Konica C35 EF

The lens is four elements, the same Hexanon design used across the C35 line. Focus is preset zones on the barrel, 1m, 1.5m, 3m and infinity, with the selected zone showing in the finder and a feet and meters scale on the barrel itself. Metering is CdS and the exposure is programmed, no manual override, locked on a half press, with the chosen aperture visible in the finder. Film speed goes on a ribbed dial around the lens, ISO 25 to 400. The flash releases on a slide switch at the front right and picks its own aperture from the metered light and the focus zone, guide number 14 at ISO 100, five to seven seconds to recycle. Two AA cells run the flash. A PX675 mercury cell runs the meter, so plan on a 1.5V substitute and the exposure shift that brings.

At 342g and 129 by 79 by 53mm it is bulky next to a later plastic compact but not heavy in the hand, and the body is metal and plastic together. Loading, advance and rewind are all by hand. It punishes a wrong zone guess, so it rewards a moment of thought before the shutter.

Andy Warhol shot with one.