phongn wrote:If you have any information it'd be great.
The Konica is a press rangefinder in 6x7 format. Weight is probably about 4 pounds, which is okay for handholding but demands a neck strap for carry-around; fortunately there are places to attach one. There are five lenses, all with leaf shutters: 58/5.6 and a 60/5.6, 90/3.5, 135/3.5, and 180/4.5. The limited lens option probably have something to do with it being a press camera, but they are good lenses. The Konicas were beloved by wedding photographers up until the advent of digital, partly for this.
If you go after a Koni it is worthwhile to get a pro version like the Rapid M or Omega 200, because the film backs for those accept magazines. Changing a roll on the standard back takes a little while and seems like it would be awkward in the field. If you don't think you'll take more than one roll (10 shots) on an outing, or don't mind a slow roll change, the Rapid and Omega 100 are basically identical otherwise.
Cost varies, but there is a Rapid M with the 90mm and one magazine at $200 on Ebay. You could also look into the Konica Omegaflex-M, which is a 6x7 TLR.
There are about a zillion old 4x5 press cameras out there, which keeps the cost down. A lot of them are Graflexes, of which there are plenty of different models. Mine is a Speed Graphic, so named because in addition to lens shutters it has a huge focal plane shutter which can go up to 1/1000 sec. The Crown Graphic lacks the focal plane shutter and is lighter, and some who use Speeds have removed that shutter as well. Keeping the shutter lets you use barrel lenses though, or old lenses on slow shutters.
The press cameras aren't excellent as poor man's view cameras, because movements are limited and most don't have rotating backs. The Busch Pressman does, and the Super Graphic does, but I think few others do. They were meant to be handheld cameras, after all.
The Speed has a wire, optical, and rangefinding (synchronized) viewfinder, besides the ground glass and scale focusing. It can change out lenses, and if you can find the cams for it (not too difficult, I hear), you can re-synch the rangefinder to most lenses. There are also little infinity stops for the bed rails; you can place a couple of sets for your most commonly-used lenses and fold the ones you don't need out of the way without having to remove them. The bed drops for wide-angle lenses as well.
The twin shutters are controlled by a selector switch on the body and one trigger can release both of them, in most cases. My grandfather updated his Graphic with a Schneider-Kreuznach 150/5.6 in a Copal No. 0 shutter, and the Graphic's lens shutter arm is about 1 mm too short to reach the Copal's release.
There is a 6-sheet magazine for the Graflok back, the Grafmatic I believe it's called, which is much better and faster for handheld then using individual two-sheet holders. For tripod work, the holders are fast enough. Since the Graflok back is something of a standard, there are rollfilm and Polaroid options for it as well.
The camera is not the most comfortable in the world to hold as-is (there are a
variety of techniques), but with the wrist strap lugs (and screws) on the left and the flash handle mount on the right, there is ample provision for mounting
grips.
The Graphics are easy to screw up with until you get used to them, because there are plenty of things to forget to do, starting with leaving in the dark slide. But they are fine cameras nevertheless, and have aged gracefully.
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