Found old cameras and lenses, looking for opinions

[MattKing]

Is the autoreflex T or the autoreflex t3 the better option?
Also: What steps are needed to deal with the battery issue?

The T3 is newer and has a couple of nice improvements on it, but if they both are in good condition, they will give similar results.
@Paul Howell 's suggestion about the batteries works - he is probably referring to Wein cells designed for the purpose.
There are a couple of other approaches to buying adapters and appropriate to those adapters that work together as a solution. One gives relatively short battery life with smaller hearing aid batteries, but the prices of those adapters and batteries are low. The higher priced adapters can be used with more expensive but much longer life silver oxide batteries. I have and have used both.
Some cameras can also be modified by repair technicians to take silver oxide batteries directly. If you should decide to have the cameras serviced, it would be worthwhile to ask about that.
IIRC, both cameras will work fine without batteries if you are prepared to use a separate hand meter and set exposure manually.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have both, the T3 has a few additional features, as the first generation AR mount body T is a bit more basic. The T3, many came with a split image screen and mirror lock up. Both flash sync at 1/125th. I recall if there were any differences in the built in meter. My T3 has a built in hot shoe while the Ts I have a add on shoe, not a hot shoe. Other than using hearing aid batteries you might find a repair tech who can adjust the meter for a modern battery. I just use hearing aid batteries, they 625 fit without an adaptor. The Konica branded lens are some of best glass I have ever used.

Here is a link to the manual for the T, the same site has the T3 as well.

https://cameramanuals.org/konica/konica_autoreflex_t_ver-1.pdf

 

[FoundCameraFromDad]

The T3 is newer and has a couple of nice improvements on it, but if they both are in good condition, they will give similar results.
@Paul Howell 's suggestion about the batteries works - he is probably referring to Wein cells designed for the purpose.
There are a couple of other approaches to buying adapters and appropriate to those adapters that work together as a solution. One gives relatively short battery life with smaller hearing aid batteries, but the prices of those adapters and batteries are low. The higher priced adapters can be used with more expensive but much longer life silver oxide batteries. I have and have used both.
Some cameras can also be modified by repair technicians to take silver oxide batteries directly. If you should decide to have the cameras serviced, it would be worthwhile to ask about that.
IIRC, both cameras will work fine without batteries if you are prepared to use a separate hand meter and set exposure manually.

That makes sense, thanks. So it probably would be best if I just put in two LR44 batteries in and just set exposure manually? Then the cameras would work fine? Sorry if I‘m a bit slow, just getting into this. Thank you in advance

 

[FoundCameraFromDad]

I have both, the T3 has a few additional features, as the first generation AR mount body T is a bit more basic. The T3, many came with a split image screen and mirror lock up. Both flash sync at 1/125th. I recall if there were any differences in the built in meter. My T3 has a built in hot shoe while the Ts I have a add on shoe, not a hot shoe. Other than using hearing aid batteries you might find a repair tech who can adjust the meter for a modern battery. I just use hearing aid batteries, they 625 fit without an adaptor. The Konica branded lens are some of best glass I have ever used.

Here is a link to the manual for the T, the same site has the T3 as well.

https://cameramanuals.org/konica/konica_autoreflex_t_ver-1.pdf

Did you mean hearing aid 675 batteries? And with those batteries the meter would work (eg not break)?

 

[Paul Howell]

Yep hearing aid batteries, that all I use in my Konicas. I have an adaptor for my Minolta 101 and 202, but the 625 hearing aid battery fits the Konica just fine. My Konica meters match my Gossan SCB meter within a 1/2 stop.

 

[FoundCameraFromDad]

Yep hearing aid batteries, that all I use in my Konicas. I have an adaptor for my Minolta 101 and 202, but the 625 hearing aid battery fits the Konica just fine. My Konica meters match my Gossan SCB meter within a 1/2 stop.

View attachment 394066

Wow thats cool, I‘ll order some of those.

 

[MattKing]

Yep hearing aid batteries, that all I use in my Konicas. I have an adaptor for my Minolta 101 and 202, but the 625 hearing aid battery fits the Konica just fine. My Konica meters match my Gossan SCB meter within a 1/2 stop.

