New to Me Minolta Autocord

Photos as promised. First Roll.

Autocord R1 No 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Autocord R1 No 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Joes Crab Shack Minolta Autocord wide open 5 sec camera supported on table ADOX Borax MQ Arista 5x7 #2 Multigrade dev

Autocord R1 No 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

"Torturing" the single-coated Rokkor glass, shooting straight into the sun. Using a hood will not help in this situation. Only option is to change camera position.

Autocord R1 No 4 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Autocord R1 No 5 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Autocord R1 No 6 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Autocord R1 No 7 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Autocord R1 No 8 by Nokton48, on Flickr
 
Of course, it depends entirely on what works for you.

In my own case, I find it a big advantage to be able to view the focusing screen, through a waist-level finder, with both eyes at the same time. I see alignments and relationships between visual elements that I don't see as easily through an eye-level finder with only one eye.

- Murray
 
I'm going to give it a good try and see. I've ordered a couple of finder assemblies, my Griptac'ed finder comes off with four screws and can be put back into use fairly quickly if I desire. Chimney finders and NC2 prisms are very reasonable in price, and I have quite a few of them already. The Hassy Chimney Stovepipe adds almost no extra weight to the camera. We will see how well it balances.

The NC2 is an interesting idea and I will try that too. Of course it will be top-heavy.
 

Hassy Autocord Stovepipe Viewfinder 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr


Hassy Autocord Stovepipe Viewfinder 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

The Hassy Autocord Stovepipe Viewfinder is finished and I like it! It attaches with four screws, easy to interchange the two finders.
It took about half an hour to take the original WL finder apart and I did use my dremel in a couple of spots so that the stovepipe would sit flat on the finder frame. I used 3M 850 teflon tape to attach the finder to the frame. It doesn't change the Hassy finder at all, if I take it apart it can go right back onto my blads.

The tricky part is reattaching the ground glass and fresnel to the bottom of the modded finder frame. Kind of fiddly to do.

A success! :)
 
Autocord Hassy Stovepipe Viewing Frame Hack by Nokton48, on Flickr

I like this hack. I can remove my eyeglasses and dial in the ocular to make the screen grain razor sharp. Magnification is increased a bit. Useful. No spurious light spill onto the screen with the stovepipe. I find I can study the composition more intensely with the stovepipe.

I can change it back to the original waist level finder in under five minutes Balance while carrying the Autocord with stovepipe is actually quite good. Not at all top heavy like with prisms.

And I think Irving Penn would have approved :)
 
Can someone explain to me the hype about the Autocord? I've heard they've gained popularity and the prices have gone up recently. Not sure what the exact reason is.

I've always found Minoltas to be reliable, and quite affordable compared to the other big brands.

But this model in particular seems to be higher priced than other Minolta cameras.

Anyone know what the Red "C" on the lens stands for? Does this denote multicoating or perhaps inclusion of rare-earth elements in the glass?
 
It's a coated lens. The autocord is just a great camera with a very good lens. Good controls, especially the focusing knob. But, like so many other products out there, it too is subject to internet hype.
Don't worry about rare earth glass. There is probably just as much radioactivity in a cell phone, if not more. There is certainly more background radiation.
In a nutshell, the photographer makes the image, not the camera. This is the same thing with point and shoot cameras selling for stupid prices in recent years. Buying a TLR does not make a photographer Diane Arbus or Vivian Maier. Only Arbus was Arbus, and Maire was Maier. Get a camera that works reliably and shoot it until it wears out. Don't listen to the hype.
Phil Forrest
 
Forest_rain said:
Can someone explain to me the hype about the Autocord? I've heard they've gained popularity and the prices have gone up recently. Not sure what the exact reason is.

I've always found Minoltas to be reliable, and quite affordable compared to the other big brands.

But this model in particular seems to be higher priced than other Minolta cameras.

Anyone know what the Red "C" on the lens stands for? Does this denote multicoating or perhaps inclusion of rare-earth elements in the glass?
Click to expand...

Red C means coated. In the 1950s, many lenses were marked this way to separate them from uncoated lenses. Coating had just become available. You'll see a red T on Zeiss, a red triangle on Schneiders. As the 50s went on and coating became the standard, this marking disappeared from most lenses.

As to why the Autocord is a cult camera now, I don't understand it. Maybe Dante Stella's site? A few other articles around the net? YashicaMats became far too common and people went looking for something more unique? It's a nice camera with a nice lens. I like using mine. I like fixing them up and getting them out here to be used. Beyond that? Uh....
 
The Minolta Autocord is well built and it has an especially good example of a Tessar-type lens.

The last Autocord was made in 1966, which was before multi-coating of lenses. It might have Minolta's "Achromatic Coating," which was a two-coat process that preceded multi-coating, but I have never heard anything specific to this effect. It is probably just a single-coated lens.

- Murray
 
CMur12 said:
That is very cool! - Murray
Click to expand...


Thanks Murray :)

I haven't noticed any hype, but I have noticed lots of interest.

I paid $70 for my Autocord, then sent it for a CLA and new focus lever. And Griptac from Morgan Sparks.

I think prices are all over the place.
 
I really love mine. I like the lens a lot. Great sharpness. Even wide open on my copy. I have 20x20 Noritsu scans from Portra 400 I think look great. Excellent bokeh. Decnt build quality and I appreciate the straight through film path since it takes me forever to shoot a roll sometimes.
 
Nokton48 said:
Thanks Murray :)

I haven't noticed any hype, but I have noticed lots of interest.

I paid $70 for my Autocord, then sent it for a CLA and new focus lever. And Griptac from Morgan Sparks.

I think prices are all over the place.
Click to expand...

I paid the same for my Autocord and like you I sent it to Karl for service. I had the Yashica Mat 124 earlier, it was OK but nothing special. With the results I get from the Autocord I see no need to pay more for a TLR. And it's a very nice camera to use.
 
MrFujicaman said:
Dang! And here I was going to send you a disc brake rotor!
Click to expand...

MFM,

I considered it, he used long heavy steel bolts to raise the brake rotor. No doubt as solid as a granite boulder. I don't have the
heavy duty metalworking machinery to do that kind of a replication. This plate has considerable desirable machining which made it attractive to me. While not period it achieves the desired result, a kind of retro re-do of sorts. Shooting height is about the same. Tools do affect results.

I've been reading and enjoying Penn's books during this crazy lockdown. Quite inspiring.
 
Minolta Autocord Baseplate 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Minolta Autocord Baseplate 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Minolta Autocord Baseplate 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I was unhappy with the way my Autocord could swing when attached tightly to a tripod. Very annoying.

Dan Daniels machined from very heavy plastic this custom baseplate for the Autocords. This one has an Arca mounting plate machined, but he added two 3/8" holes which he threaded. I put my Manfrotto Hex Plates on this and it is now solid as a rock. Recommended!
 
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