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Barry C. Fuchs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 06:36 pm: | 
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Hello,
I recently acquired a Wards camera which my web research reveals is a re-badged Konica Auto-S. Camera looks to be in excellent condition cosmetically, but the shutter blades seem to be stuck closed.
I'd like to try the Ronsonol flush, but am unsure as to how to remove the built-in lens shade and front lens group to access the blades. Rather than attacking it I thought someone in the group might offer some suggestions on how to proceed . . . or correct my very amateur assumptions . . . :>)
Thanks,
Barry
Richmond, VA |
WernerJB
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 02:49 am: |
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As pictures speak louder than words try this link: http://feuerbacher.net/photo/frame.html , then look at the camera articles' section. Another rebadged Auto S (Revue auto 500) was among the first cameras that I ever brought back to life with the help of Mick Feuerbacher's excellent repair tips; if this encourages you in your first steps towards tinkering: this camera is worth the effort ! |
Barry C. Fuchs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 04:02 am: |
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A bit intimidating for a rookie, but the instructions are so clear, how can I resist?
Thanks for the link Werner . . . :>) |
WernerJB
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 10:45 am: |
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It's me again, what is commonly known as lighter fluid "flushing" does not mean you have to drench the whole camera shutter in Ronsonol, of course not, as this would have negative effects on the other "blades" there are, i.e. the aperture blades, but all of these are visible in the pictures.
Work slowly and use your common sense, so with a bit of care and a timid smile you can make your way through the unexpected, like me and so many others before. Specific questions can be asked in the "Keyword Search" section of this forum by finding out about other tinkerers answers to problems, I especially appreciate this function a lot.
Inside the Auto S everything around the shutter and the wind mechanism is quite logical and easy to understand, it is self-explaining so to speak. What is more complicated however is the light meter and the RF array under the top cap, both of them should be left as they are if you are not skilled or familiar with their makeup. But average camera tinkerers usually learn quickly by just doing things they didn't know they were capable of managing only a short while ago; learning by doing, that is what this is all about, I wish you lots of luck on your way to a fully functional camera! |
Barry C. Fuchs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 05:50 pm: |
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Success . . . pretty much . . . :>)
Everything went pretty well - I have all my shutter speeds back (at least they seem right) & the apertures are moving properly except that F16 hangs up a bit. I'll let thigngs dry out until tomorrow and see what the future brings.
I'm encouraged and look forward to trying it with a roll of film . . . but one more question:
There was no battery in it (probably good), can you advise on the proper replacement? I'm assuming (dangerous, that!)it was originally a Mercury cell . . . :>O
signed,
'not quite ready for prime-time, but willing to learn . . . even if it costs the lives of a few cameras" |
WernerJB
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 04:28 am: |
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Congratulations ! I empathize with your delight.
As regards the battery question, a somewhat strange discussion has been going on about replacement batteries for the outdated mercury cells. My findings are: reasonable photographers do not blindly rely on whatever meter system they use, thinking always comes first. That is why I do not find it problematic to use alkaline 1.5 V 625 button cells which are identical in size to the original 1.35 V 625 PX. In the automatic mode (which stops me from manually overriding that meter's setting or requires setting the meter to a different film speed) I also use silver oxide cells, because they are said to be more reliable (they go by names like SG 13; LR 44; 357 etc.), but all of these are smaller in diameter, so you have to bridge the gap by some homemade adaptor (tin foil, perhaps, there is plenty of information about this topic on the net, but please keep in mind: simplest is cheapest is best !).
In the old Konicas (Auto S, Auto S2) the aperture spring is relatively weak and delicate. Usually it is strong enough to move the mechanism - and must therefore not be replaced by a more vigurous one - if there is no residue or grime either on the spring or the blades. I have also found cameras in which the mechanism was a bit worn and had to be readjusted, but that is a different matter, and as you say your camera is in good shape this is most probably not the case.
