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Richard Clarke

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Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 11:52 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi- I have been working on a Konica S2 auto, and have the shutter and aperature working correctly. My next chore is to fix the rangefinder. When I look through the viewing window, there is no yellow area or double image for the rangefinder. I can also hear some rattling at times in the camera.
Can someone explain how to remove the top cover, re-attach the rangefinder, and adjust?

thanks in advance
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Jan Dvorak

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Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 12:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Richard,

The rattling you hear is the rangefinder mirror that has come loose - that is why you seen no rangefinder image. This is a very common problem on the Auto S2.

Removal of the top cover on the S2 is very simple:

1) Unscrew the cap over the advance lever, using a rubber stopper, pressing from the top.

2) Remove the advance lever and unscrew the nut you'll under it.

3) Unscrew the film rewind knob - make sure the spindle inside the camera is immobile and undo the knob counter clockwise.

4) Remove small screw under the rewind knob.

5) Lift off the top cover - it is that simple.

Gluing the mirror back will be a fiddly affair, but can be done. You will have to re-adjust the rangefinder after you are done, but wait with the final adjustment until the glue has fully hardened.

Good luck,

Jan
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Richard Clarke

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Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 04:25 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi- thanks for the info. Is there a preferred adhesive for attaching the rangefinder mirror? How do I adjust the rangefinder?

thank you
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Stuart Willis

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Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 05:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Your last question is a little premature.
You are not ready for that yet. Take things a bit at a time.
What the last contributor forgot to mention is that the semi-silvered panel of glass which seems to have come loose - should NOT be cleaned on the silvered side. It's proper name is "beam-splitter". The coating would wipe off and then you'd be just left with a plain piece of glass - and still no rangefinder image. If the retrieved beam-splitter looks a bit dirty - use a blower to remove surface dust ..... but that's the extent of permissible cleaning.
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Winfried

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Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 08:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Probably it is NOT the semi-silvered mirror which has come loose - it is attached quite firmly in the viewfinder assembly and IIRC is even mounted in two slots.

I once received a S2 with a loose fully-silvered mirror (the small one on the right-hand side end of the viewfinder assembly). This small mirror piece can be glued back into place with a droplet of superglue. NEVER attach superglue directly from the nozzle, apply a small droplet on a screwdriver blade and place it. If you accidentally drop a bit of superglue it will glue together the parts it reaches forever...

The small mirror should be silvered on its front surface. If in doubt, touch one of the surfaces with a wooden toothpick or similar. If there is NO gap between the tip and its mirrored image this is the front surface. The other surface must be glued to the mirror holder.

For disassembly of the S2 top cover you can refer to the repair article about the Konica Auto-S1.6 which is identical viewfinder-wise.
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Jan Dvorak

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Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 08:44 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Yes, Winfried is correct. The mirror in question is a front surface mirror, not a beam splitter. If using superglue (cyanoacrylate), try to use one which has a longer setting properties. This will allow you to roughly position the mirror while checking the rangefinder image, making it easier for the final adjustment.

Good luck,

Jan
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Richard Clarke

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Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 09:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi- I got the top off, and there a 2 pieces loose inside the camera.Can you advise where these go?

http://users.ev1.net/~lclarke/Konica s2 auto.htm

I also sheared off the screw holding the cover on the film advance. Does not look like I can extract the screw. Do you think I can superglue this in place
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WernerJB

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Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 08:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Using superglue is NOT possible here: where do you think you are going to glue it to ??
If you drill a 1mm hole into the broken end of the screw it should be no serious problem to remove it from the threaded hole (3mm). Afterwards you can either drill the cover through and screw it to the camera with a crosshead srew or, which I would prefer, as it looks much nicer, drill a hole about 1.5 mm deep into that brass "coin" and solder a piece of a new 3mm screw into it. If you work carefully it will fully serve its purpose (have two cameras with "repaired" top screws, no problem).
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Jan Dvorak

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Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 10:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Richard,

Here is a link with a picture of what the S2 finder should look like:

http://www3.telus.net/ebaypics/konicas2finder.jpg

I cannot indentify the other part in you shot, it does look familiar though. It could be some kind of light baffle from the finder/metter assembly. I could not find anything like it on my S2.

As to your broken part - try to remove the broken screw from the advance shaft and file flat the underside of the advance lever cap. Than, drill a hole of appropriate size through the center of the cap, making sure that you really drill the center.

It should not be too dificult to find the right screw to attach the cap to the body. It will be more professional than glueing.

Good luck,

Jan

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