A Near Legend
There are two cameras I’d been salivating to try; the Ricoh GR and the Konica Big Mini. So when my buddy ‘Freaky Frankie’ bought the Konica, I was onboard. (don’t ask why we call him “Freaky”) I had to beg for a couple of weeks, but he finally relented.
First, here’s the mostly irrelevant stuff I found on the net. It was released in 1990, and most agree, the lens (a 35mm f/2.8) was probably the best thing about it. (on the ‘F’ version) While it’s no Zeiss, (Contax T3, Yashica T4), or Leitz M mount lens, by f/5.6 it easily competes with a Canon or Nikon 50mm lens. And for a point and shoot, it’s a very fast lens. Besides sharp, it’s also a very contrasty lens. (not sure about the f/3.5 versions) I doubt you will ever hear any complaints about the lens. But I think by the 90’s, most camera companies were producing pretty good lenses on 35mm point and shoots.
Cheap?
The weird thing is they produced a couple of versions. I really don’t like when camera companies produce different versions and give them almost identical names. But, on the one I was using, it was totally automatic, and very easy to use. Other than exposure compensation, absolutely no manual controls. I know,…not much. But it is a point and shoot,…great for parties, concerts and other drunken debauchery. (I specifically say “parties” for a reason,…see below) Where you don’t have to think much. However,…I’ve seen other reviewers tell us “while it may be a bit fragile, it’s cheap enough to just think of it as a ‘throwaway’ camera”. NOT. They’ve actually gotten a bit expensive. Not Leica expensive,…but you know what I mean.
Naming Conventions
I also want to say they made a “few” variations. 301, 302, F, 201, 300, A4, NEO,….blah, blah, blah. Alright, Konica. We’re confused. You got us. Some appear aesthetically nicer than others. I’m not a fan of the time stamp part on the back, but it’s this display that also shows frame number, battery charge, integrates self timer and allows camera mode selection. The Big Mini boasts ease of use, great viewfinder, flash led in viewfinder and the flash is actually quite good,….but if you want a quiet camera,…uhhh, no. This thing is really noisy. Not party “too noisy”,…but certainly street stealth too noisy.
As I said above, I’ve seen anecdotal comments on reliability. But they’re just that; anecdotal. And the price seems to have gotten a bit high. Too high? Well, only consumers can set market price,…so, I guess not. But when I compared the images to the really cheap Ren Hang favorite, the Minolta Freedom 110 set at 38mm, the Minolta wins. Sorry to all the Big Mini fans. Is it much, much better looking than the Minolta? YES. Does it have less shutter lag than the Minolta? YES. Is the viewfinder like having a Leica compared to the Minolta? YES. And the Minolta has the VERY sad f/5.4, and compared images were at f/8 for both cameras. So, yeah, for normal photography, the BM kicks Minolta’s arse.
Can You Go Wrong?
Can you go wrong with a Big Mini? I don’t think so. It definitely “holds it’s own” against the Mju II’s and Leica Minilux’s of the world. In the case of the Leica,…much lighter. In the case of the Olympus,….a little (very little) larger and about the same shutter lag. So, the Big Mini should definitely be on your “possibilities” list.
Getting Technical
Sometimes people tell me I may be a bit too opinionated when it comes to cameras. Well, I’ll admit,…I have my biases. So let me just leave you with the “Big Mini technical”;
Technical info:
- 35mm Auto Focus Compact Camera
- Lens: Konica Lens 35mm f/2.8
- 3 element 4 group lens
- Shutter Speed: 1/450-4sec
- Focusing Type: Active AF
- Minimum focusing: 35cm/14in
- Exposure control: Shutter priority AE
- Exposure Compensation +/-1.5EV
- ISO 25-3200
- Powered – CR123 Lithium Battery
- Size: 115x63x34.5, 180g
While not a titanium Contax T2, it does have a metal front. The grip is good, and the viewfinder is bright & clear. Plus, a +/- 1.5EV compensation, which most P&S’s lack. However, it has a no-lens-cap design. Which prevents you from carrying it in a pocket without the case. Surprisingly, capturing well exposed expanses of sky are probably due to the built-in skylight filter. 🤔