Using Konica Pearl with flash question

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tofufuto

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Hi all

I'm trying to use my Konica Pearl IV with a flash. The lens has a PC Sync socket but I can't seem to get it to fire with my flash. I've attached a small Nikon SB30 (which has no PC Sync socket) onto a hotshoe-pc cable adapter which I mount onto the camera's accessory shoe.

The lens appears to have an M/F/X selector switch. Can someone educate me on what they mean? Just to clarify, its possible to use a flash with these old konica pearl folders right? Am I doing something wrong or does the problem lie with my camera and it needs servicing?

Thanks!
 
If all is well it should work with the X setting, at all shutter speeds. Mine fires the flash but i have never actually tried it with film inside.
 
With electronic flash, X sync is all you ever need.

M (medium) and F (fast burning bulb) speeds delay the shutter behind the flash release, to different degrees. This was relevant to use flash bulbs on a hand-held camera or with moving subjects, as these burn slowly and take some time to reach their peak brightness. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_synchronization for details...
 
tofufuto said:
...
The lens appears to have an M/F/X selector switch. Can someone educate me on what they mean? ...
Click to expand...

It adjusts the flash sync. Flash bulbs take time to ignite so they need to be triggered a brief time before the shutter reaches full open. The switch sets the amount of time the shutter is delayed:
  • M = medium delay, ~15ms, for M-class bulbs, largely foil filled
  • F = slight delay, ~5ms, for F-class bulbs which are largely gas.
  • X = zero delay, 0ms, for electronic flash.
  • V = when it appears on similar switches is for a self timer which generally operates as X-sync when the shutter fires.
 
Even if the switch is set to a bulb setting, the flash should still fire when you trigger the shutter.

Try this to see if your flash adapter or the camera is at fault:
Take the flash off the camera, and use a paper clip on the end of the adapter's PC wire to see if the flash will fire. Just push the end of the paper clip into the socket to short the center lead with the outside rim of the PC connector. If the flash won't fire, then your adapter or its wire is no good.

I assume that the flash works fine on other cameras, so the flash is not the problem.

If the adapter works, then check the camera PC socket for signs of corrosion. A bit of work on the outside with a pencil eraser may make it work better. If the PC socket looks good, but there is still no flash, then there may be corrosion on the internal flash contacts which prevent conduction. At that point, you need to have the camera serviced.
 
Dwig said:
It adjusts the flash sync. Flash bulbs take time to ignite so they need to be triggered a brief time before the shutter reaches full open. The switch sets the amount of time the shutter is delayed:
  • M = medium delay, ~15ms, for M-class bulbs, largely foil filled
  • F = slight delay, ~5ms, for F-class bulbs which are largely gas.
  • X = zero delay, 0ms, for electronic flash.
  • V = when it appears on similar switches is for a self timer which generally operates as X-sync when the shutter fires.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing. Really appreciate it
 
Robert Lai said:
Even if the switch is set to a bulb setting, the flash should still fire when you trigger the shutter.

Try this to see if your flash adapter or the camera is at fault:
Take the flash off the camera, and use a paper clip on the end of the adapter's PC wire to see if the flash will fire. Just push the end of the paper clip into the socket to short the center lead with the outside rim of the PC connector. If the flash won't fire, then your adapter or its wire is no good.

I assume that the flash works fine on other cameras, so the flash is not the problem.

If the adapter works, then check the camera PC socket for signs of corrosion. A bit of work on the outside with a pencil eraser may make it work better. If the PC socket looks good, but there is still no flash, then there may be corrosion on the internal flash contacts which prevent conduction. At that point, you need to have the camera serviced.
Click to expand...

Yea the flash works with other cameras. The cable is new and I've used it previously. I'm guessing the problem is as you mentioned, some corrosion on the internal contacts. Looks like I might have to get it serviced. Thanks for the advice.
 
This is probably an easy fix, but I don't advise you to do it yourself if you don't have experience servicing leaf shutters. The Pearl 4 is a very desirable camera, and worth some effort. I have one, and it's the only rollfilm camera I ever actually use.



Cheers,
Dez
 
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