Take my tip: practise on a few junkers cheaply obtainable on ebay or elsewhere: if there's nothing to lose anyway you can only draw profit from experimenting a bit. After doing so I considered myself fit for a Canon: I was not, so I fxcked it all up. So what ? |
Barry C. Fuchs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 07:42 am: |
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Well, the aperture blades are still hanging up , but only on F16 (they hang at about an F8). Otherwise everything looks very good, so I'm inclined not to push my luck, we'll see how it goes with some film. I got this camera in an odd lot of ten cameras ranging from a few old Instamatics, two disc cameras, a Kodak Super 8, a Tower 127 that looks like a clock/radio(really), an Olympus AZ300 (35-105mm auto-everything Zoom P&S in VG++ condition, fully functioning, a Canon AF35M (works fine)and one oddball Sears Auto 35. The Sears is a very compact piece with a spring-wind advance and 2.8 Rikenon (zone focus) lens. I haven't had any luck Googling this one (even on the Japanese collector sites). It appears to be shutter priority auto, all black/all metal, and a rather unique design. I'll post a photo if anyone is interested or wants to take a shot at IDing it.
The whole lot cost me $1.00 . . . how could one resist?
Thanks for your help WernerJB, I'll go with the alkaline 625 for a test, my Miranda SLR's seem to work fine with it so I've got some in stock . . . |
Winfried
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 08:28 am: |
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I think the Sears camera is a clone of the Ricoh Hi-Color. AFAIK these have three shutter speeds (1/30, 1/125, 1/250) and auto-apeture with an 'invisible' needle-trap system (similar to that on the Canonet QL17 etc). It just shows a red dot in the viewfinder when light is insufficient. |
Barry C. Fuchs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 10:44 am: |
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\image
No , it's not a Ricoh Hi-Color, I'm familiar with that one. The photo may help with identification, I'd say it's probably from the early-60's, it's 4"widex3"highx2"deep overall if that helps. In the viewfinder there are two indicators - top center a red circle appears , seemingly to indicate either 'out of range' for auto-exposure (or 'tripod suggested'?) at 12 o'clock and at 6 o'clock the focusing zone selected icon appears. The lens focus ring shows (besides three icons)distances in meters. The aperture ring F2.8-22 plus Auto. Except for some brassing on the front edges and some fairly extensive light-sealing foam turned to tar, the camera is in very nice condition.
I've just done a basic cleanup, will load some film and see how it goes as soon as I can come up with some time to renew the seals. It seems almost all of the inside of the door was covered, so it may take some time to find something suitable! |
Barry C. Fuchs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 10:55 am: |
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OK, obviously I haven't mastered the art of embedding an image . . . :>/
If you are curious, I've uploaded an image of the camera to:
www.artZites.com
Incidently, the photo on top was taken recently with a Zorki 1 / Industar 22 lens : I've amassed a fair collection of these Russian Leica clones and really like them! Like my 1967 VW Beetle, they are as simple as a rock and just as reliable! |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 11:12 am: |
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Barry,
Agree fully with your comments about Zorki 1 and so pocketable.A true affordable, go anywhere classic.The photo is a good test shot. Glenn |
Winfried
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 02:22 pm: |
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I just found a pic of a late Ricoh Hi-Color:
http://www.famil-online-home.com/ricohhicolor35s.htm
Add some plastic around the lens barrel and it looks very similar to the Sears camera. I think there have been several models of the Hi-Color, the older ones look different. |
Barry C. Fuchs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 04:13 pm: |
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Winfried, you're right, my apologies . . . :>)
The Ricoh, Japan site has an extensive database of their camera history, and I found an even closer match to the Sears at:
http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/hi-color_BT.html
Still not quite the same cosmetically, but the main controls are in the same place. The 1971 production date really surprised me, but the CDS cell should have told me my guess was too early!Unfortunately, the U.S. Ricoh site doesn't have an English version of the database, but the site is well worth a visit for anyone with more than a passing interest in Ricoh history. |
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