Help with a Koni-Omega

spb854 · May 11, 2008

I recently bought a Koni-Omega Rapid M and with it I bought
an unused 220 back for it still in the box. (It came with a 120 back)

When I pulled the film advance lever out on the 220 back,
I could not get it to go back in. However, it did have enough
"give" to it to change the dots and numbers on the film
counter as I worked it back and forth about ½ an inch.

I got a small screwdriver and opened the cover over the
gears that the lever operates and it advances back and
forth like the 120 does. However, when I reattached it,
it would only pull and not go back in, like before.

There seemes to be a flange that is held in place by the
4 screws. Once this is screwed back down, it seems to
be preventing the lever to move in the one direction.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks,
Steve:confused:

Denis P. · May 11, 2008

Hi Steve,

PM me, and I'll email you a some of scanned pages of Koni back repair manual which I got a couple of years back (about 2.5 MB).

Denis

df cardwell · May 11, 2008

http://www.webercamera.com/

Greg is THE Koni guy.

Treat the Koni as if you paid 10 times what you actually did,
it is an incredible camera, and even the most wild-eyed fan
underrates it.

Only a screw driver can kill it.

.

resummerfield · May 11, 2008

df cardwell said:
.....Only a screw driver can kill it........

Years ago I had a Koni-Omega with the same film advance problems. Sadly, I attempted to repair it myself. Don't do it!!! Send the camera to a qualified repair person.

df cardwell · May 11, 2008

resummerfield said:
Years ago I had a Koni-Omega with the same film advance problems. Sadly, I attempted to repair it myself. Don't do it!!! Send the camera to a qualified repair person.

The late, and beloved, Steve Grimes used to joke that he got rich off the guy who sold home camera repair manuals.

I don't know that Steve EVER got rich (except in friends)
but he was kept BUSY by guys who had learned
how to take their own cameras apart.

Chazzy · May 11, 2008

df cardwell said:
http://www.webercamera.com/

Greg is THE Koni guy.

Treat the Koni as if you paid 10 times what you actually did,
it is an incredible camera, and even the most wild-eyed fan
underrates it.

Only a screw driver can kill it.

.

I agree with everything you said. Greg Weber is the guy to fix the problem, and Koni-Omega and Rapid-Omegas really are that good.

spb854 · May 11, 2008

Well, guys, don't worry. My cameras are my "children". If EVER I sold one,
it would be in BETTER shape than when I got it, unless it was new.

Since I don't intend on using the 220 back any time soon, it won't be
that much of a deal. However, I like things working perfectly. I won't even
loan out a book because I know the pages will come back with that little
bend in it where they turned the page. Am I too pickey?!

I went over to Weber Camera and their site is under construction. I can
wait; it ain't a pressing issue....right now.

Believe you me, I was VERY careful with that little screwdriver. I even
used a supported lighted magnifier.

Thanks for ALL the info. I really appreciate you guys.

I have my first roll in the Koni. I haven't finished it up. But, from what
all I've read and seen, I hope they turn out OK. It's the photographer
I worry about, sometimes. LOL

Steve

dynachrome · May 11, 2008

You can call Greg Weber at (402) 721-3873. The backs were considered the weak point of the Koni-Omega system. The problem is that the user was tempted to pull out and push back the film advance arm very quickly. Pushing it back too fast can bend the stop and cause it to jam. I used Koni-Omega cameras in High School. The most impressive feature is the way in which the film is kept flat in the back. For group photos the 58mm lens gives excellent sharpness from corner to corner. The fact that it's an f/5.6 lens isn't a problem because you are focusing it with a rangefinder.

spb854 · May 11, 2008

I had read about that, so I was very careful with both of them. The 120 back
seemed a little stiff, but once I had worked it a couple of times, it loosened up
and "felt" like it was working right. It definitely wasn't ME that yanked it back
and forth quickly.

You CAN "work" the back without it being ON the camera, right?

