Konica Auto S2 rangefinder out of alignment

[p.giannakis]

Hello everyone.

I've found on a shop a Konica Auto S2 in good condition and the price is right but the seller says that the rangefinder is out of alignment (both horizontal and vertical).
Is there any way to align it back to normal?

Thank you!

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Hello everyone.

I've found on a shop a Konica Auto S2 in good condition and the price is right but the seller says that the rangefinder is out of alignment (both horizontal and vertical).
Is there any way to align it back to normal?

Thank you!

There are a couple of adjustment screws for vertical and horizontal alignment. One is under the flash shoe (the vertical adjustment, IIRC) the other, adjacent the viewfinder (which may be seen externally).

Bear in mind the degree of adjustment available may or may not be sufficient to compensate adequately. I've had a couple of these great cameras, and the second required some minor vertical adjustment of the rangefinder, which I was able to do.

If the example you've found checks out in other respects, and the price is right, I would set the focus to infinity on close and distant objects, to see just how far out it is at either end. If the error is not too excessive, I'd take a punt on it. But, bear in mind that, without confirming that the focus of the lens to the film plane is good, adjusting the rangefinder is not a complete fix, because the lens focus and the rangefinder focus must not only be correct, in themselves - but must also coincide correctly. Hope this helps.

Brett

 

[p.giannakis]

Hi Brett, thank you very much for your answer.

This makes it quite a dilemma then as i found a fully working Hi-matic 9 at roughly the same price.

 

[smasher]

I have a Konica Auto S2, and I love it.

Mine came to me with a couple of small issues, including some corrosion around the battery compartment, out-of-adjustment rangefinder, and malfunctioning frame counter.

I was able to fix all of these issues myself.

If the rest of the camera seems in good shape--no visible dents or dings, smooth controls, working shutter/aperture mechanism, etc.--then you should seriously consider it.

You should start with the infinity focus. Make sure the lens focuses on the film plane at infinity, then adjust the rangefinder. The horizontal rangefinder adjustment is behind a small threaded plug next to the viewfinder.

Google "classic camera repair forum." They have a great archive and a pretty good search engine.

I love my KAS2. It's one of my favorite cameras, with a fantastic lens.

 

[btgc]

I'd suggest to choose one of them, matching your idea about size, weight and ergonomics. Performance-wise they should be on par as most of FL RF's.