Konica IIIA EV coupling killing me

R

rectangularimage

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Apr 8, 2011
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I just received a Konica IIIA and it's immaculate on the outside but the controls feel slightly stiff but not really an issue except for the EV adjustment.

I have a Konica III so I'm familiar with that crazy EV coupling thing they do, but on the IIIA it's (literally) making my thumb and finger raw on the first roll of film. The problem is pushing the the EV control ring in doesn't fully decouple it - I can 'work it' to change the EV setting, but that's what's wearing out the skin on my fingers. Is there an easy fix for this, just loosen it up a little? Maybe I'm holding it wrong?

That's really the only operational problem I've found with the camera, and I'd like to get to know the camera before I send it out for any service (and maybe have the EV coupling decoupled).

My model is the export one with the 50mm f/1.8, Seikosha MXL shutter.

p.s. I sure do love that viewfinder.
 
Aha, from Dante Stella's Konica III article:
That &#$@! EV lock. You first impulse with the EV system is to go cracy. Relax. If your IIIA (50/1.8) or IIIM has an EV lock (or if someone hasn't disengaged it over the last 44 years), you can independently adjust the aperture by holding the left side of the ev ring back (toward you).
Click to expand...

Pull the left side of the EV ring back and the aperture adjusts easily and independently. Problem solved. And thanks Dante Stella.
 
You can permanently remove it with very little work (it's just a tab affixed with two tiny screws). The aperture ring will turn without stops, though.

Dante
 
I recently traded my iiia. Prior to that I had Greg Weber overhaul it.
He was able to remove the linkage to allow the two rings to move separately.
You might give him a bell. He's not very expensive when you consider the quality level of work he does.
 
Dante_Stella said:
You can permanently remove it with very little work (it's just a tab affixed with two tiny screws). The aperture ring will turn without stops, though.

Dante
Click to expand...

More info please. I'm not a camera tech but I do have some of those tiny screw drivers and I don't care if there's no stops on the shutter or the aperture.

And, FWIW I really like your writing Dante. And this is not just a blatant sycophantic attempt to get you give me more info on how to decouple the shutter from the aperture control.

...Mike
 
rectangularimage said:
More info please. I'm not a camera tech but I do have some of those tiny screw drivers and I don't care if there's no stops on the shutter or the aperture.

And, FWIW I really like your writing Dante. And this is not just a blatant sycophantic attempt to get you give me more info on how to decouple the shutter from the aperture control.

...Mike
Click to expand...

I have done this mod on a few IIIA cameras, but the ones I have worked had the EV tab riveted in place. The tab is located inside the shutter housing, so once the screws/rivets are removed, you need to get the tab out, which requires that the lens/shutter assembly be removed. There are two tabs, one engages the aperture ring, the other engages the shutter ring, you must make sure to remove the correct tab.
 
Frontman said:
I have done this mod on a few IIIA cameras, but the ones I have worked had the EV tab riveted in place. The tab is located inside the shutter housing, so once the screws/rivets are removed, you need to get the tab out, which requires that the lens/shutter assembly be removed. There are two tabs, one engages the aperture ring, the other engages the shutter ring, you must make sure to remove the correct tab.
Click to expand...

On both of the 50/1,8s I have, it's a T-shaped piece whose top is bent over at 90 degrees into a radiused flange. The tail is a 3mm tab that engages the notches on the shutter speed dial (the shutter selector provides the "clicks," which is why the aperture ring goes smooth when you take the tab out).

Mine did not require removing the shutter group. You unscrew the front group, remove any spacers, take the top cover off the shutter, and as I recall, it's at the 4 o clock position on the aperture ring and held on with a pair of baby machine screws (I pulled out my bag of parts from this to confirm).

Did you have the 48/2? It's possible the fastening is different.

Dante
 
Dante_Stella said:
On both of the 50/1,8s I have, it's a T-shaped piece whose top is bent over at 90 degrees into a radiused flange. The tail is a 3mm tab that engages the notches on the shutter speed dial (the shutter selector provides the "clicks," which is why the aperture ring goes smooth when you take the tab out).

Mine did not require removing the shutter group. You unscrew the front group, remove any spacers, take the top cover off the shutter, and as I recall, it's at the 4 o clock position on the aperture ring and held on with a pair of baby machine screws (I pulled out my bag of parts from this to confirm).

Did you have the 48/2? It's possible the fastening is different.

Dante
Click to expand...

I will check over the weekend, I have another IIIA I plan to modify. I will take some photos for reference. The tab I have removed is not bent over at 90 degrees, it is like a small comb with teeth which engage the EV ring. It sounds like you found an easier method. I remove the tab when the shutter is out, as I like to remove the shutter blades for cleaning.
 
Frontman said:
I will check over the weekend, I have another IIIA I plan to modify. I will take some photos for reference. The tab I have removed is not bent over at 90 degrees, it is like a small comb with teeth which engage the EV ring. It sounds like you found an easier method. I remove the tab when the shutter is out, as I like to remove the shutter blades for cleaning.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you removed the other mating piece... 😃
 
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