Konica Autoreflex P1968

History

The Autoreflex P emerged from Konica's strategy of segmenting its AR-mount SLR line by complexity and price. The original Auto-Reflex (1965) had been an engineering showcase - it offered half-frame/full-frame switching - but was not positioned as a simple camera. When Konica redesigned the line in 1968, it produced two contemporaneous bodies: the Autoreflex T (shutter-priority, with manual override) aimed at enthusiasts and the Autoreflex P (aperture-priority only) aimed at the capable amateur who wanted automation without complexity.

The aperture-priority approach placed the Autoreflex P conceptually closer to later cameras like the Pentax ME (1976) and Olympus OM-10 (1979), though the P predates those designs by nearly a decade. In the late 1960s Japanese SLR market, fully automatic exposure of any kind was still a differentiating feature; the P occupied a distinct market position despite its reduced feature set relative to the T.

The Autoreflex P appears to have had a shorter production life than the T, and surviving examples are less frequently encountered in the used market. The subsequent Autoreflex line (T3, TC, T4) retained shutter-priority as the preferred AE mode, suggesting the P's aperture-priority approach was not carried forward as Konica's primary design direction.

Why It Matters

The Autoreflex P is historically notable as an early aperture-priority automatic SLR, predating the Pentax ME and Olympus OM-10 by nearly a decade. It demonstrates that Konica was experimenting with different AE paradigms simultaneously in 1968, producing both a shutter-priority and an aperture-priority body in the same model year.

For collectors, the P occupies a secondary position relative to the better-documented Autoreflex T. Its aperture-priority-only design makes it less versatile for practical shooting, and its relative rarity in working condition means service can be uncertain. It is of primary interest as a piece of Konica system history and as an early example of dedicated aperture-priority automation.

Lenses & Accessories

Full Konica AR mount compatibility. All Hexanon AR lenses produced from 1965 onwards fit and provide automatic aperture coupling. The aperture-priority mode works by the photographer selecting an aperture on the lens ring while the camera sets shutter speed via the TTL CdS reading.

Key lenses usable with the Autoreflex P:

• Hexanon AR 52mm f/1.8 - standard kit lens of the era
• Hexanon AR 50mm f/1.4 - faster standard prime
• Hexanon AR 28mm f/3.5 - wide-angle option
• Hexanon AR 135mm f/3.2 - short telephoto

All Konica AR lenses are adaptable to Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, and Fuji X mounts with passive adapters.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Konica Autoreflex P
• Wikipedia: Konica Autoreflex - covers the full Autoreflex T/P line and model sequence