Pearl IV Questions

[lohrentz]

I picked up a Pearl IV from Japan. It was said to be Mint and recently CLA'd, and with a brand new bellows. Received it yesterday. The bellows do appear to be new. The lens appears to be in great shape, and the shutter speeds seem accurate. However, I cannot get the aperture to rotate wider than about f/4.8. Also, the film advance knob seems a bit wobbly--not what I'd expect from a recently CLA'd camera. I ran through a roll of HP5 today, and am really happy with the results. This camera is very easy to focus and frame, and there's a lot to like. I paid extra for the CLA, but am wondering what I should ask of the seller for the small issues it has.

On this shot below, I was trying to block the side light with my hand, but a beam shot through the bottom left corner. Do you think it would work to use a 30.5 to 40.5 step up ring and use the filters and lens shade I already own?



Pearl IV, Instant Mytol 1+59, 1/50 @ f/5.6 hand held.

 

[JeffS7444]

Because it needs to be removed every time you want to fold the camera, I'd much rather have a slip-on lens shade.

 

[lohrentz]

Is there anyone in the USA who can service the Pearl IV?

 

[Miles.]

Is there anyone in the USA who can service the Pearl IV?

I’d email Jurgen at Certo6.

 

[OlivierAOP]

A locked aperture is not a small issue. If it really was CLA'd they did a poor job. Fortunately the Konica is a rather simple camera and anybody who can work on leaf shutters should be able to fix it. Not sure about the the winding knob. There is a *tiny* wobble on my Pearl III which feels normal.

I'd avoid any step rings. They will likely prevent the camera from closing. Without strap lugs folding the camera is important for carrying it around. Konica made special thin filters for it, as well a slip-on shade. But honestly with RFs it's hard to tell whether you are shading the lens properly. And your example isn't strongly backlit...

 

[lohrentz]

A locked aperture is not a small issue. If it really was CLA'd they did a poor job. Fortunately the Konica is a rather simple camera and anybody who can work on leaf shutters should be able to fix it. Not sure about the the winding knob. There is a *tiny* wobble on my Pearl III which feels normal.

I'd avoid any step rings. They will likely prevent the camera from closing. Without strap lugs folding the camera is important for carrying it around. Konica made special thin filters for it, as well a slip-on shade. But honestly with RFs it's hard to tell whether you are shading the lens properly. And your example isn't strongly backlit...

The aperture does rotate between 32 and about 4.8, so I don't know if that is what I'd call locked. Also, I was able to fix the wobble on the winding knob by rotating the round plate on top in a clockwise direction.

 

[lohrentz]

The seller reimbursed me to send it to Zack's to get repaired. It turns out that the Japanese person who performed the cla/bellows replacement put the aperture blades in upside down. Zack's had it fixed and back to me in a couple of weeks. Working great now.

Pearl IV, FP4+, 510-Pyro
f/4, now available: