Konica Pearl III, rangefinder adjustment?

[Ricklb]

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.

 

[Kino]

All those symptoms sound like someone's been inside the camera and didn't put it back together quite properly, but I only speculate.

I'd be unhappy with the state of the camera if I bought it for that price...

 

[Ricklb]

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.

 

[OAPOli]

Old tread but here is how I adjusted the RF on my Konica Pearl III.

For horizontal adjustment, I used the screw near the lens (inside P-shaped holder, top right when viewed from front)

For vertical adjustment, I removed the film reminder wheel (single screw) and turned the screw that's under the notched hole. My camera had only one screw behind the mirror (not two like OP).

My RF was off at close distances when infinity was adjusted. Remove the top cover (remove the two obvious screws, the cold shoe and unscrew eyepiece). When turning focus you'll see a bent piece of metal moving fore-aft. This cam actuates the pivoting arrangement that shifts the RF patch. In my case I needed to bend the cam slightly towards the film. The metal is very soft but there is not a lot of room.