C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Konica TC (1976) - sold in some markets as the Autoreflex TC and in others as the TC-X - is a compact, lightweight 35mm SLR representing the budget end of the Konica AR-mount line. It strips the Autoreflex T3's feature set to essentials: a horizontal cloth focal-plane shutter, TTL CdS centre-weighted metering, and shutter-priority automatic exposure. The photographer sets the shutter speed; the camera selects the aperture through the AR-mount coupling. Full manual is available.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
Budget-tier backup entry: the 1976 Konica TC simplified the Autoreflex T3 formula for a wider amateur audience.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Konica AR bayonet |
| Years | 1976–1982 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s + B, horizontal cloth focal plane |
| Flash sync | ~1/125s |
| Meter | TTL CdS centre-weighted |
| Modes | Shutter-priority auto / Manual |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism |
| Battery | 2x SR44 / LR44 (required) |
| Mechanical fallback | None |
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.
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.
Full Konica AR mount. All Hexanon AR lenses couple for shutter-priority AE. Notable lenses:
Konica AR lenses adapt to Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, and Fuji X via inexpensive passive adapters.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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