MY problem is holding the camera steady enough. I feel that I'm "pulling" the
camera as I push the shutter button. My pictures will tell me.

The camera has an f/3.5 80mm Hexanon lens on it.

Steve

Konical · May 11, 2008

Good Evening, Steve,

Yes, the back can be operated while off the camera. Typo in your last paragraph?? 90mm is the normal lens.

Actually, the shutter button arrangement on the K-O is very advantageous. The "squeezing" motion, similar to that of triggers on firearms, tends to be much steadier than the downward motion of shutter mechanisms on so many cameras. Once you're used to it, you'll probably prefer it.

Even if they're at least twenty-five years old, K-O's are terrific cameras; their results can certainly run rings around anything 35mm and lots of other MF stuff.

Konical

Chazzy · May 12, 2008

And while we're on the subject, I would sell a kidney to get the 135mm in really nice condition.

df cardwell · May 12, 2008

I hope it doesn't come to that, Chaz !

(But I think the 135 is MASSIVELY UNDERRATED.
Konica made some of the nicest Zeiss designs you'd ever want to see.)

domaz · May 13, 2008

It's not that difficult to overhaul the clutch, but that may not be the problem in this case. I overhauled one of mine and besides losing the springs (had to get replacements from Greg) it worked fine.

df cardwell · May 13, 2008

domaz !

Good job !

(I'm not too proud to say that little job is a little outside my happy place !)

LittleAlex · Nov 10, 2008

I have the following problem with my new camera Koni-Omega Rapid:

I discovered that somebody, who disassembled the lens before, failed to return buck upon the place some detail which seem to bee on the top of the shutter, looking from the face of the lens (there are 3 holes for the screws, which are absent). So, the first component of the lens now is screwed directly in the shutter body. I wonder very much whether it should be so, or there had been some kind of the joint ring between the first lens element and the body of the shutter?

Chazzy · Nov 11, 2008

LittleAlex said:
I have the following problem with my new camera Koni-Omega Rapid:

I discovered that somebody, who disassembled the lens before, failed to return buck upon the place some detail which seem to bee on the top of the shutter, looking from the face of the lens (there are 3 holes for the screws, which are absent). So, the first component of the lens now is screwed directly in the shutter body. I wonder very much whether it should be so, or there had been some kind of the joint ring between the first lens element and the body of the shutter?

This may not be the most scientific answer, but take some pictures and see what happens. The standard 90mm lens goes cheaply on eBay if you do need a new one.

LittleAlex · Nov 11, 2008

Chazzy said:
take some pictures and see what happens. The standard 90mm lens goes cheaply on eBay if you do need a new one.

Thanks for your answers!

The possibility to buy the new one I reserve for the last solution. However, I do try to restore the present lens. The shutter works well, and that is not always present in the lenses of that age, and if the problem lies only in the little round piece of aluminum foil, I still hope to resolve it. I only have to know it for certain.
I did the pictures with the camera. Of course it did have the problems with the rangefinder, that I have resolved already. But the impression from the first film was that it is not so sharp I had exacted it to be. However, the film itself was very well out of the date (one third of the starting exposition), so, the exposition was around 5.6/60, and it might be the problem, because I used the tripod only in the few cadres with the F-stop 3.5 (to check the rangefinder).
For that reason, I will be happy to receive the information from somebody who really disassembled that shutter, or has the service manual, of what is lucking in it, or how it might, or might not affect the position of the front lens element.

Chazzy · Nov 11, 2008

I've just sent you Greg Weber's email address in a private email. If anyone can answer your question, he can.

LittleAlex · Nov 11, 2008

Chazzy said:
I've just sent you Greg Weber's email address in a private email. If anyone can answer your question, he can.

Thanks, I did recieve it

Geodesiq · Dec 24, 2021

I realize this thread is over 10 y/o BUT... I got a K-O with a 220 back and I'd like to use 120 film in it. Any tips? Also Is there a way to reset the counter to 0 without cycling thru 20 shots?

Help with a Koni-Omega

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