Konica Autoreflex T and Autoreflex FTA (1968–1970)
A 740-gram slab of metal that brought full auto exposure to the SLR, metered through the lens.
Overview
The Konica Autoreflex T weighs 740 grams, and the body measures 150×95×45 mm. It was built to be used daily for decades, and owners did exactly that. It was introduced in 1968 at a list price of $199.95 with the 57mm f/1.4 Hexanon. It was the first focal-plane-shutter 35mm SLR to combine auto-exposure with through-the-lens metering in a single body. Collectors point to it as the camera where Konica got serious.
The T and its Japanese-market twin, the FTA, represented what the German sources call the "final form" of the Konica AR bayonet mount, a lens system that had been evolving since 1965. The earlier Auto-Reflex of 1966 had automatic exposure, but it used non-TTL metering and could switch between full-frame and half-frame shooting. The Autoreflex T was more focused: a straightforward, professional-grade body built around the AR mount's 47 mm diameter and 40.5 mm flange focal distance. In Germany, the same camera was sold under the Revue name as the Autoreflex TTL, a badge-engineered version that broadened its reach across European camera counters.
Konishiroku had been building toward this. The Konica F of 1960 had a 1/2000 s shutter, the fastest of its time, but the company's SLR efforts through the early 1960s remained scattered. The Autoreflex T changed that. It was the big hit, and it set the template every later Autoreflex model followed through the series' run from 1965 to 1988.
Key Features
Shutter-Priority Automation, the Konica Way
Konica chose shutter-priority automation for its first TTL auto-exposure SLR. You select the shutter speed, and the meter reads the light through the lens and sets the aperture. That suits photographers who care about motion control: freeze the action, then let the camera handle the rest. The two CdS cells provide TTL full-aperture center-weighted metering, and the center-weighted area adjusts as you change lens focal length. The meter's range spans EV1.5 to EV18 at ASA 100, from dim interiors to bright daylight. You can also switch to fully manual operation, and a stopped-down metering mode handles non-AR lenses and bellows work.
The Copal Square-S Metal Shutter
The Autoreflex T uses a vertically-traveling metal focal-plane shutter from Copal, the Square-S. The same mechanical design served the entire Autoreflex line for years. It runs from 1 second to 1/1000 s plus bulb, and the 1/1000 s speed was there from the start on all T models. Electronic flash syncs at 1/125 s, which was respectable for the era. The shutter is fully mechanical, and the battery powers only the meter. If the battery dies, the shutter keeps working at every speed, which is handy now that mercury cells are unobtainium. The self-timer runs 4-10 seconds and pre-lifts the mirror during its countdown, which helps cut vibration on long exposures.
Viewfinder Information and Battery Check
The viewfinder covers 92% of the frame at 0.78X magnification. A central microprism handles focusing, and the meter display shows shutter speed, an aperture indicator, and a battery check indicator. A battery check button on the body lets you verify power before a shoot. Press it, and the meter needle must swing into the red zone to confirm the two PX675 1.35-volt cells are healthy. Modern owners report that LR44 or SR44 1.5-volt batteries work as substitutes, though the metering may shift slightly with the voltage difference. The film wind is a single-action top lever with 162 degrees of throw plus 30 degrees of play, and double exposure prevention is built in. Film loading uses Konica's EL-type system with the patented Konireel spool.
The AR Bayonet and Its Lenses
The AR mount was introduced in 1965 with a 47 mm diameter and a short 40.5 mm flange focal distance. That short distance makes adapting AR lenses to other bodies difficult, but it means AR bodies can more easily accept lenses from other mounts. When the T arrived, Konica offered two fast primes: the Hexanon 57mm f/1.2 standard lens and the Hexanon 85mm f/1.8 telephoto. Both were produced until 1987. Lenses marked AE or EE indicate shutter-priority support, with EE-marked versions generally being earlier. A budget line branded Hexar, including 28mm f/3.5, 135mm f/3.5, and 200mm f/4 options, was made by other manufacturers and is generally considered inferior to the Hexanon glass.
Removable Hot Shoe and Flash Options
The hot shoe atop the pentaprism is removable, which suited photographers who preferred off-camera flash or wanted a lower profile. Flash support covers X electronic flash synced at 1/125 s and M flash usable at all shutter speeds, both connecting via sync cable. The depth-of-field preview button sits next to the self-timer. A shutter lock beneath the release button doubles as the meter switch, and turning it to Lock cuts power to the meter and prevents accidental exposures.
Historical Context
Konica's 135 SLR era from 1960 to 1965 was built around the first-generation Konica F mount, with the Konica F's 1/2000 s shutter as the highlight. In 1966, Konica introduced the second-generation AR mount with the Auto-Reflex (sold in Japan as the Autorex), which claimed the title of Japan's first shutter-priority auto-exposure camera. It used non-TTL metering and could shoot full-frame or half-frame. The Autoreflex T and FTA, produced from 1968 to 1970, sat in the series chronology between the stripped-down Auto-Reflex P (1966-1968) and the Autoreflex A (1968-1971), a simplified T lacking the self-timer and depth-of-field preview. The T held the line until 1970, when the improved Autoreflex T2 arrived. It kept the same body labeling and dimensions but moved the meter switch beneath the shutter button and shed some weight.
In Japan, the camera was sold as the FTA, while German buyers found it as the Revue Autoreflex TTL. Popular Photography (June 1974) later described its successor, the Autoreflex T3, as taking "its place among the top advanced amateur-to-professional cameras of our time." Owners describe the body as solid, dependable, and refined, and examples remain in use today. The T2, which shares the T's body, feels "very solid and heavy in the hand" according to sources, and that applies equally to the original.
Konica's AR mount and its Hexanon lenses earned an excellent reputation, and the fast 57mm f/1.2 and 85mm f/1.8 remain well regarded among vintage glass enthusiasts. The series continued through the Autoreflex A, T2, T3, TC, T4, and finally the TC-X of 1985-1988. The T proved Konica could compete with the established SLR makers, and its shutter-priority approach set it apart from the aperture-priority competition. The metal body came in black and silver finishes.
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No exact Konica Autoreflex T and Autoreflex FTA listings are live right now — these searches show current Konica and similar vintage camera gear on eBay:
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