I have already tried this camera, well the non-RC version. I was going to add this post as a ‘return to’ but when I looked back at the photos of the other example, there were a few differences in the styling. So I decided to make a new entry to the camera post list.

In the original post, I wrote that I wanted to try the switch on the inside which should lock the settings. I thought that meant, when you turned the camera off it would remember if you turned the flash off and not turn it back on. In actuality, the switch kept the flash off until the camera was powered-down and then reset it. Without the switch in the on position, the flash would reset after every shot which would be very annoying.

The camera was released in 1989 and is one of the ‘dad’ type cameras, meaning it has multiple shooting modes. These include multiple (ME), time (TE) and interval mode (INT). It accepts DX-coded films between 50-3200 ISO with non-DX films set to 100 ISO. The RC stands for remote control. I tested the inbuilt RC unit, which fired the camera, but I never used it ‘in the field’. The main reason for this…the unit was a pain in the butt to remove from its storage bay on the camera.

Like the non-RC version, the flash always popped up when you powered the camera on, pushing it down acts as the power-off button. Unlike the non-RC version, an EME/∞ (infinity) slider is on one side. I looked all over the web for what EME stands for, but nobody seemed to have an answer. I know that holding down the slider keeps the autofocus set to infinity. When I put it in EME mode, the camera made a different sound, and the flash fired, even when I turned it off. The sound was like it was focusing differently, but that is as much as I could tell you. I decided to order the manual to see if it had any more information. The online manuals did not mention it so I wondered if the actual, paper manual might have extra details.

I was right, it had very clear information about this feature. It means….Easy Multiple Exposure. It lets you take six exposures on one frame with the flash operating on the 3rd exposure. This explains the different sound and the flash always being fired. Though I am unsure when this feature would be needed, maybe fireworks??

If you want to know any more technical details, Mike Eckman has written a great post on the camera with everything else you might want to know and there seems to be a lot to know. I think owning the manual is a definite bonus for this model.

My first experience with the original Z-up 80 was way back in 2018. It was the only camera I had on me when a student brought a falcon to school. I was pleased it worked that day but always disappointed that the zoom wasn’t a bit zoomier. I eventually sold that camera when I left Japan.

This time I took my RC version to Leicester for a Harman/Analogue Wonderland photo walk. It was a miserably rainy day. I already had a camera I wanted to use, but my friend turned up without one. I let him borrow the Konica, loaded with Exeter Pan XX 400. He wandered off and took some photos.

These are a few of his results.

There were a few shots left on the roll, so I finished it off in Leeds the next day. The weather had improved slightly, we even saw some sun. I found the camera nice to use, plasticky but sturdy. I liked how the viewfinder showed you what zone the autofocus had chosen. One of the symbols at the bottom lit up in red.

Here are a few of my results.

The first photo let me know when the switchover of possession took place. For the most part, the results are spot on for exposure but occasionally show camera shake. Without the flash on, the exposures can be long, up to one second.

Though I do like this camera, I have other point and shoots I prefer. So this camera and the manual will be on sale at the next Boston Spa Camera Fair on 16th March 2025, in the morning. Hope to see you there!