Camera Geekery: The Konica Genba Kantoku 

Imagine a commercial of this camera: A project manager always carries this tough camera with him for a large construction project, with sites covered in dust, under summer heat, autumnal rain or winter snow, taking photos for his progress reports for investors, clients, subcontractors, local politicians and residents, etc. When the project is completed, he is given a hard-earned vacation and takes his wife and kids to a sunny beach, bringing the same model (maybe with fancier colors) with him for precious family moments without worrying sand and seawater.

The perfect camera for my home region, the Pacific Northwest of the US & Canada -- Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska -- with so much rain and dramatic natural scenery. When it's too wet outside to use my more premium film cameras, the Genba Kantoku just steams right through everything. And it takes good shots, too. I was so impressed by a 28WB, like the one you review in this video, that a few years ago I bought its sibling, a Genba Kantoku DD, with a selectable 40mm f/3.5--60mm f/5.2 lens. I've probably run four times more film through the DD than the 28WB.

Polaroid did have the Job Pro series meant for construction sites and whatnot... But they weren't really built any different than the regular one step series, they just had some yellow pieces on them....

I enjoyed the Beastie Boys tribute at the end

Great vid, love the addition of adding a field test :D

Not the video we asked for, but the video we needed.

I lost it when it went to the outside part haha best video yet, and wow very cool little camera!

we finally get to see his shots

The jokes at the end.. utterly the best review so far for sure.

love the sample shots!!!

finally samples on the pictures!!! amazing job am really enjoying it!!! keep it up

I just ran into this model while browsing Fleebay!! You must be Psychic! 😁

Saw you mention this in another video and picked it up for my kids

I think what is amazing about these is you can still find them effectively mint for nothing.

My own kind of "beach camera". Seriously. I brought one during a beach trip and it made lots of great shots. It did get some water action, but nothing that involved drowning it. On dry land, it also does amazing photographs - it's rumored that it also shares the same lens as the Konica Big Mini camera (known for its lens but is the finicky version of the 28/35WB Genba Kantoku). But Bellamy, Fuji also built a camera specific for construction needs: the K-28 (camera-wiki.org/wiki/Fuji_K-28 / www.imagingpixel.com/p/fuji-k28.html). That thing had a 28mm f/3.9 lens and looks like a steampunk camera.

wow! this is a really fascinating camera. I'd much prefer one of these as a street camera over something like the ricoh gr1. Cheap, durable, and doesn't get in the way of shooting. I could also buy 10 of these for the price of 1 ricoh gr1v! Maybe not as pretty but I think it has charm. I'm really enjoying these videos! Especially stuff like this that spotlights cameras that aren't as popular.

Just started working as a darkroom technician at my University and found this! Thanks for historical context!

Loved the purposeful drop onto pavement, just because you could.

The Nokia 3310 of All Film Cameras!!! Love ❤ Your Humor!!??!

I've got the Off-Road-Version some Days ago. I love the short manual and the wide angle lens. I'm really excited! :)

just got mine, the Wide 28 model :)

there's been a ton of videos pop up of this camera recently! I grabbed one when I lived in japan over a decade ago, it's great to take out on a night out. I got mine for maybe a thousand yen in pretty good condition from a bargain bin somewhere in akihabara, interesting to see how high up the prices have gotten now!

Hi Bellamy, i have the 35wb model and trying to find out what ISO rate films this camera can take. Do you happen to have a link for the manual of this camera? Would greatly help! Cheers

Avid instagram and blog follower, but for some reason wasn't subscribed. Super lovely video.

Your videos are getting better and better!! Next you should make a Leica MP-6 giveaway! 😊🤞

Great channel you have, really love the content and all the info you have about cameras. Would love to see a video about the Ricoh Singlex in black. As what I have found about it its very rare and is based on the Nikkorex body. I found a black Singlex with the all black 55mm 1.4 lens in a fleemarket for around 5 dollars. Not the best condition but it works and I really like it.

I had a premonition we'd see some "cracks"... you couldn't help yourself, could you?...

hey bellamy, i was wondering since this camera is waterproof... is it possible to shoot with it underwater?

awesome

Saw these 2 months ago on ebay but now you have reviewed it I better get one before the Hipster Dufus..es bang up the price..

I really like this Camera! But then I switched to the Nikonos V because back in the day it was about the same used price.

I can hear you describing paint drying and it would still probably be entertaining.

Why is this so funny 😂

I found one for 70 euros!! Should I jump on it?

Enquiring minds want to know if you had all that dayglo vest, hard hat stuff left over from your time in the village people or if you bought it specifically for this video :)

not sure if video of it being dropped warrants a discount for scuffing or a premium for proof of toughness

nice vids keep doing em

can I use this in the ocean for surf photography

Cool!

Hi from Kanagawa. Love your vids! Keep it up! Don't forget about the Fuji Work Record. Also, the Fujica HD-1 from 1979 predates the Genba by 9 years. It was initially sold to the construction and fishing industries in Japan. Then later to the American market as MTB, skateboarding and snowboarding took off in the early 80's. :)

Say no to crack lol

Im here for the humor, not the camera

This is cool but can you make one about eating steak?

Similar to a Konica Hexar.

😂 cheap like me !!!! Yeah like me😂

50 quid later on ebay...