Konica Auto S2 - First impressions

[raid]

Conrad,

I would pick the S2.
The S may have quality control problems and the S3 is fully automatic exposure.

[ChrisPlatt]

I agree with Raid; go with the S2.
It's a great camera for little money.

Chris

[jody36]

Love my S2 and own an S3 as well if I could only have one would be the S2. I have lots of rangefinders no leicas though and think the S2 is the most solid built and dependable of them. Have most of the Yashicas and they are ascetically pleasing but not as durable as the konica. I kept one on my fire truck for a while so I could use on calls.

[ruben]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Z

ruben: How do you feel about this camera after many months of ownership, and presumably, many rolls of flim?

Does the lens live up to expectations? How is the contrast? How is the flare? How is mechanical & electrical reliability? What battery do you use? Did you get used to the noisy, ratchety film advance, or do you still consider it a sin? I briefly had an Olympus 35SP. AWESOME film advance, awesome lens, but the meter was out of whack. I also have a Canonet GIII, which I like a lot, but not for manual exposure and the film advance feels cheap, even if it isn't.

I bought one from greyhoundman because I like the high-spec lens of my Yashica GS, but miss metered manual exposure mode and auto-exposure lock. (it has to have ONE of them...) At least that's the reason I give myself and my wife, hehehe.

Ok, if this thread is being recalled I will have to repent for a sin I made to this extraordinary camera I got at such a good health.

I simply went mad looking for the built in hood, up to the point that I started to disassemble the lens from the front.... Yeap I kinow, 20 lashes to my account at the sky.

This brought immediately to a cut of the old wires leading to the forefront light metering cell and therefore the "auto" became "manual only". Yeap I know, another 20 lashes to my account.

At that stage since the camera was not totally lost I decided to stop any further actions and reassembled it. But I put it aside, in a box. (5 lashes ?).

Lately, my interest aroused again and another Konica Auto S2 in much worse exterior shape arrived. With its help I hope to be able to learn about the connections and soldier again the electric cables and thus put the camera back to use.

Besides that I black painted top and bottom chromes, but of course good dids don't count too much these days.

Cheers,
Ruben

[Sandstrom]

Oh Ruben- you couldn't resist dissecting your S2 could you?

I too love my S2, the ease of use and quality of images is unbelievable. Even though you probably can see this now from our second S2 they hood surrounds the outside front of the lens and is retained by a thing (filter like) ring. A previous owner must have removed it and never put it back.

Please don't vivisect your Konicas again, I will sacrifice my hood if it will quell further temptation...

Brian

[ruben]

Originally Posted by Sandstrom

Oh Ruben- you couldn't resist dissecting your S2 could you?

...........
Brian

Nope, it is in my veins. Disassembling is a feature I carry from childhood. I loved guns. And whenever I got one as present I used to hide myself behind the sofa and start trying to disassembling it....

It is a kind of curiousity excess.

As for cameras, I disassemble in the same compulsionary way when they have something not working. Most of the times the problem biggens, some times I am lucky.

For the last seven years I work in a printshop with a lot of machines. I have seen the bosses with a clear cut approach to fixing technical problems with the machines:

a) First you relax your nerves through sending some dirty shouts
b) You don't do anything until you learn what is the problem
c) Until then, you look and look and look.
d) Once you have learned the problem you decide if it is up to you to fix, or a more professional technician is required.

Cheers,
Ruben

[btgc]

Oh, finally I ended where Ruben is - my Auto S2 is meterless now. I just opened shutter to wash slow speeds escapement and wire broke off meter cell. I could solder it back though decided to leave it off for a while - to see if washing effect is permanent. And I don't rely on built-in meters of old manual cameras. Maybe later I'll put it back, just to have things as they were intended. But not now. Beauty of KAS2 don't depend on meter.

[Lukino]

Hi Ruben, if you happen to find any resource about Auto S2 electrical part, can you please share it?

I'm trying to restore an Auto S1.6 which, as jody36 pointed out, is probably the same camera with a different lens, but some cables are cut and other are missing. Pictures of the open body would be very useful too, so I can figure out what is missing.

[ruben]

Originally Posted by Lukino

Hi Ruben, if you happen to find any resource about Auto S2 electrical part, can you please share it?

