Konica IIIA Rangefinder adjustment?

[eriklilja]

Hi all experts!

I recently bought a beautiful Konica IIIA in need of service, and had it completely gone through by Greg Weber. However, the horizontal adjustment of the rangefinder seems to be a bit off, it doesn't align properly on really far away objects. I will check the lens first, of course, but if it is the RF, is it easy to adjust the horizontal alignment?

I live in Sweden so even if I'm sure that Greg would fix it for me it costs quite much just to send it overseas. I've done similar adjustments on other rangefinders, I just need a hint to how to find the adjustment screw. Thanks in advance!

/Erik

 

[shawn]

Erik,

Not an expert and I don't have my IIIA yet but I'd guess the rangefinder adjustment is behind what looks like a screw in cover on the back of the IIIA below the cold shoe.

Other possibilities could be below the cold shoe or behind a larger head screw inside the film chamber. That is where the Konica S3s rangefinder adjustment is.

Taping a piece of wax paper across the film guides (to act as ground glass) can help in really dialing in the rangefinder.

Shawn

 

[Frontman]

You need to remove the round button on the back of the top cover, it unscrews counter-clockwise. Inside you will see the adjusting screw. Normally you need to apply a drop of lacquer to the threads of the screw after you make adjustments, otherwise it will will turn on it's own during focusing, and your rangefinder will go out of adjustment again.

 

[eriklilja]

Thank you all! I'll try to open the round plate and see what it looks like inside. If I don't see clearly how to do it I think I'll just leave it the way it is, it's perfectly possible to compensate for the offset while shooting.