% off on Oberwerth.com using the code ANALOGINSIGHTS during checkout. References: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Konica_(I),_II_and_III Films used: Ilford Delta 100 Kodak Gold 200 Gear used: Konica IIIa Hedeco Lime II Oberwerth Colorado If you enjoy our videos and like to follow us on Instagram, find us here: https://www.instagram.com/analog_insights

• #people_blogs
• #konica_iiia
• #konica_iiia
• #leica_m3_alternative
• #konica
• #konishiroku
• #35mm_rangefinder
• #film_photography
• #analog_photography