Fujica V2
The Fujica V2 is a 35mm rangefinder from the mid-1960s. It was sold as a cost-effective way to get automatic exposure without the bulk of an SLR. It came out in 1964 or 1965 depending on the source, with an original price of $99.50 - roughly $875 in today's money. The body is compact, only a fraction wider than a Konica Auto S2, and the build is well finished.
The V2 pairs a sharp 45mm f/1.8 Fujinon lens with a coupled CdS light meter. The meter drives a shutter-priority automatic exposure system that Fuji called "Broad Band," covering an exposure range of LV 2 to LV 18. Shutter speeds run from 1 to 1/500 seconds plus bulb, with ISO settings from 25 to 400. Focusing is done with a thumbwheel on the back of the body rather than a conventional lens ring. The meter takes a single 625 battery.
Surviving examples are often described as clean and functional, with the viewfinder clear and the film compartment free of damage. Retrospekt (a period camera dealer) notes the V2's automatic exposure system and its manual focus via the rear thumbwheel. Collectors who have handled the camera call it a "super sharp shooter." At least one documented example received a full CLA by Mark Hama in 2018 at a cost of $200. Sold prices tracked by CameraWorth cluster around £70 (median), with only a single sale recorded.
- Type: 35mm rangefinder, shutter-priority auto exposure
- Lens: 45mm f/1.8 Fujinon
- Shutter: 1–1/500 sec + bulb
- ISO: 25–400
- Meter: Coupled CdS, average reading, "Broad Band" system
- Focus: Manual, thumbwheel on camera back
- Battery: 1× 625
- Original price: $99.50
Documentation on the V2 is thin beyond these basics. No production totals, filter thread size, or viewfinder magnification figures have surfaced. The name appears as both "V2" and "V-2" in period manuals and dealer listings, with no consensus on which is canonical.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.