Konica Pearl III, rangefinder adjustment?

[ricklb55]

Just acquired the Pearl III. U.S. $190 I have not yet put film through it but so far I am not terribly impressed:
1. The shutter/lense is not quiet parallel to the plane of the film. Is this a significant issue?
2. The shutter/lense is a tad loose. Not really a problem but it just makes the camera feel cheap.
3. The rangefinder is not reporting the correct distance. Anybody know how this is adjusted? I removed the plate the contains the film type dial but it only exposes a screw for the vertical alignment of the rangefinder mirror.

The good: very little wear, very clean lense, all shutter speeds are accurate to the ear, no leaks in the bellows, it has a PC synch and it fires a flash.

Did I pay too much? Feels like it.

 

[dxqcanada]

1. Ah, hmm that would cause focus issue if it is extreme.
2. The front shutter/lens is secured by a threaded ring ... you should be able to tighten it from in the back.
3. Sorry, can't help you there ... never had one of these.

Searching on eBay ... they ask a lot for this camera. I do not know it, so I can't say if it is worth it.

 

[ricklb55]

Checking around the internet I can find nothing specific to adjusting the rangefinder on Konica Pearl's. So I plunged ahead and removed the top plate and found two screws just behind (closer to the film side) the 45° mirror that is just behind the rangefinder opening (not the viewfinder opening). The screw just behind the mirror adjusted the vertical. The screw behind that adjusted the horizontal. Got it all adjusted at about 8 feet and felt very proud of myself, but then discovered the rangefinder did not converge at infinite. Getting that correct made the close focus off. From what I have read on various forums it seems there are at least two adjustment screws: one for close and one for infinite. But what have I adjusted? Close or infinite? And where is the opposite adjustment screw?

FWIW, after I complained to the seller he refunded me 50% of the purchase price. Also, with leaving the camera open and allowing the bellows to relax the lense is coming much closer to parallel.

 

[dxqcanada]

got a picture of the top?

 

[ricklb55]

Picturess

 

[dxqcanada]

Hmm, I suspect that pivoting part in the middle plays a role in infinity focus.

 

[compur]

How are you determining if focus is correct or not at a particular distance?

 

[ricklb55]

How are you determining if focus is correct or not at a particular distance?

By eyeball. I put the camera on a tripod and tape measure a distance to an object, the distance being one of the whole numbers indicated on the camera's distance scale. Then, while viewing through the camera view finder, I turn the horizontal adjustment screw until the image alignment is very close - impossible to get exact. Exact alignment is done by adjusting another screw outside of the top plate. This second horizontal adjustment screw is located in the camera linkage, in a two o'clock position relative to the lense, and it moves the entire horizontal adjustment linkage by a very small amount and allows exact alignment.

 

[ricklb55]

Hmm, I suspect that pivoting part in the middle plays a role in infinity focus.

OK. I thought it might be one of the two screws that have a black sealant applied to them. They are located to the right of the pivoting assembly.

 

[compur]

How are you determining if focus is correct or not at a particular distance?

By eyeball. I put the camera on a tripod and tape measure a distance to an object, the distance being one of the whole numbers indicated on the camera's distance scale. Then, while viewing through the camera view finder, I turn the horizontal adjustment screw until the image alignment is very close - impossible to get exact. Exact alignment is done by adjusting another screw outside of the top plate. This second horizontal adjustment screw is located in the camera linkage, in a two o'clock position relative to the lense, and it moves the entire horizontal adjustment linkage by a very small amount and allows exact alignment.

I recommend using this method:

 

[Adrian Lambert]

I've just been playing with my newly acquired Pearl II. It's very similar except that the horizontal and vertical adjustments are set with the one screw that's in the position marked vertical in the image in the above post. Pain in the neck to adjust though.

With regards to the comment about the pivoting part in the middle, I was under the impression that when the taking lens is verifiably focused on infinity the pivoting component will be in charge of ensuring the split image is relevant to the plane of focus, and therefore is a non-adjustable aspect of the system. No?

Also though what is the small screw for to the top right of the taking lens? (Photo attached.) This also allows for adjustment of the focusing system - you can see the connections to the mirror going into the camera body. Is this not for quick and easy infinity focusing adjustments without taking the top off?

 

[Adrian Lambert]

1. The shutter/lense is not quiet parallel to the plane of the film. Is this a significant issue?

My Pearl II wasn't at all well aligned either. I can't see in there too well but I think the point in the struts that locates the pins that hold the lens out seems to be worn. The pins are positioned closer to the body than they should be. I'm going to unnerve a few people now but I held as much of the strut system and door as firmly as I could and using brute force bent the misaligned portion to a position that I'm much happier with. I don't recommend doing this as it left me with too small a gap for the shutter button arms. So I ended up making a few other less adventurous brute force adjustments to get it all to work together again.

If I was taking a photo square in of a brick wall at 2 meters and f/3.5 (which I know some people like to do from time to time!) I'm sure I'd see issues with the focus plane. But for me this is a pocketable point and shoot to have some fun with whilst it's still got a few good clicks left on the odometer. I can't see those struts being able to be reconditioned anyway so it was this or the bin.