Konica TC-X1976

History

Konica's Autoreflex line had, by 1973, produced the well-regarded T3 - a solid, heavy (800 g), somewhat expensive body. The TC (1976) was a deliberate response to the growing compact SLR segment exemplified by the Olympus OM-1 (1972) and Pentax MX (1976): a smaller, lighter, cheaper body that preserved the core AR-mount compatibility and shutter-priority AE.

The key cost reductions from the T3 to the TC were the horizontal cloth shutter (mechanically simpler than the vertical metal unit) and reduced body trim. The result weighed roughly 15-20% less than the T3 and retailed at a lower price point. The TC sold alongside the T3 for a period, serving a different buyer: the student, the second-body user, or the customer for whom the T3 was too expensive.

Production ran until 1982. The TC was succeeded in the Konica lineup by the FS-1 (1979, first SLR with built-in motor winder) and eventually the FT-1 (1983) for the enthusiast tier and the TC-X (1985, polycarbonate final body) for the budget tier.

Why It Matters

The TC (or TC-X in some markets) is the cheapest and lightest entry point into the Konica AR system for a camera with working shutter-priority AE. In 2026, bodies sell for USD 40-120 depending on condition - often substantially less than comparable Olympus OM-1 or Pentax MX bodies in the same condition tier.

The value proposition is the lens system. The Hexanon AR lens range - particularly the 50mm f/1.7 and the unusual 40mm f/1.8 pancake - is widely regarded by testers as optically competitive with contemporary Nikkors and Canon FD glass. A TC body with a 50/1.7 Hexanon delivers results comparable to a Nikon FM with a 50/1.4 Nikkor at a fraction of the combined cost.

The trade-off is the cloth shutter (ceiling of 1/1000s, 1/125s flash sync, susceptible to holes), the lack of mechanical fallback, and the smaller service ecosystem for AR-mount cameras.

Lenses & Accessories

Full Konica AR mount. All Hexanon AR lenses couple for shutter-priority AE. Notable lenses:

• Hexanon AR 40mm f/1.8 - pancake prime, the system's most distinctive lens
• Hexanon AR 50mm f/1.7 - standard kit lens, benchmark optical quality at low used prices
• Hexanon AR 50mm f/1.4 - faster standard
• Hexanon AR 57mm f/1.4 - portrait standard
• Hexanon AR 57mm f/1.2 - fast portrait prime, the system flagship lens
• Hexanon AR 28mm f/3.5 - wide angle
• Hexanon AR 135mm f/3.2 - short telephoto

Konica AR lenses adapt to Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, and Fuji X via inexpensive passive adapters.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• The TC was adopted in the Japanese domestic amateur market as a budget companion to the T3 system, allowing T3 owners to carry a second AR-mount body without duplicating lenses.
• Photography education programs in Japan and export markets used AR-mount cameras for instructional use in the late 1970s due to competitive pricing.
• Street and documentary photographers valued the TC's compact form factor relative to larger contemporaries such as the Nikon F2 and Canon F-1.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Konica Autoreflex TC - main reference for the TC / Autoreflex TC body
• Wikipedia: Konica Autoreflex - Autoreflex line history and model sequence