The Konica Manbow Woo was a further step in the development of weatherproof compact cameras by the Japanese manufacturer Konica. As the successor to the company's first weatherproof camera, the Konica Manbow from 1987, the Manbow Woo offers a range of automatic functions that significantly increase ease of use.
Unlike its predecessor, the Manbow Woo has a motorized film transport, both for forward and rewind. The automatic film setting using DX coding saves the user from having to make manual settings, and the automatically activated flash ensures reliable exposure in every situation.
Function overview of the Konica Manbow Woo
The lens of the Manbow Woo, a Konica lens with a 34mm focal length and a light intensity of f/4.5, consists of three elements in three groups.
The focus is fixed, which enables uncomplicated operation and guarantees sharp images from 1.5 meters to infinity. At least within the scope of what is possible for an entry-level camera.
The Konica Manbow Woo's exposure control is via a fixed exposure time, with the aperture selected according to the film speed set.
The camera offers a fixed shutter speed of 1/125 second and supports film speeds of ISO 100, 200 and 400, which are automatically detected via DX coding.
The viewfinder is designed as an Albada type with bright lines to ensure clear image composition. The built-in flash with a guide number of 14 (at ISO 100) is activated automatically and offers no option for manual deactivation.
The Manbow Woo is available in several color variants, including black, white/blue and white/yellow. In addition to its weather resistance according to JIS standard (4th class), it is characterized by its compact dimensions of 129.5 mm x 70 mm x 50.5 mm and a light weight of 245 grams (without battery).
Power is supplied by a CR123A battery (eBay / Amazon*). This type of battery is still very easy to find today.
The Manbow Woo has a data back on the back. The current date can be entered there and this can then be printed on the images. This makes it easy to determine the time of recording later.
The Konica Jump Auto (1990) and the Konica Jump Auto II (1991) are variants of the Manbow Woo, which are mainly characterized by their different colors.
Films for the Konica Manbow Woo
The Konica Manbow Woo requires 35mm film. The 35mm format is very common, which is why there are still a few manufacturers and many development labs today.
If you are looking for a good 35mm film for black and white images, the Kodak T-Max 100* is a possible choice. For color photography, the Fujifilm Superia 400* could be an alternative.
Both films are well suited for everyday use and have been convincing in test reports. There are many other manufacturers of film material for the 35mm format that is compatible with the camera.
The C-41 development process is a commonly used method for developing color films. The C-41 process is standardized and is offered by most development laboratories. The development of color films can also be commissioned at many drugstores.
