Any Koni Omega users?

[Zardoz17]

I have the Koni Rapid Omega 100 and Koni Omega Rapid, love these 6x7 cameras. Here are a few pics:







First three shots with the Koni Rapid Omega 100 and 90mm Super Omegon lens and last two are with the Koni Omega Rapid and Hexanon 60mm (wide)
lens. All scans done on an Epson 4490.

pics of the cameras:




Bill

[SensorDust]

Where do you get one. I had looked in Flea-bay but haven't been lucky. I do have an RB-67 but it is not as pretty as the Koni.

[Zardoz17]

Originally Posted by SensorDust

Where do you get one. I had looked in Flea-bay but haven't been lucky. I do have an RB-67 but it is not as pretty as the Koni.

I was lucky to get both of these cameras off the 'bay and were both shooters
with no issues. The all-black Rapid Omega 100 was $169 and the Omega
Rapid with wide lens and VF was only $136. I got an Auto Up Nr 1 which I
used on the first pic above, for only $27 (they sometimes go for $145 on
the bay):


gives the camera "The Bono Look" according to a friend, but is great for
portraits and no loss in IQ, another shot of the gentleman in the first post:



I got the Tele-Omegon 180mm (which was the lens used in the BW shot above, not the Super Omegon 90) for only $69:

this lens is great for parades, games, etc, where you are removed far enough
from the subject as close focusing is 12ft or 4 meters. All three lenses are
well made and sharp performers. Going to be shooting some more Provia 100F
very soon:





This is expired Provia from 2006, using the Super Omegon 90.

I hope you find one of these, as they are well worth the effort.

Bill

[Mike1234]

Originally Posted by SensorDust

Where do you get one. I had looked in Flea-bay but haven't been lucky. I do have an RB-67 but it is not as pretty as the Koni.

I have four K-O's I need to sell because I need the cash. I also have several lenses include a really nice example of the very rare 135mm. I have tons of backs and miscellany. PM if anyone's interested.

BTW, I owned an RB setup and I consider it a great-looking system. The K-O's do have an eye-catching appeal though. We just don't see any in use which is a shame becasue they're extremely reliable and have top-notch optics.

[Ed Shapiro]

Hi Gang!
Well I had the very first incarnation of the OMEGA camera which was made in the Unites States by Simmon Brothers, the makers of the famous Omega enlargers and view cameras. This was a big heavy thing that I categorized as one of the "don't drop this camera on your foot" type of equipment. I gave me 9 exposures in a roll of 120 film. It was years later that the Konica folks in Japan streamlined the design and began to produce the Koin-Omega series of cameras.

I had two of the Koni models as the were, at that time, the workhorse of the wedding photography industry. The had the ideal format 10 exposure format. Its popularity stemmed from some of its unique features such as the push/pull rapid advance lever which also cocked the shutter. Many of its competitors had problems with their film backs in that their design was such that the did not keep the film as flat as it should be for all over sharpness. If the pressure plate were tensioned more, scratches would result. The Konis had a retractable pressure plate which loosened while the film was being transported and tightened when the frame was in place and ready to shoot. The lenses were very sharp- my models had the Hexinon lenses.

If anyone wants one, I spotted a nice one at The Camera Trading Company, here in Ottawa, Canada. The are used camera specialists and a prefered Ebay agent as to their guarantees and reliability. They can be reached at (613) 231-4770- ask for Tom or Mark and tell them Ed Shapiro sent you.

I did have a Koni-Omegaflex but it was a love hate relationship that did not last too long. The thing had good glass and a nice format but it was probably the most awkward and unwieldy camera in the world- I'll save that one for another post if anyone is interested.

Ed