I'm trying to restore an Auto S1.6 which, as jody36 pointed out, is probably the same camera with a different lens, but some cables are cut and other are missing. Pictures of the open body would be very useful too, so I can figure out what is missing.

In my camera no electrical part is missing. Just the two cables (plus and minus I assume) have been cutted from the front cell. Now, from here there are several minor but annoying problems:

a) which cable should be soldiere to which side of the cell ? this in principle should be no problem and either doesn't matter or you can be able to test by experience. But then comes problem b)

b) the original cables (perhaps wires in better English) are very short, even to soldier them back out of knowledge, not to speak about temp arrangements to test who is who. Therefore I should find small additional wires to soldier to the original ones and then the job will be very feasible. But then comes problem c)

c) There is no much free space out there inside the compound, and therefore the additional cables should be closely thin to the original ones. Now start walking around your house looking what device are you going to dismantle in order to find such thin cables. Of course that our friends livin in big cities will have no problem to make a short trip to the electricity supplys quarter of their city, but those of us living in the desert have it more difficult.

Finnally the soldiering activity should be performed taking greatest care of the lens, I think dismounting should be done.

Cheers,
Ruben

[btgc]

Originally Posted by ruben

Now start walking around your house looking what device are you going to dismantle in order to find such thin cables.

Idea, idea! Computer has some cables inside - should work

But then comes problem d)

d) We will not have messages and pictures from Ruben, so at this point I'm retracting idea about cannibalizing PC.

Ruben, you really can make a day, as some RFFer expressed his feelings.

[cweg]

My KAS2 doesen't work yet too. The Shutter stucks always after a few days, but that's not the main problem. My question is, if the Aperturering has to click in every f-stop or doesn't it engage in your KAS2's too?

[btgc]

On KAS series aperture ring doesn't have click stops.

In manual mode meter can point to position between whole aperture values, so it's logical that any aperture in working range can be selected. In Auto mode camera also can set values between fstops. So there were no reason to implement clickstops for aperture - this is good sample of logical user interface.

Probably from implementation aspect this simplified implementation of Auto mode.

In fact, well designed cameras have at least one stepless exposure variable. Let's look at Yashica Electro - aperture has clickstops, while stepless shutter can work at any speed, thus achieving best possible exposure (at least theoretically). Lynx series have mechanical (thus - fixed speeds) and stepless aperture, just like a KAS.

Simpler cameras with limited aperture and speeds are easier to use when speed/aperture settings are clickable. Just remember few combos which work for you (I mean, general user) and stick to them. This is minor step to automation. Less decisions, less fiddling, more pictures.

[Lukino]

Originally Posted by ruben

In my camera no electrical part is missing. Just the two cables (plus and minus I assume) have been cutted from the front cell. Now, from here there are several minor but annoying problems:

a) which cable should be soldiere to which side of the cell ? this in principle should be no problem and either doesn't matter or you can be able to test by experience. But then comes problem b)

b) the original cables (perhaps wires in better English) are very short, even to soldier them back out of knowledge, not to speak about temp arrangements to test who is who. Therefore I should find small additional wires to soldier to the original ones and then the job will be very feasible. But then comes problem c)

c) There is no much free space out there inside the compound, and therefore the additional cables should be closely thin to the original ones. Now start walking around your house looking what device are you going to dismantle in order to find such thin cables. Of course that our friends livin in big cities will have no problem to make a short trip to the electricity supplys quarter of their city, but those of us living in the desert have it more difficult.

Finnally the soldiering activity should be performed taking greatest care of the lens, I think dismounting should be done.

Cheers,
Ruben

You've better luck than me, in my camera both wires to the cell are missing, so I don't know where they have to go. Also others are probably missing, I can see no wires to the battery check button for example... Now I've fond this, which is a big help to begin:
http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/foru...tml?1221581331

About your points:
a)my electronics knowledge is a little rusted, but I seem to remember that cds cells have no wiring preference

b) don't know about original wires length, not having them :-( but if you unscrew front element lens there is probably enough space to work

c) it is probably better, if you need to extend wires, to unscrew entire lens and focus element from the body, but this requires removing the camera leatherette.