View attachment 394066

@Paul Howell - those are the smaller 675 batteries.
They work with either:
a) an o-ring or something else that keeps them centred in the larger 625 battery compartment, or
b) one of those purpose made adapters that does the same thing.
The adapters - or some very carefully cut and positioned aluminum foil - ensure that you can use the small number of cameras that rely on making electrical contact with the edges of the battery - most only require that the two faces of the battery are contacted.
If you haven't done anything to make sure the 675 battery stays where it should be in the middle of the battery compartment, it may be that you have not had problems with your Konica cameras because the "spring" tension on the connectors is strong enough to hold the battery stationery. That isn't the case with every camera.

That makes sense, thanks. So it probably would be best if I just put in two LR44 batteries in and just set exposure manually? Then the cameras would work fine? Sorry if I‘m a bit slow, just getting into this. Thank you in advance

You don't have to put any batteries to make the Konica Autoreflex cameras work. You just need to set the camera settings manually. The batteries just power the meter.
That is not the case with the Canon or the Olympus cameras - they need batteries to function at all.
I suspect the Minolta will require batteries to function.

 

[Paul Howell]

@Paul Howell - those are the smaller 675 batteries.
They work with either:
a) an o-ring or something else that keeps them centred in the larger 625 battery compartment, or

In my early post I stated 625, the correct battery is 675, my mistake. The Konica T cameras used 675 no adaptor ring is needed. I do use an adaptor when I use 675 batteries in my Minolta 101 and 102, Petri. Topcon Uni 100 also takes 675.

 

[FoundCameraFromDad]

@Paul Howell - those are the smaller 675 batteries.
They work with either:
a) an o-ring or something else that keeps them centred in the larger 625 battery compartment, or
b) one of those purpose made adapters that does the same thing.
The adapters - or some very carefully cut and positioned aluminum foil - ensure that you can use the small number of cameras that rely on making electrical contact with the edges of the battery - most only require that the two faces of the battery are contacted.
If you haven't done anything to make sure the 675 battery stays where it should be in the middle of the battery compartment, it may be that you have not had problems with your Konica cameras because the "spring" tension on the connectors is strong enough to hold the battery stationery. That isn't the case with every camera.



You don't have to put any batteries to make the Konica Autoreflex cameras work. You just need to set the camera settings manually. The batteries just power the meter.
That is not the case with the Canon or the Olympus cameras - they need batteries to function at all.
I suspect the Minolta will require batteries to function.

Well that is actually so cool. A completely 100% manual camera.

And thank you on the explanation with the aluminum foil, I will do that once my batteries arrive. Thank you very much

 

[FoundCameraFromDad]

@Paul Howell - those are the smaller 675 batteries.
They work with either:
a) an o-ring or something else that keeps them centred in the larger 625 battery compartment, or

In my early post I stated 625, the correct battery is 675, my mistake. The Konica T cameras used 675 no adaptor ring is needed. I do use an adaptor when I use 675 batteries in my Minolta 101 and 102, Petri. Topcon Uni 100 also takes 675.

Thank you, Then my battery probably will fit either way.

 

[MattKing]

Well that is actually so cool. A completely 100% manual camera.

This makes me smile.
If you think that is "cool", I think you will find lots of "cool" people here on Photrio.
Because lots of us have either a lot of "cool" completely manual film cameras, or we have no film cameras that aren't completely manual.
In my case, and currently, I can think of 5 of my film cameras as being completely manual, and 5-7 of my film cameras as offering various degrees of automation.
The uncertainty arises because those numbers are always prone to change ......

 

[MattKing]

@Paul Howell - those are the smaller 675 batteries.
They work with either:
a) an o-ring or something else that keeps them centred in the larger 625 battery compartment, or

In my early post I stated 625, the correct battery is 675, my mistake. The Konica T cameras used 675 no adaptor ring is needed. I do use an adaptor when I use 675 batteries in my Minolta 101 and 102, Petri. Topcon Uni 100 also takes 675.

I'm surprised at this Paul.
My recollection is fuzzy about when the cameras were current, but I think I remember that the Autoreflex line took the then most common larger PX-13/625 batteries and the information I can find now says the same.
Is their any chance that your cameras have been modified?