I love heavy duty cameras, I don’t care if they are slightly bulky. They just work and keep on working. This one from 1988 seems to be quite rare as there are few entries on the net or for sale on eBay.
This example is as clean as any I have ever found. There is a yellow button on the back to switch the focal length from 40mm to 60mm, hence the name MR.640. There is a superfluous display to let you know which focal length the camera is set to. The on/off button cycles through the modes of flash on, flash off, and self-timer. The MR means moisture resistant, it is not waterproof…just resistant. It is perfect for a rainy day or a day at the beach.
I found this example focused quickly and was quiet, perfect for street photography. There is a green light in the viewfinder that is steady when focus has been found and flickers when it has not. There is also a red flash symbol that lights up when it has chosen to use the flash, a good warning. These lights are activated by pressing the shutter half-way.
Here is my test roll. The first two photos show you the difference between the focal lengths.
I took the camera for a ride on the Rin Rin Road in my water bottle holder, it just about fit perfectly. Plus I was not worried if it fell out as it would test the hardiness. It did not fall out though. It was a super day for a cycle. I love that Japan has so many cycling paths, but I wish the main roads were a bit safer for scooters.
You can see the focusing and exposure choices are perfect. I even used the self-timer. Again I am impressed with a heavy duty camera. I am going to try and keep this one, I think I have to decide which HD camera I want to keep as I do have a few.
Update: Someone asked me how to load and rewind the film. So I made my first ever camera video. Please excuse the quality, it was a bit ad hoc.
Looks like it performed well. Good shots!
Yes, really sharp and quick focusing too.
I really like Konica cameras, the results from your MR 640 look really good. I’ve just put a roll through my Konica Workman/Off Road, and was pleasantly surprised how they turned out.
I have never tried one that I haven’t loved or been impressed by.
Have a roll in my Konica MT9 at the moment but the weather here in the UK is not good, hoping for some sunshine.
You find the craziest gear! How do you do it?
I look in second hand stores, not camera stores.
Hi!
I was recently given one of these cameras as a gift and I’ve never used a film camera before. I’m really unsure about how to unload and load the film without ruining it and was wondering if you could possibly help me?
Thanks!
Sure, no problem. Give me a a bit of time. I will make a video and add it to the page.
Ok done, please check the video in the post 🙂
I recently bought this Konica MR.640 and yet to use it. Thank you for this post. Posts on this camera are sparse in the internet.
I had some trouble too. It doesn’t seem to be very common, but a super camera.
What film did you use for these shots?
Probably fujifilm 100 as it was the cheapest in Japan so it was my regular choice for colour film.