Konica's Auto S1.6 — fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder with a fast 45mm f/1.6 Hexanon, 1966.
The Konica Auto S1.6, from 1966, was a fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder notable for its very fast lens. It sat at the top of Konica's Auto S rangefinder range and was aimed at low-light and available-light photography.
This is a 35mm coupled-rangefinder camera with a fixed 45mm f/1.6 Hexanon lens and a mechanical leaf shutter. Exposure is shutter-priority automatic using a built-in CdS meter, with a manual option. The leaf shutter fires mechanically, while the meter and automation require a battery for exposure control.
The Auto S1.6 suits available-light and street photography thanks to its fast f/1.6 lens, one of the quicker optics fitted to a rangefinder of this era. It is a large and heavy camera, but the fast lens and coupled rangefinder make it capable in dim conditions with full manual control available.
On inspection, check the fast lens closely for haze and fungus, and confirm the leaf shutter and aperture blades operate cleanly. Test the CdS meter and note the original mercury cell is obsolete, so a substitute is needed, then verify rangefinder patch contrast and alignment. Replace perished light seals before use.