Dismantling is certainly better than soldier over the lens... but I think you're one who love to look inside your toys, aren't you?
I am as you can see in this thread
If you need, I can send you diagrams I'm drawing while taking things apart, not much but hope can be useful

[racoll]

I found a Montgomery Ward am551 on the big auction site for $5! For those that don't know, the am551 is the Konica Auto S2 branded by Konica for Montgomery Ward to sell with their own labels. Aside from different markings, it's the exact same camera, but lack of familiarity on the part of others allowed me to buy it for $5 in near-perfect condition. I've just about finished a roll of film in it and am eager to see how it turns out.

[ruben]

Originally Posted by Lukino

...........

b) don't know about original wires length, not having them :-( but if you unscrew front element lens there is probably enough space to work

c) it is probably better, if you need to extend wires, to unscrew entire lens and focus element from the body, but this requires removing the camera leatherette.......

Here is the Zabritsky point to confess that in these sort of lens dismantling I am always afraid of altering the accurate positions when re-screwing.

Hmmm....,

Now, Lukino if you don't have wires at all, i, e, a minimal starting point, why do you insist with an f/1.6 instead of an Auto S2 with and f/1.8 - or if you want go lower, start CLA a Yashica Lynx 1.4 (in this case choose the older type with the dot and the black pointer on the viewfinder) ?

Cheers,
Ruben

[daveywaugh]

A few pics from my S2 taken last week. I really love it, although wish it were a tad smaller and lighter (but handles well probably because of this). Still can't get the meter to work...

[Lukino]

Originally Posted by ruben

Here is the Zabritsky point to confess that in these sort of lens dismantling I am always afraid of altering the accurate positions when re-screwing.

Hmmm....,

Now, Lukino if you don't have wires at all, i, e, a minimal starting point, why do you insist with an f/1.6 instead of an Auto S2 with and f/1.8 - or if you want go lower, start CLA a Yashica Lynx 1.4 (in this case choose the older type with the dot and the black pointer on the viewfinder) ?

The front element is a single block containing all the lenses (see photo) so you don't have to worry about dismantling the lens, just unscrew the black barrel you see under the name plate. It is tight, can be hard if your finger is big, but no way to damage the lens.

And for the why... because it's fun! It's not like I really need this camera or plan to sell it repaired, just that I have a nice broken toy and want to fix it! Will be happy to put my hand on Lynx 14 after this, I lost an auction for one just two weeks ago (my budget is EXTREMELY low)

[Koni Kowa]

Hello guys,
I just found a Konica Auto S1.6. It looks fine, except it has a 'haze' on one of the VF elements.
I would like to open it, but I can't find how to put off the rewind knob.

Can anyone help me please ?

[Koni Kowa]

Hello again, I found how to unscrew the rewind crank and cleaned the viewfinder. I changed light seals, add a new PX625 battery and found that the light meter was OK (I don't really care as I won't use it, but I'm curious).
Anyway, the first roll went OK.


Kodak Tri-X and D-76

[pinkarmy]

Originally Posted by Koni Kowa

... the first roll went OK...

i have a S1.6 but i don't have S2,
some said the S2 has better (sharper or what?) lens
how do you compare the two?

[Koni Kowa]

I only have the S1.6 model. It's better at f/1.6 than the S2.


Seriously, it's the same Planar design lens.
The f/1.8 was optimized to be good from full aperture, but they are just the same lens when used at the same aperture.

[pinkarmy]

Originally Posted by Koni Kowa

... It's better at f/1.6 than the S2.
...

LOL...this a good one i might recycle it some other day.

[jazzwave]

Ruben, u will love this camera,...
I sold all fix lens RF (Canonet, Yashica, Oly) except Auto S2. I will keep this gem although I'm using Leica M now.

#1 color



#2 BW

[J-P]

I got mine from ebay for £40 - I don't mind the price... but I saw one on there for £300! - only problem is it came with the mirror fallen off and a very stiff lens. It's at "camera-city" now being fixed - when the repair guy get's back from holiday (and when he feels like it!) I'll get it back in good working order... seriously Itchy fingers in the mean time...

Loving the variation from tack sharp to creamy soft in that last shot.

[f16sunshine]

Originally Posted by jazzwave

#2 BW

Nicely taken!