Gear & Software

Konica FC-1

The FC-1 is my third attempt at finding a usable Konica SLR. I share my thoughts on this camera in this review.

Dominik Marczuk

Jun 22, 2025 — 7 min read

I consider myself a bit unlucky when it comes to AR mount cameras. I love Konica lenses and I'm determined to use them on an analogue body. My first pick, the Autoreflex T3, was a fine camera, sturdy and full-featured. However, without a functioning light meter, it's not as enjoyable as it could otherwise be. The second SLR I bought was the FT-1 Motor, the last SLR made by Konica and presumably the greatest. Still, it irritated me in a few ways (weight, odd tripod thread placement) and required non-trivial repairs that I wasn't sure would last.

For a while, I considered the TC-X, built by Cosina. However, its limited shutter speed range put me off. It starts at 1/30", meaning that anything slower than that would require a remote shutter release cord. I don't think I can manually measure 1/15", 1/8", or even 1/4", so my options would be limited to half a second or slower.

All Autoreflex series cameras use 1.35 V batteries, so light meters will not work correctly in any of them, just like in my T3.

Finally, the FC-1 caught my eye. It was made between the FS-1 and FT-1 and shares many features with these cameras. The major difference is the lack of a motor drive, which I don't mind. The consensus is that out of all the electronically controlled cameras made by Konica, it's the second best, inferior only to the FT-1.

Features

Here's a short list of what the FC-1 features:

Completely made of plastic
AR lens mount
Film autoload system
Shutter priority automatic mode
Uses 4 LR44 batteries
Completely electronic (unusable without a battery)
10-second self-timer with a flashing LED, without a beep
Mediocre but usable ASA range: 25-1600
Shutter speeds 2" to 1/1000", plus bulb mode
Proprietary accessory port for connecting an electronic shutter release cord
PC port
Hot shoe with Konica-specific contacts
Plastic viewfinder cover
Fairly bright viewfinder
Split-prism and microdiaprism collar focusing aid
Light meter, activated by half-depressing the shutter button
Light meter display using red LEDs in the viewfinder, indicating the aperture matching the currently chosen shutter speed

Here's what it lacks:

A depth of field preview
Exposure lock
Exposure compensation
Multiple exposure capability

Price and Condition

The prices of the FC-1 range from $20 to around $100, depending on the condition. Mine, luckily, was in immaculate mint condition. It even came with the original lens mount cap, an accessory port cap, a PC port cap and an eyepiece cover. They're missing in the vast majority of online offers. There's no dirt, scratches or any signs of wear on the camera, and everything works as it should once the batteries are loaded. I spent around $80, which is fairly expensive for this model. However, the like-new condition justified the price.

Build Quality

Let's put things bluntly: the FC-1 feels cheap. Even among the plastic cameras I've used, this one is the lowest-perceived quality when inspected up close.

The fake leatherette surfaces give a bit when I press on them. Tapping my fingernail against the prism housing produces an unpleasant plasticky click. The top cover doesn't feel cold to the touch due to the plastic's poor heat conductivity. Every time I attach an L-bracket, I'm careful not to rip the tripod mount thread from the camera.

The cheap materials underwhelm me. Still, the camera doesn't look cheap, at least from a distance. The black body visually mimics metal quite well.

Film Loading

Film loading is a breeze. I've already written about the autoload system in the FT-1. The FC-1 features the same mechanism. It's the best there ever was, and it's no wonder other manufacturers started including it in their cameras.

After the film is loaded, the camera holds a surprise: the shutter won't actuate until the film is advanced to frame 1. This is so unexpected and unusual, I was under the impression that the film transport was broken. After the third cocking of the film advance lever, the camera started working fine. It's not a bug; it's a feature. It's clearly described in the manual and every online review I've read. The unusual behaviour caught me off guard, but I've grown to like it. I typically prefer to shoot frames 0 and 00, but my most-used films are all prone to light piping, making the first two frames unusable anyway.

Controls and Layout

The controls are laid out in a standard, intuitive way. The shutter button is in the middle of the shutter speed dial. It provides sufficient tactile feedback to distinguish between activating the light meter and taking a photograph, even when the shutter is cocked.

What I particularly like about the FC-1 is its little plastic viewfinder eyepiece cover. It would be better if it had a hole for tying a string to it, but provided I don't lose it (which I almost did after just one day using the camera), it'll do great covering the viewfinder while I take long exposure photos.

To be extra safe, I'll think about 3D-printing a spare viewfinder cover. I'll make sure to add a string loop or hole.

Use in the Field

The first thing I noticed about the FC-1 was a typical feature of Konica SLRs: the light meter shows the correct aperture, not the shutter speed. This is understandable since all Konica cameras that I'm familiar with have only shutter priority automation. However, I prefer to shoot in manual mode, set the aperture and be flexible with shutter speeds. The light meter readout is, therefore, unintuitive for me. When I set the aperture to f/8 and see the light meter show f/2.8, I need to pause and think. Which way should I turn the shutter speed dial? This is something one gets used to, but I primarily shoot aperture-priority cameras.

The other issue I have with the FC-1 is the lack of information in the viewfinder. I can't see the selected shutter speed or the aperture. Neither is required to take photos, but I prefer not to take my eye away from the viewfinder when I dial in the settings. While the shutter speed change immediately changes the light meter readout, changing the aperture does nothing. I've shot at the wrong aperture more than once, thinking it was dialled in correctly.

On the flip side, the camera's controls are buttery smooth. The shutter speed dial rotates with satisfying, silent clicks and can be operated in either direction with just one finger. It's also fully electronic, which means I can rotate it any way I want; 1/1000 is just one click away from B. The shutter cocking lever is also smooth and requires almost no force to operate.

The shutter, while producing a rather unpleasant sound when fired, gives the impression of being effortless. There's no perceivable shake or vibration, as if there were no moving parts inside the camera. This is probably due to good mirror dampening combined with a low weight.

I've found the light meter to be reliable. The photos are always perfectly exposed. As I've mentioned before, the aperture scale requires getting used to, but whenever the exposure settings are dialled in according to the readout, the exposure is consistently spot-on.

Overall Impression

The FC-1 is a great camera, there's no doubt about it. Its light meter is reliable, and the controls are a joy to use.

At the same time, the plasticky build, the lack of certain features (primarily the depth of field preview) and no in-viewfinder indication of current exposure settings are a definite pain. I'm also unsure about the longevity of the electronics in the camera. They've lasted 40 years; will they last much longer?

I cannot love the FC-1, as it has too many flaws that influence the user experience and my confidence in the camera's longevity. Still, given its perfect condition, I consider it a step up from my FT-1, and likely the best AR mount camera money can buy. For this reason, I'll keep using it.