hoot
green behind the ears
Hi,
in a recent discussion on 1:1 viewfinders on a different thread on RFF, I found out about the existence of the Konica IIIa and have bought a Konica IIIa to use as my main (and ideally only) street camera. I am very pleased with this purchase, and have already passed a few rolls of film through it on several occasions. However, it has two annoying quirks that are hampering my use of the camera.
First of all, the rewind lever is quite difficult and even painful to use. When folded out, all I can grab onto is a tiny, rough knob that sits atop the lever itself. I'm wondering if there was once some additional part that was supposed to attach to this small knob for easier use, and be removed again when the lever was folded back into the body. If not, perhaps such a part could be made, or borrowed from a different purpose.
Second of all, I find that the linked aperture/shutter wheels are of limited practicality. In effect, there is little occasion for me to want to change the aperture or shutter setting while retaining the same exposure value. I am more likely to quickly change just one or the other when passing from bright sunlight into dark shadow. Because of the difficulty of doing this quickly, I have already missed more than one potentially good shot.
Since I love being able to use a mechanically-released leaf shutter in combination with a 1:1 range/viewfinder (just these specs make it seem as though this camera was tailored for me), and the Konica IIIa seems to be the only available camera combining these features, I would be quite sorry to forsake it in favor of a camera that was easier to use. However, both of these quirks pose quite a serious hurdle, since I want to think about anything but my camera when concentrated on getting good street shots.
If anyone has any ideas, they would be quite helpful. Thanks in advance.
in a recent discussion on 1:1 viewfinders on a different thread on RFF, I found out about the existence of the Konica IIIa and have bought a Konica IIIa to use as my main (and ideally only) street camera. I am very pleased with this purchase, and have already passed a few rolls of film through it on several occasions. However, it has two annoying quirks that are hampering my use of the camera.
First of all, the rewind lever is quite difficult and even painful to use. When folded out, all I can grab onto is a tiny, rough knob that sits atop the lever itself. I'm wondering if there was once some additional part that was supposed to attach to this small knob for easier use, and be removed again when the lever was folded back into the body. If not, perhaps such a part could be made, or borrowed from a different purpose.
Second of all, I find that the linked aperture/shutter wheels are of limited practicality. In effect, there is little occasion for me to want to change the aperture or shutter setting while retaining the same exposure value. I am more likely to quickly change just one or the other when passing from bright sunlight into dark shadow. Because of the difficulty of doing this quickly, I have already missed more than one potentially good shot.
Since I love being able to use a mechanically-released leaf shutter in combination with a 1:1 range/viewfinder (just these specs make it seem as though this camera was tailored for me), and the Konica IIIa seems to be the only available camera combining these features, I would be quite sorry to forsake it in favor of a camera that was easier to use. However, both of these quirks pose quite a serious hurdle, since I want to think about anything but my camera when concentrated on getting good street shots.
If anyone has any ideas, they would be quite helpful. Thanks in advance.
jlw
Rangefinder camera pedant
I don't know a lot about the IIIa specifically, so here are a few general ideas:
-- Rewind crank: The tiny, uncomfortable knob is probably as original. Folding rewind cranks were still a fairly new idea back when the IIIa was made, and their style and execution differed quit a lot from one camera to another. One possibility: Sometimes cranks from different camera models (or even different manufacturers) attach via the same thread size, so it might be possible to unscrew your crank and substitute another you find more comfortable.
-- Interlocked shutter/aperture wheels: This "LVS coupling" is one of those 1950s features that seemed like a Great Idea to many manufacturers, but that consumers actually didn't want. At the user level, you're probably stuck with it. However, often the dials were interlocked by some kind of internal spring-loaded claw, and it might be possible for a repair person (or determined tinkerer) to remove this claw so that the dials turn independently.
-- Rewind crank: The tiny, uncomfortable knob is probably as original. Folding rewind cranks were still a fairly new idea back when the IIIa was made, and their style and execution differed quit a lot from one camera to another. One possibility: Sometimes cranks from different camera models (or even different manufacturers) attach via the same thread size, so it might be possible to unscrew your crank and substitute another you find more comfortable.
-- Interlocked shutter/aperture wheels: This "LVS coupling" is one of those 1950s features that seemed like a Great Idea to many manufacturers, but that consumers actually didn't want. At the user level, you're probably stuck with it. However, often the dials were interlocked by some kind of internal spring-loaded claw, and it might be possible for a repair person (or determined tinkerer) to remove this claw so that the dials turn independently.
dreilly
Chillin' in Geneva
You might want to google around. When I heard about these cameras recently, I did, and found a few references for people who have "uncoupled" them by, I'm assuming, removing the locking mechanism. I think I even saw a for sale ad somewhere for one that had been so modified. Sorry I don' t have specifics: widen your search by including the III and IIIm models, as they were all linked in the same way. You might be able to do that mod yourself, but be careful, and be real sure you want to keep it, as it'll probably hurt resale for collectors.
Cool camera!
Cool camera!
hoot
green behind the ears
Thanks... :bang:
raid
Dad Photographer
Are you know happy with your IIIa?
I got the IIIM and am happy with it.
I got the IIIM and am happy with it.
foto_fool
Well-known
I recently picked up a Konica III with the 48mm/f2 in a Konirapid MFX shutter. IIRC this was the first of the III models. The shutter is uncoupled, unlike the Seikosha MXL that came on later models. If you haven't already, check out Dante Stella's page (here) for some interesting info - including how to adjust speed and aperture separately on the coupled system.
The VF on my model is definitely not 1:1. Focus is "backward" - infinity rotate left. Still, I like the way the camera feels and handles. Unfortunately the shutter speeds are off and shutter sticks open sometimes, so mine is soon off to Dean's of Idaho for some work.
- John
The VF on my model is definitely not 1:1. Focus is "backward" - infinity rotate left. Still, I like the way the camera feels and handles. Unfortunately the shutter speeds are off and shutter sticks open sometimes, so mine is soon off to Dean's of Idaho for some work.
- John
raid
Dad Photographer
foto_fool said:
Hi John,
I have the III with the MXL, and the lens is also a 48mm/2. The 100% VF came with the IIIA and then the IIIM. I later on bought a IIIM for its 100% VF. It is awesome.
Dean is the one to do the CLA.
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ruby.monkey
Veteran
Re. shutter speed/aperture coupling on the IIIA: pulling back on both grooved parts of the exposure control ring and rotating it allows one to set the shutter speed independently. Pulling back on the left, as seen from the top, allows one to turn the aperture ring only with the other hand (there's a grooved section on the underside of the aperture ring to make this easier). It's a little fiddly, but becomes easier with practice.
(The user's handbook wasn't all that clear to me about this second point, but thankfully the gentleman at Sendean's of London (http://www.sendeancameras.co.uk/index.htm) set me straight)
As for the rewind knob - that's the way it should be. Ergonomics is for wimps.
(The user's handbook wasn't all that clear to me about this second point, but thankfully the gentleman at Sendean's of London (http://www.sendeancameras.co.uk/index.htm) set me straight)
As for the rewind knob - that's the way it should be. Ergonomics is for wimps.
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