Konica Autoreflex A3 (1973–c. 1976)

The Konica Autoreflex A3 came out in 1973 as the budget sibling to the Autoreflex T3. It's a 35mm TTL-metering SLR with aperture-priority automatic exposure and full manual control. It's a straightforward, dependable body, and it shares the AR lens mount with the rest of Konica's Autoreflex line. The standard kit lens was the Hexanon 50mm f/1.7.

Shutter speeds run from 1 second to 1/1000. The camera takes standard 35mm cassettes and produces 24×36mm frames. Power came from two 1.35-volt mercury batteries, which go in a compartment on the bottom of the body. That was the usual mercury-cell arrangement of the era, so anyone shooting one today will need a substitute or an adapter.

Documentation on the A3 is thinner than on its more famous relatives. The original manual survives and is plain about the camera's intended role. It describes the A3 as combining "the fast-handling precision of a professional single lens reflex with the advantages of fully automatic, thru-the-lens exposure control." Flickr collectors note that the A3 was Konica's budget version of the T3, and it appears to have been sold from roughly 1973 to 1976. The lens mount is Konica's bayonet II type, with a 47mm diameter and 40.5mm flange-to-film distance.

Period press reaction is what's scarce. High Fidelity-era camera reviews of the A3 are hard to come by, and no substantial critical assessment from the major photo magazines has surfaced in the archive. The record does show that the A3 was marketed as a reliable, trouble-free camera. The manual itself recommends shooting a test roll before trusting it with important work, which is sensible advice for any camera of this vintage.

Known specifications:

Type: 35mm SLR, TTL metering, aperture-priority AE or manual exposure
Lens mount: Konica bayonet II (47mm diameter, 40.5mm flange distance)
Standard lens: Konica Hexanon 50mm f/1.7 AR
Shutter: 1 sec to 1/1000
Film: Standard 35mm cassettes, 24×36mm format
Battery: Two 1.35V mercury cells

Used examples appear from time to time. One UK listing showed an A3 with the 50mm f/1.7 at £79, and a MercadoLibre listing asked $2,500 (currency unspecified, likely pesos).