broken konica s3

[Xax]

hi

unfortunately i bought a broken konica s3 off ebay...

the problem is, on the one hand, the light meter needle wont move up, i pulled off the top cover and can move it with a screwdriver, it's not stuck! but if i point it at something very bright, even with iso 800, nothing happens

the second problem is that the viewfinder seems to be broken too, i can only see the split image when looking from a very narrow angle from the right side of the viewfinder, it has some blue-ish tone as well and i can see the split image, but if i focus, nothing changes, and i can only see it at a distinct angle as said

does anybody know if that is fixable or no chance?

thanks for any information in advance!

regards from vienna

 

[Sonnar Brian]

It sounds like an electrical problem for the meter- check the battery compartment for a corroded wire.

For the RF- it sounds as if a mirror is mis-positioned. It is hard to say without popping the top and seeing what is going on first hand. If nothing pivots as you focus, there must be some problem with the RF coupling.

A repair shop could probably fix the issues, but be prepared for about $100 cost.

 

[KoNickon]

Greg Weber in Nebraska is the main Konica man, if you want a specialist. I think he's www.webercamera.com; he advertises in the back of Shutterbug.

 

[FallisPhoto]

hi

unfortunately i bought a broken konica s3 off ebay...

the problem is, on the one hand, the light meter needle wont move up, i pulled off the top cover and can move it with a screwdriver, it's not stuck! but if i point it at something very bright, even with iso 800, nothing happens

the second problem is that the viewfinder seems to be broken too, i can only see the split image when looking from a very narrow angle from the right side of the viewfinder, it has some blue-ish tone as well and i can see the split image, but if i focus, nothing changes, and i can only see it at a distinct angle as said

does anybody know if that is fixable or no chance?

thanks for any information in advance!

regards from vienna

The first thing to do about the light meter is to trace the wires and assume that at least one is either corroded, has become desoldered or is broken. Next best bet is a bad CDS cell, but this usually is found in cameras that were stored in moist conditions or that have water damage. Finally, it could be the meter itself that is dead (maybe because someone was poking it with a screwdriver). New wires and even CDS cells are cheap and easy to fix, but for that last you would have to get a replacement meter from a junked donor.

About the rangefinder: Sounds like something has become loose or is broken, but you're not going to know what until you take the top cap off and look. Nobody here is going to be able to diagnose that problem until you do so. Could be anything from a misaligned rangefinder mechanism that is just missing a screw or two to a broken mirror.

 

[Xax]

hi

thanks for the responses so far!

i opened up the top plate and tried to find what could cause the faulty viewfinder.. but couldnt find anything as anything was in place and nothing was lose...

i guess my only choice will be to send it to a repair-shop or put it on the shelf and get a working one...

thanks! regards, xax

 

[FallisPhoto]

hi

thanks for the responses so far!

i opened up the top plate and tried to find what could cause the faulty viewfinder.. but couldnt find anything as anything was in place and nothing was lose...

Sorry, but this is very obviously not true. If you "can only see the split image when looking from a very narrow angle from the right side of the viewfinder," then at very least one mirror is out of position. It is most likely the semitransparent mirror in front of the viewfinder.