Konica s2 Auto

[Tomazagato]

Good day to you all, I have been a lurker here for a while and up till recently soley used contax slr, any way I purchased a Konica from ebay advertised as stuck, [film advance lever], anyway I took a chance and have done some research on repairers here in the UK. Having never used a rangefinder, I am thinking also that the viewfinder has a fault as I cannot see any double image that I think I should be seeing. to me image in viewfinder stays the same, either at infinity or close up, The camera is in fabulous condition inc the lens but now I am thinking I have bought trouble, is the viewfinder prone to this thru time?. sorry for long winded, and thankyou in advance.

 

[Tomazagato]

Thank you very kindly.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Hello,

The stuck shutter is a common problem with the KAS2 after it has sat for a few years. I didn't know anything about camera repair at the time but I managed to get it going by flushing it with naphtha a few times and exercising it A LOT.
I would never suggest to do this now with any camera, but it worked for my KAS2.

As for the rangefinder, it sounds like the mirror has come away or has de-silvered.

 

[Nickon51]

Here are a couple of photos of the rangefinder. The frame lines and the area for the patch are reflected onto the mirror and then through the focusing lens and then onto the 1/2 transmissive mirror. If any of those are missing then you wont see the focus patch.
As for the sticky shutter, I'm not a proponent of flooding the blades with a solvent, although it does work sometimes.

DSCN2350.jpg

DSCN2007.jpg

 

[Tomazagato]

Here are a couple of photos of the rangefinder. The frame lines and the area for the patch are reflected onto the mirror and then through the focusing lens and then onto the 1/2 transmissive mirror. If any of those are missing then you wont see the focus patch.
As for the sticky shutter, I'm not a proponent of flooding the blades with a solvent, although it does work sometimes.

DSCN2350.jpg

DSCN2007.jpg

Thanks for the knowledge, I will pass on the diy repair, and send it off to a reputable camera servicing co in the UK. They say they will give me a free quote so what's to lose other than postage back and forth.

 

[farlymac]

Sometimes, a "repairer" will go in and clean the viewfinder, only to wind up remove the silvering from the beam splitter. Then you have to replace it.

With the stuck shutter, and rangefinder problems, it could use a good tear down, and complete CLA. By a true professional!

PF

ps: I've got to learn to type faster. Sending it off for repair is a good thing, though maybe a return for refund might be better once you get the estimate.

 

[konicaman]

You have probably checked this, but - I once bought an S2 with a "stuck" shutter. It turned out that it had run out of battery in which case you can't fire the shutter unless you set it to manual mode (or give it a new battery).


That being said ths S2 is one of the best fixed lens rangefrinders ever made, IMHO. If the lens is clear and clean it certainly is worth spending the money on a CLA (by a pro, as mentioned).