Hey-la, Hey-la, My S3's Back

[amateriat]

After what seems a ridiculously long period of foot-dragging, I finally got my Konica Auto S3 fixed, and for a good deal less than I'd feared. The big problem was the missing in-finder meter needle (MIA since I'd dropped the thing about a year ago); the meter/AE function still worked, I just had little idea of what it was doing. The lens was also a bit loose in its mount, so that got looked at as well.

While it was in the shop, one of the techs called and suggested having the camera modified to work with silver-oxide cells instead of the nasty-and-real-hard-to-get mercury cells it normally uses, so I signed off on that too.

Once the S3 was back in my hands, I could tell that wasn't all the work they did...it was essentially a CLA-plus. The RF patch had always been a bit off in vertical alignment since getting the camera; now, not only was it properly aligned, it was now brighter and snappier in contrast. Much easier to focus. And it might be a case of auto-suggestion, but I could almost swear the film-wind mechanism feels and sounds smoother.

I've been taking it with me nearly daily, loaded with XP2. It's been an interesting getting-to-know-you-again thing, but it's nice having something like this to throw into the non-photo-stuff bag again. (Next up for repair: my long-dormant Ricoh GR-1.)

A few days ago

Yesterday

Earlier today

- Barrett

 

[sooner]

Thanks for sharing some nice pictures. Wow, I'd heard the S3 was sharp, but your pictures really prove it, especially the last one (street scene). I've noticed a slew of S3's on the Bay recently, maybe my turn will come.

 

[Charlie]

Nice shots and good news on the S3. Is that Columbus statue for sale?

 

[amateriat]

Nice shots and good news on the S3. Is that Columbus statue for sale?

Yep, it is. Good, solid quality too...looks like bronze.

And, that lens is sharp. I zoomed in on some of the large (5400ppi) scans I made, and I can now confirm that the hype is quite real. More important is how much of a blast it is to have the thing at closer-than-arm's-reach, and never quite getting in the way. Years ago, I got rid of a black Canon QL17. (with the rare, matching lens hood...please don't ask "what were you thinking. man?", because it's clear that I simply wasn't). This pretty much makes up for that seriously bone-headed error.


- Barrett