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Post by yashica1943 on Jun 11, 2013 9:49:22 GMT -5
I have just bought a Konica FS 1 body, described as for spares/not working, will not wind-on, shutter does not work. I decided it was worth a risk and was prepared to take the lid off and check for loose electrical contacts, nothing more. Cost me £4.20 plus postage.
Nice looking heavy, solid camera.
Put four new AA batteries in, film transport started whirring. Shutter and mirror appear to work OK, LED's light up.
Next stage, put a lens (I have two Konica lenses) on and expose a film.
Surely the seller knew to put batteries in???
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Doug T.
Lifetime Member
Pettin' The Gator
Posts: 1,199
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Post by Doug T. on Jun 11, 2013 12:35:03 GMT -5
It's amazing what some folks neglect to do. Sometimes the contacts build up a film on them and inserting and removing the batteries a few times may have scratched it off enough to work. Give them a good cleaning and count your blessings Doug
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Post by yashica1943 on Jun 12, 2013 8:40:03 GMT -5
Yes Doug, I was expecting that there might have been some corrosion or evidence of scraping etc, but the battery compartment is clean, dry looking all the springs and contacts are as new. The rest of the camera is doesn't have that dirty neglected look that some have. (Light seals are a bit tacky). Either the seller never inserted the batteries or the camera was shaken in the postal system and it righted itself. I have noticed that after turning the main switch off, the led on the back of the camera, top left, flickers for a short time.
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Post by yashica1943 on Jun 19, 2013 15:01:43 GMT -5
In addition, I have just bought a Konica Autoreflex TC with the Hexanon 40mm pancake lens plus a Vivitar flash, leather look case and the manuals for both. Not cheap, not expensive though, the seller states that it has had two films through it since he bought it new. Looking at it I can believe it. Now selling my other Autoreflex TC body which looks a bit tired in comparison.
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Post by yashica1943 on Jul 7, 2013 9:26:43 GMT -5
re:- The Konica Autoreflex TC. I will have to renew the light seals. I know how to do the door, but the seals on the screen need doing as well, does the replacement have to be done in situ and what thickness of foam is needed? Any information welcome. Thanks.
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Post by yashica1943 on Jul 18, 2013 8:11:26 GMT -5
Seem to be getting to be a collector of Konica! I have just bought a rather sad looking FC-1 off eBay as a non-runner (dirty and no hot shoe). The f1.8 50 mm lens actually looks quite good now it has arrived. I have cleaned the body up, slipped the battery holder out, cleaned the green mess off it, disposed of the old batteries, tweaked the contacts, inserted four market bought ones (about 5p. each) and off we go. Seems to work perfectly at all speeds. The only thing needed now is a hot shoe, so looking for one (not necessarily) Konica. Isolated the wires, so anything 20mm x 17mm will do. I also have another very much delayed FC-1 kit on the way. Edit. Update. This did not arrive, the eBay seller, from Ashford UK says he sent it twice! Then said he had added some filters to make up for the delay, could not prove he had sent it. I have had all my money returned, so beware. I do like the feel of these cameras, FS-1 and FC-1, now looking for a FT-1 perhaps!
Now replaced the light seals, this is one of the first of the series I have seen that still has the remote release cap still fitted.
I will put a film through it next week........The results are fine. Now I really want a cheap FT-1, a non-runner will do as long a it looks good.
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Post by yashica1943 on Aug 28, 2013 5:05:18 GMT -5
Now, I have a good complete working FC-1, the body of the one I cleaned up has gone off to a new home, less the 1.8 50mm lens which I kept. A Konica FT-1 body has just arrived, condition very good and everything works unlike the FS-1 which just works most of the time . Even has the instruction manual and a set of AAA batteries in it, needs new light seals, but I just love the look and feel of it. Good value at less than £20.00 I think. Now, do I really want an FC-1 ? Perhaps a program only Konica might be a disappointment, but, if it is cheap...................!
