Pearl III

[alexvaras]

Hello,

I saw the other day a Konica Pearl III, seemed fine when I inspected and I took a roll with it, results for shooting in the metro looked fine.
After bargain for the half I bought it (small hole in the bellows).

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Winding works perfectly, loading is done as usual, shutter speed accurate (I tested all, 1 sec is 1 sec), opening has to be done carefully or it jams (still need to see why), closing is fine.

Bellows, at home I tested them in a dark room with the torch... Well I saw the milky way
I started to read about and I found a solution not hard to find here... Black paint for fabric + fabric glue + another black paint of fabric should resolve the thing, voila:

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I tested again and no tiny starts anymore, I will check every week from now.
So one problem solved.

Second problem I detected, if I leave the camera for a while, the first shot the shutter blades are sticky and they take more than acceptable time to perform the open-close, but not happening for the next shots, I was amazed... Again looking on the net and from the rangefinder forum's web archive I found the clue:
Oil in aperture blades that went into the shutter blades, only to the inner part, nothing can be sought from outside. In this camera, the front lens is taken out just unscrewing it with the hand, then I put on B and I checked the aperture blades, yes, I can see oil there
So disassemble the lens has to be done to clean the shutter blades first and then aperture blades.
I'm stuck in this point now

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That knob? in the up, can be twisted so the outer ring can turn about 10 degrees anti-clockwise:

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And thats it, no clue how to take out that outer ring and I don't wanna try forcing and scratching things.

Any idea? I already tried to look for the konirapid-s shutter and the most I got is then its already opened, not the process...

Everything is welcome

Thanks,
Alex

[PFMcFarland]

Very similar to a Compur-Rapid, or Synchro-Compur (which it was copied from), Alex. You use your thumbs to rotate the cover plate until you see the three locking dogs (small flanges) align with the three crescent shaped slots, then lift the cover off. My repairs on an Agfa Karat which has the similar shutter as yours: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N ... 9429740568

Another Compur shutter repair likely closer to what you have, and one I did a better job on: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N ... 1583043353

Once you get the escapement and slow release (if it has one) out, it is better to detach the rest of the assembly from the camera to give it a good dunking in the cleaning fluid.

PF

[alexvaras]

What cleaning liquid you recommend?
And what lub you would recommend for the shutter once is cleaned?

[alexvaras]

Yes, I opened as you said thx, now I should dismount it until get the shutter blades?

But bad news, bellows broke completely, I opened the camera this evening and the 2 layers of fabric paint plus the fabric glue got into the leather and took it apart from the inner fabric, at least 5 corners with the leather broke... So new bellows... but before order them, now the old ones are taken off???

the lens is off already from the front part so that part of the bellows is easy, but the back part... I have no idea yet, seems the back black metal rectangle is a solid part of the chassis.

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1.- any idea is welcome

2.- dismount the shutter and clean it with fuel liquid?

3.- lube it with oil for watch mechanism?

Thanks as usual

[melek]

Shutter lubrication: Most shutters don't need any lubrication. Maybe a tiny drop on the slow speed assembly.

Oil almost always makes its way to the shutter blades, which then stick together.

What I do is flush the shutter with a mixture of lighter fluid and graphite powder. Allow it to dry. Blow out all of the extra graphite with compressed air. Then, blow it out again.

Better method: Remove the back of the shutter, remove the shutter blades and clean each by hand with lighter fluid and a plain white tissue. Also, flush the shutter with the lighter fluid-graphite mixture, allow it to dry, blow it out twice. Then, replace the blades and reassemble the shutter.

That is a 6 x 4.5cm camera, so the bellows from other 6 x 4.5cm cameras should work. If you want to spend some money, you can contact Sandeha Lynch, who makes new bellows in different colors for older cameras. You can mention my name.

His website: http://www.sandehalynch.com

[alexvaras]

I contacted him already, he said he doesn't 4.5x6 bellows coz they could not fit with the camera close. So he takes no risk. I found one guy from HK he said he does.
The problem anyway is to take the bellows out, I don't see how...

[alexvaras]

So you prepare a mix of lighter fluid with graphite powder and flush (with?) directly to the shutter, dry and blow twice

[melek]

Are the bellows glued to the body? Or held in place by a metal bracket?

If they are glued, you could cut them out with a knife.

If they are held by a bracket that cannot be removed, cut them out with a knife.

As far as the light fluid and graphite, perhaps a very short video might help. I'll make one.

[alexvaras]

At moment it seems the bracket cannot be removed, still I have to remove the top to see any kind of access.

Thx for the video, it will help

[alexvaras]

The graphite powder, the one coming in a tube like glue?
I saw some videos it is used to lubricate locks.