A few questions - Konica Auto S3

[Matus]

So - finally I have 2 developed rolls of film (ADOX Pan 400 "First coating" - I will post some samples soon) and so I finally got some feedback from this little camera. I found it rather nice to use. It does have a few little quirks (too easy turning focus ring, for example), but there is one point that bothers me.

Namely the shutter release. It has a rather long travel and the final push seems to require enough power that I shake some exposures even with shutter speeds like 1/125. I know for sure - I was often taking several photos of the same subject (with different f/stop) to see how the camera performs and got motion-blurred photos sometimes. I guess part of this is due to low weight of the camera (some 410 g)

I really want to like the camera (fast 35mm lens, small, light, cute looking 😉 ), but if I can not find a cure for the shutter release than I may bite the bullet and get Hexar AF instead (bigger heavier, but probably better .. ), or even (again) full size RF. Hmm. I will take the camera for a trip this weekend and see afterwards. I just hope not to ruin half of the photos I plan to take .. 😱

So I would like to ask what kind of experience others have on this (possible) issue. I mean - the shutter is not "that" hard to push and does actually go smoothly, it is just too long and bit too hard. ..

 

[Brian Legge]

I don't have experience with the S3, but many of the rangefinders from that error have similarly long shutter travels. Most of this appears to be related to how the metering -> needle trapping works.

I could see the amount of force required changing with service but not necessarily the travel distance.

Are you pressing down slowly on the shutter or are you pushing it rapidly?

 

[btgc]

I can't add anything on cause of issue (though I think something under hood has to be adjusted) and I feel your pain for this.

Probably try your KAS3 with soft release, I've found it really enhances releasing cameras with long/stiff release travel. In this case softie will also naturally elevate your finger over camera thus reducing efforts, and virtually eliminate shake.

 

[Matus]

Thanks. I am pushing the release slowly. I have realized the possibility of shaking the camera after first testing without film, so I was trying to be careful.

I will probably try the soft release. The only downside is that I found somewhere on the net that soft releases no not screw so nicely to S3 ...

 

[alistair.o]

Hi Matus,

I had exactly the same problem and then I tried my soft release button that I use on a Nikon FM2n (you know how it is, you just have to see what fits which 🙄 ). It works perfectly.

I got mine from Ffords:

https://secure.ffordes.com/index.htm

Go to Used equipment/Nikon etc

Thery are 13 euro (approx)

Hope this helps

Al