Konica Auto S1.6 resurrection

[Lukino]

I've bought for few coins a non-working Konica Auto S1.6 and I'm trying to bring it back to life. Not an easy task, since it was probably serviced with a hammer by last user! But body looks in very fine conditions, and lens is is clean and scratch-free, so I've decided to try... I'm cleaning what can be cleaned, unstucking sticky things, unbending bended things (many things)...

Now, two major problems... part of the Copal SVA gears are missing, but I hope to cannibalize it form a more common SV as soon as I hit next open-air market, and cam that join cocking mechanism to film advance will probably have to be rebuilt from scratch, and then I'll have to re-solder missing cables.

And here where I'm looking for help: can anyone point me to where to find a cabling scheme, or many picture of the camera inside/dismantling to figure it out? I'd like to restore electronics too, if I succeed in reassembling a working shutter!

Thank you!

 

[Lukino]

Pictures of the ongoing restoring

Many cables looks cut or missing...

Collector's flea market this sunday, I'll go search for shutters to harvest

 

[jody36]

find a auto s2 and should be about the same this guy may know for sure.http://mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/konica_auto_s.html

 

[JohnM]

The S2 and the S1.6 are essentially the same camera. The 1.6 came out about two years after the S2. I have had them both, (still have the 1.6), and they were carbon copies inside and out.

A cheap S2 or a Wards am551 would make a fine donor camera to help rebuild the 1.6.

 

[jody36]

just a thought dont know if its possible but u could buy a s2 and put the lens from s1.6 on it. s2 can be had cheap. or they could when i bought mine.

 

[Platinum RF]

I think I have a donor S2 let me look

 

[oftheherd]

Better you than me.

Actually, I envy you your ability to understand the insides of such cameras. Good luck.

 

[Lukino]

Finally found a parts donor camera: a non-working Auto S2 with a badly scratched front element, so I don't feel guilty harvesting it.
Just dismantled it, it seems to have all the missing parts, so now is transplant time - as soon as I have some other spare time!

 

[Lukino]

just a thought dont know if its possible but u could buy a s2 and put the lens from s1.6 on it.

I can now answer this: you put the s1.6 lens on s2, but you can switch the whole lens assembly and it will work, except for meters which are little different. Also, the s1.6 have a flash hotshoe and s2 have it not, s2 have a flash M-X selector while s1.6 works only with electronic flashes.

Differences in lens assembly are the focusing screw (thicker in the s1.6, have an higher distance between front and rear lens elements), the name plate built in a different way (to accomodate a bigger lens), and the shutter/aperture assembly, where there is a little fixed diaphragm that can be seen over the s2 shutter blades. s1.6 shutter is also missing the M-X selector parts and self-timer lock in M position.

I think I will use the S2 body (in better aesthetic condition and a working frame counter) with s1.6 top and bottom plate, switch the meter, and fix the lens assembly as better as I can, since many parts are missing from my 1.6, I think previous owner tried to repair it's shutter with an hammer!

 

[Lukino]

Here is my S1.6 complete, clean and working!!

I still have to glue leatherette back, and install new light seals, then I'll fire a test roll!
Other picture of restoration here: http://flickr.com/photos/lukino/tags/konica/

 

[btgc]

What a nice project! I had hard time with my first KAS2 (which lays down the table in a box as donor now), so this cameras for me are special.

I won beater Petri 7s f1.8 and will look if I can make it useable or will have to swap lens assembly from beater to f2.8 mother 7s.

 

[Lukino]

Yesterday night I've installed new light seals, now only leatherette remaining. It took a lot of time to revive this camera, but I'm proud of the results.

btgc, if you dismantle a Petri, can you please post selenium cell size (thickness, inner and outer diameter) for me? I have a 7sII which meter is spot-on and don't want to touch it more than necessary, but it is a common camera to find here with a dead one, and I want to check if I can find replacement cells

 

[btgc]

Sure Lukino, when I get it I'll get back (some weeks from now). Before having 1.8 version I know both 1.8 and 2.8 versions have same 52mm filter thread, so outer diameter of cell should be same, just inner diam. differs because front elements aren't same.

Can you explain what did you mean by "I can now answer this: you put the s1.6 lens on s2, but you can switch the whole lens assembly and it will work" - I imagine lens assembly with base plate should be interchangeable, but I don't quite get first "put the 1.6 lens on S2" ?

 

[Lukino]

Can you explain what did you mean by "I can now answer this: you put the s1.6 lens on s2, but you can switch the whole lens assembly and it will work" - I imagine lens assembly with base plate should be interchangeable, but I don't quite get first "put the 1.6 lens on S2" ?

typing error:bang:
I meant "you CANNOT put the 1.6 lens on the S2 lens assembly" because, even if it will fit, lens thread to film distance is different.
After having them completely dismantled, I also noticed that the top plate that keeps aperture blades in places have a larger hole in S1.6 and shutter blades have a different shape, S2 blades will cover part of the hole when full open if installed in S1.6.
Aperture blades was a pain to fix: they are the same in both cameras, but on both of my cameras some blades were damaged. I've cleaned all of them and selected the best ones, yet in final assembly they sometimes lock when closed to f16! I solved this by changing the spring that keep them open with a stronger one.

 

[Lukino]

Light seals installed and leatherette glued! Is Vinavil ok for this?

Test roll is in, now I just need the time to picture something different than my cats...

 

[racoll]

I've got a very nice 1.6 that works beautifully, everything but the meter, that is. Whenever I put a battery in it jumps to the test mode and stays there. Any ideas on how to remedy this situation? I took the battery chamber apart to see if there was any corrosion causing this, but there was none.

 

[btgc]

racoll, for me it looks like a problem with battery check button - as it's stuck in active position, throwing meter needle into orange area.

 

[Lukino]

I've got a very nice 1.6 that works beautifully, everything but the meter, that is. Whenever I put a battery in it jumps to the test mode and stays there. Any ideas on how to remedy this situation? I took the battery chamber apart to see if there was any corrosion causing this, but there was none.

First, check that wires connection are correct, as it this photo (not a good photo, sorry..)

here you can see where the green and blue wire are attached. If they're the same, check how the battery chamber is working with a tester. What you need to check is the long contact on the bottom of the chamber: when the red button is released it should be connected to the the blue wire terminal, when it is pressed to the green wire. If this is not the case, check the chamber assembly, from the bottom there are: first the plate connected to the green wire, then the "V" shaped plate that works both as battery contact and button spring, and on top the blue wire contact. The "V" shaped plate, in particular, can be bent or misaligned, if you have problems making it works I will post more detailed photos.

If the battery chamber is working ok, check the wires on the the meter: the green should be on the left (camera front) and the black one on the right (camera back).

Another cause of your problem, now that I'm thinking of it, might be a short circuit between blue and black cables, so if you have a tester check their resistance, which should change when the CDS cell is in light or shadow. Also check soldiering on the CDS plate.

Let me know if you solve this problem.

 

[racoll]

Thanks for all of the info. I'll make the effort to do this although I've got a couple of other projects ahead of this one.

 

[btgc]

btgc, if you dismantle a Petri, can you please post selenium cell size (thickness, inner and outer diameter) for me? I have a 7sII which meter is spot-on and don't want to touch it more than necessary, but it is a common camera to find here with a dead one, and I want to check if I can find replacement cells

Lukino, finally got Petri 1.8 - selenium meter is 50mm outer diameter, 34mm inner dia and 6mm in thickness.
So were interested in 1.8 version, right?