Glad I found your channel, so refreshing compared to the rest of KZfaq’s analogue photography ecosystem. 🍻

I enjoyed the history. I have an Omega 4x5 enlarger. I can see why the camera was popular for wedding photographers. Fast reloads, big negative to 4x5 & 8x10 proportions, ergonomic, big rangefinder for fast focus. I used a C330 and a 500c plus a Rolleiflex but the big 6x7 seems ideal. What a tank too! Thanks for posting this.

Wir haben definitiv den besten Bundeskanzler ever, jetzt reviewt der auch noch Kameras! Find ich mega gut, weiter so!

Another interesting camera that I had never heard of. Well done, and I notice that you have passed your first thousand subscribers. Congratulations...richly deserved.

My dad was a commercial photographer and the Koni was one of his favorites. He primarily used it to take pictures of weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. After he passed away I sold it. The store that bought his equipment paid pennies on the dollar. At that time digital photography was taking off and no one was interested in large format film cameras that were heavily used.

I bought one of these for the same reason you did, and have grown to love it already after just 6 or so rolls of film. Man oh man is it heavy! But worth the work-out

Always nice to see a video on one of my favorite cameras. I'll offer a few comments to clarify or add missing information, which may be useful if you are considering buying into the system. 1. They were very heavily used professionally, so while there are units on eBay, you must take care to get one in good working order. There is one guy in the Midwest who has worked on these for years, but he must be facing retirement. The only part which ever needs repair are the film backs, and they are far more complex and hard to work on than you would imagine. (See YT video on that repair.) 2. The very first model is the one he shows here. It is not the one you should buy if you are going into the system. Its film back is unique and not interchangeable with later models. It does not allow use of film magazines. The film back which replaced it works in all later models, both magazine or not, whether made by Konica or Mamiya. This first model uses most of the accessories and all the lenses. 3. Konica made the camera through 1972, then sold all tools, dies and manufacturing rights to Mamiya, effectively getting out of medium format. Konica made the lenses. There is some unresolved question whether the lenses labelled and sold by Mamiya for their "Rapid Omega" models were made by them or rebadged Konica-made lenses. 4. The lenses for the system are unique, in that no other lens makers provided lenses to fit the system. Konica initially made three lenses: (1) a 6-element 60mm, copied from the Schneider Angulon, (2) a 4-element 90mm copied from the Zeiss Tessar, and (3) a 180mm, copied from the Schneider Tele-Xenar, or something similar. Later, Konica discontinued the 6-element 60mm and replaced it with an 8-element 58mm based on the Super Angulon. Still later, Konica added a 135mm based in the Zeiss Tele-Sonnar. This last lens is both rare and expensive compared to the others. One way to trace the age of a body is to examine the depth of field scales on the rangefinder, as only the later Konis have a 135mm lens scale. All of these lenses are superb performers by today's standards. 5. Accessories, some common and some very rare, include 2 ranges of close-up lenses with rangefinder adapting lenses to match. (Just like a modern Mamiya 7.) A light shielding eyecup-rare. Several parts to couple old Graflex-type flash units to the right side of the body - common, as they go unused. A ground glass back which replaced the film back to focus with various close-up spacers which fit between body and lens, which are not rangefinder coupled. (Hen's teeth rare.) A custom-fitted hard case to hold the whole system. (See ground glass back rare). 6. If you review the manual for the Koni Rapid M, you will discover a list of small convenience features, which include colored flag-type indicators to read out status of shutter cock, film advance, and a now-obsolete system for setting proper exposure for flash guns of various light outputs. The film back used on later models incorporates a dark slide which stores in a slot in the back. Be sure a back you buy has its slide. This used to be a very inexpensive MF system to acquire, but prices today are 2x - 3x what I paid for mine in the mid-1980s and going up every year.

I used one in the Navy in the early 80s.

Great video, I'd heard about this camera but I never knew it's background. Many thanks for a well researched and informative presentation!

These were very popular with wedding photographers. They were are fast to use snd had multiple backs that could be loaded ahead of time. There is also a slot in the back to stowe the dark slide.

Really cool seeing this! I owned this camera in 1983 when I was in junior high. Used it for yearbook sports photography briefly. The push-pull film advance on mine was unreliable and often gave me overlapping frames. Definitely an unusual camera and so charming that you chose to review one. Loved your photos, especially the B&W ones. One thing you didn’t mention is that it is an interchangeable lens camera. The built-in knob controlled darkslide is rather novel and makes a weird clacking sound when you close it to protect the film before you unmount the lens. Anyway, great video and looking forward to many more!

Fascinating and thought provoking, as always! We really enjoy your posts. Thank you!

Great stuff! Loved the detailed run down on the history of the camera! You also got some great photos in Astoria!

Another great video!

I've got a Rapid M that I bought a long time ago for $100. Still have it but never use it. When I did use it, the images were very sharp.

Great stuff!

The Mamiya Press cameras are quite similar (if a little bigger). I have a Super 23 version with both 6x7 and 6x9 backs and find it really nice to use. The Super 23 also has some built in movements, but requires that you use a ground glass back to make the most of that function.

The Simmon Omega 120 you mentioned is also a great camera if you can find one in decent condition. They are pretty simple to fix if you are handy too. Much lighter than the Koni Omega 120, has a killer Tessar design lens with great bokeh and just as oddball looking.

I have a Rapid M that's been sitting in a box for over a decade. Maybe it's time to let it out for a ramble.

You are in near me! Do you have any suggestions on where to get the back serviced? Thanks!

I’ve been rehabbing a Rapid M slowly, I believe both my lenses are working now, but the film magazine is having spacing issues now lol