Why You Should Buy a Konica Auto S2The Konica Auto S2 is perhaps the best Fixed Lens Manual Focus Auto Exposure rangefinder.Reviewers have noticed the unusual sharpness of its Hexanon 45/1.8 lens,but failed to appreciate the exclusive innovations this camera has,beyond the other high end features of other high end rangefinders.*What sets this camera above the others in its league is its unique viewfinder.Buy a Konica Auto S2 whose viewfinder has not been cleaned,and you have no Konica Auto S2.*In rangefinder cameras, the limits of the final imageare not the same as those being shown at the viewing window.The closer and closer is the subject, the bigger and bigger is the gap, called “parallax”.That's the issue the Konica Auto S2 technology has solved in placeof other fixed lens rangefinders.*Since the birth of the Leica 35mm rangefinder, rangefinder primacy on the markethas been decided by the viewfinder technology, in its different aspects.That's how Zeiss Contaxes prevailed over Leicas between 1936and 1954, and Leica M3 with its advanced clear viewfinder,and its other viewfinder innovations, made Zeiss Contax to end manufacture by 1961.As Leica in its league, Konica too has put the viewfinder technologyon the forefront of its edge over Fixed Lens Manual Focus Auto Exposure rangefinders.*Instead of the Konica unique viewfinder technology,the other rangefinders have a fixed frame line, the "bright line", showing the limitsfor far away subjects, but not accurate at all for near subjects,the most common for photographers.For near subjectsthe other rangefinders display two very short and fixed lines,with which the photographer is supposed to project in his/her mindthe real image limits.This obsolete way of 'parallax compensation' is the causeof those pictures in which people heads are chopped off.*With the Konica Auto s2 marvelous viewfinder,you have a single bright lines frame,changing size and place automatically,alongside the photographer focusing action.What you see in the viewfinder is what you get in the negative.*There is another exclusive innovation in the Konica Auto S2 viewfinder.It is a yellow strip scale with black numbers, continuously showing the specificlens aperture according to the lighting conditions. Yet numbered scales inthe viewfinder is common feature to all Fixed Lens Manual Focus Auto Exposure rangefinders.What is exclusive in the Konica Auto S2 is the features of its scale.In order to detect it, the photographer needs to peer with the eye upwards. Otherwise,the scale cannot be seen, and a perfectly clean image is delivered,which is a highly desirable feature for the most professional photogs,desiring to be not distracted from the subject composition*This exclusive Konica feature is very much ignored nowadays,because the yellow scale in almost all Konicas is mostly dirty,therefore of little help, if at all, and usually unseen,unless the camera is professionally cleaned by a Konica knowledgeable technician.Not pleased enough with these features, the Konica viewfinder is perhapsthe biggest one among Fixed Lens Manual Focus Auto Exposure rangefinder.The size of the Konica Auto S2 yellow patch is more than generous,but remains hard to see in those Konicas whose viewfinder...(yeap, those who have not been cleande)*The Konica Auto S2 is the only rangefinder up to dayin which an additional exposure is available outside the viewfinder.It is located on the top casting of the camera, enabling a myriad of additionalcamera manipulations, without the need to raise the camera to eye level.*No need to mention the Konica Auto S2 can workwithout batteries or in Manual Exposure.But an exclusive feature is that in Manual mode the Konica's exposurescale continues to work, providing the reference for manual control,and exposure compensation.*It shouldn't be mentioned, but a confused user with an non-serviced camera iswriting in his reviews the Konica Auto S2 "feels very woobly".Any Konica user, either with a clean or un clean viewfinder,knows this is untrue. Other stories about "whale oil" shouldbe left to the Jurassic world as well.*The size and weight of the Konica Auto S2 is very helpfulfor achieving a steady hold of the camera, a steadiness that lighter andsmaller cameras can only envy.This built in steadiness means camera low light capability,and is further supported by the ultra-quiet non-vibration Copal shutter.This is leaf shutter, the absolute quietest type among all.*Thus, the Konica Auto S2 is a classic camera for conspicuous shooting,and for shooting in places where silence is required*For many photogs the raison d'etre of the rangefinder camerais its size and weight. They will not feel comfortable with a Leica or a Contax.But those seeking quiet and smooth action, alongside accurateexisting light, low light, capability,will find the Konica Auto S2 matching expectations.The Konica Auto S2 is a precision camera amongthe Fixed Lens Manual Focus Auto Exposure rangefinders.*As for the lens, the legendary Hexanon 45/1.8,it will be enough to remind Konica's advertizing slogan at the time:"Just the lens is worth the price"