Re: [KOML] KO Rapid for sale at F-Stop Swap

[pjcaplow@sprynet.com]

I was at the F-Stop Swap (Minneapolis/St. Paul area) today and an older 
gentleman had a Koni-Omega Rapid for sale.  Aside from some light seal foam 
deterioration, it was in very nice shape.  He said that Paul Ebel had just 
serviced the shutter at a cost of $40.00.  He was only asking $125.00 but he was 
under the impression that something was wrong with the back because the advance 
lever wasn't returning into the back all the way starting with frame 6.  I think 
it may have been normal for this model.  All the edges of the body, which are 
painted black on most models and usually show some wear, were an interesting 
chrome finish.  Not matte and not shiny like a mirror but sort of textured (it's 
really hard to put into words).  He had a manual that showed both the Rapid M 
and the Rapid and the Rapid shown there had the black painted edges.  If anyone 
on the list is going to this show tomorrow and is interested in getting a Rapid, 
perhaps it will be there.  Incidentally, this gentleman's table was right next 
to Gordy's from Village Camera.  Gordy still has the Rapid M grip but it would 
not work on a KO Rapid like the one described above so the gentleman who wanted 
to replace the skinny Rapid grip with the more comfortable Rapid M grip is out 
of luck.

I've had a Koni-Omegaflex M for a couple of months now, in addition to a Rapid 
M, and I find myself using the Omegaflex most of the time.  For landscapes or 
anything with considerable depth, the rangefinder isn't much of an advantage for 
focusing.  Composing on a ground glass seems much easier.  For people shots, the 
Flex is nice because it focuses down to 2 feet for those tight head shots that 
look so spectacular when projected on the wall at 4-5 feet square.  (They're 
square because my Leitz Prado Universal projector doesn't do 6X7 so I have to 
crop down to 6X6.  I try to remember when I compose not to fill the frame from 
side to side and I almost never run into a problem when it comes time to crop.  
In fact, I rather enjoy the opportunity to recompose the shot after the fact.) 



Peter Caplow