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Post by vintageslrs on Aug 28, 2013 7:47:30 GMT -5
Now, I have a good complete working FC-1, the body of the one I cleaned up has gone off to a new home, less the 1.8 50mm lens which I kept. A Konica FT-1 body has just arrived, condition very good and everything works unlike the FS-1 which just works most of the time . Even has the instruction manual and a set of AAA batteries in it, needs new light seals, but I just love the look and feel of it. Good value at less than £20.00 I think. Now, do I really want an FC-1 ? Perhaps a program only Konica might be a disappointment, but, if it is cheap...................! yashica1943---The Konica FS-1 is a very good camera. And if you like that one and some of the other ones you have. Then if you do not have a T3 or a T3N ......you should look into one. That model was the best built, heaviest and strong as a tank. They are clearly the apex of the Konica line. And are the ones that Konica collectors have the most respect for. The following is a quote from a rather famous Konica expert and collector named Denis and it was wriiten circa 1990: "Konica Autoreflex T3 - Like its predecessors, the T and T2, it also has multi-exposure capability, a self-timer, and a range of shutter speeds from B to 1/1000th of a second. It is a heavy, well built camera that just keeps on going and going. The T3 was introduced in 1973. Some are still in use by professional photographers, and they are easily found at auctions and in the used market place. Weight with a 57mm f1.4 lens is 36.8 ounces. They can be found with either the microdiaprism spot or split-field rangefider focus system. It has a bright and informative viewfinder. Multiple exposures are very easy to make with its ME switch, which allows you to hold the switch while advancing the cocking lever without advancing the film. A unique system which makes multiple exposures very simple, once again, another first for Konica. The T3 also greatly improved the shutter release. It takes less than half the pressure and a third of the stroke (2mm) of the previous T2. The T3 also has an automatic power switch, in that when the cocking lever is cocked, the power switch is automatically turned on. The T3 also has an improved self-timing switch that also serves as the depth-of-field preview button. It has a locking button in its center so that it doesn't operate until you're ready for it. Moving the switch towards the lens operates it as the depth-of-field preview button. Other improvements in the T3 include: a magnified film counter, lens-lock button, film cassette stablizer, film take-up indicator, shutter-ready indicator, improved film transport lever grip, among others. ISO/ASA range is 12-3200. Body only weight is 26 ounces. Konica Autoreflex T3N - Sometimes called NT3 or New T3. Designation on the camera body still said T3 and the easiest way to tell the difference is that the T3N has a flattened pentaprism, rather than a peak, with a built-in hotshoe attachment and by a white line on the self-timer switch. The last and the best of the large Autoreflex cameras. I've had my first T3 since 1975, never had it cleaned, and it's never needed repair, and still works beautifully. If you're ever serious about getting a Konica SLR, this is the one to buy. The main improvements over the original T3 is that it came with the afore mentioned built-in flash hot shoe. Another improvement is the addition of a built-in eyepiece shutter cover to block extraneous light from entering, for such times as when your eye is not pressed against the viewfinder while taking pictures. Other minor improvements were not enough for a new designation. This new T3 came on the market in 1975 and has a weight of 26 ounces, a height of 3.9 inches, a width of 5.9 inches and a depth of 1.8 inches." yashica1943---the T3 or the T3N is by far the best Konica to own.....check them out...you should have one if you do not now.
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Post by yashica1943 on Aug 28, 2013 12:50:12 GMT -5
Thanks for that, Bob. I have a very clean Konica Autoreflex TC. The previous owner said that he had put only two films through it and I can believe that. I didn't really start collecting Konica, I bought a Konica fit Sun Actinon 24mm lens cheap, because any 24mm lens in a 'popular' mount is very expensive compared with 28mm etc. and started looking for a Konica Body. Which found me a cheap poor but working Autoreflex TC which I sold on after cleaning it and replacing the door seals. I then decided I liked the FS-1 because of its 'feel'.
I will be looking out for a good T3 on the strength of your advice.
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Post by yashica1943 on Sept 2, 2013 8:42:47 GMT -5
That was a quite unusual weekend on ebay UK! I had been watching a very interesting (to me) Konica FP-1 starter set in a box. It consisted of a FP-1 body, 50mm f1.8, 28mm f3.5, 135mm f3.5, 2x converter, autowinder, flash and ever ready case. A day before it ended the seller reduced the price, then I was just about to put in a late bid for it and 2 minutes before the listing ended the seller withdrew it from sale. A couple of hours later I bid on what looks to be a nice T3 with 50mm lens.I won it for £6.50. Later on a Tamron Adaptall mount for Konica AR fell, (I have two Tamron zooms) then this morning a cheap autowind for the AutoReflex TC went into my mitts. So I think the FP-1 seller did me a big favour.....Because I wouldn't have gone for the T3 or the other two items..
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Post by yashica1943 on Sept 4, 2013 11:08:17 GMT -5
The T3 arrived this morning, not mint, not particularly clean, but there are no dents or missing paint and it seems to work OK. Feels like an old Nikon. Solid and the mechanics feel smooth,the f 1.7 lens is clean, smart, with a good Toshiba filter and looks great. So it is a keeper. Not bad for £6.50. The autowind is mint and the Adaptall good.
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Post by vintageslrs on Sept 4, 2013 11:36:00 GMT -5
Good Luck with the T3. Great camera! And those Hexanon lenses are very fine.
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Post by yashica1943 on Sept 27, 2013 10:23:58 GMT -5
i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/ric871/KonicacollectionEdited_zpsa4d4fb43.jpgMy collection of Konica SLR. Tried to get the picture size down to a manageable level in Photoshop. But still cannot attach it. The T3 is quite good, looks nicely used, the FS-1 is quite nice cosmetically, does work but erratically, the FC-1 is good+ and works fine, the Autoreflex TC is absolutely Mint++ including the 40mm lens. The FT-1 is very good, clean nice to use. All the lenses are good. The most I paid was for the TC. The least the FS-1.
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Doug T.
Lifetime Member
Pettin' The Gator
Posts: 1,199
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Post by Doug T. on Sept 27, 2013 10:58:36 GMT -5
That's a nice looking collection you've got started! I don't have too many Konicas in my collection, but I might have a few parts you could use. I'll see what I've got.
Doug
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Post by yashica1943 on Sept 27, 2013 14:42:25 GMT -5
Thank you. Doug. Will be looking for a FP-1, but not urgently, I have just bought a DSLR and need to get used to that.
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