Konica S2 worth the cost of restoration?

George Mann

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I know that it has a great lens, and a uniquely easy film loading design, but is it worth spending hundreds of dollars to restore?

BTW, the glass is in good condition, and the meter works on this one.
 

Dismayed

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George Mann said:
I know that it has a great lens, and a uniquely easy film loading design, but is it worth spending hundreds of dollars to restore?

BTW, the glass is in good condition, and the meter works on this one.
Click to expand...

Why would it cost hundreds of dollars to service? It's a relatively simple camera.
 

Huss

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George Mann said:
I know that it has a great lens, and a uniquely easy film loading design, but is it worth spending hundreds of dollars to restore?

BTW, the glass is in good condition, and the meter works on this one.
Click to expand...

Unless it has some sentimental value to you, no. You can buy working ones for $50. Spending hundreds of dollars on it would still result in having a $50 camera.
 

StanMac

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If you want to use the camera, it is worth what it would take to put it in operating condition, IMO. I’ve had several cameras of the S2’s vintage put back in working order for several dollars less than $200. The S2’s collectible price ranges from a low of $50 (Average condition) to a high of $140 for a Mint example so it’s worth investing in a repair, again my opinion. Check out Zacks Camera Repair for repair services. They’ve CLA’d more than a dozen cameras for me and have done excellent work on them.

Stan
 
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George Mann

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Huss said:
You can buy working ones for $50.
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In this price range I see untest, parts only and the usual hucksters in Japan.

The fully working samples are over $100. So with that in mind, what would be a reasonable repair cost?

If I could get the front ring off without breaking the pin on the faceplate, I would attempt to fix it myself.
 
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George Mann

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The video doesn't really help me as the whole assembly is locked up do to a defect in the timer design.

Thanks anyway.
 

Dismayed

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George Mann said:
r restoration should cost may not be shared by a qualified repair man
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George Mann said:
Your idea of how much a proper restoration should cost may not be shared by a qualified repair man.
Click to expand...

My Olympus RD all-in cost, including a CLA by Zack's camera, was $175. So my response was based on actual experience. Condition of the actual camera matters, of course.
 
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George Mann

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Dismayed said:
My Olympus RD all-in cost, including a CLA by Zack's camera, was $175. So my response was based on actual experience. Condition of the actual camera matters, of course.
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But as I tried to point out, the camera in question needs more than a CLA.
 

BradS

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For me, personally, no it would not be worth it but, again, that's just me. I had one of these once...maybe thirty years ago? It was a fine camera when it worked but it quit working. The shutter stopped working and I tossed it in the trash. Having paid to have numerous small format bodies overhauled over the years, I'm kinda at the point that I won't bother for anything other than the Nikons...but they just seem to work.

Good luck, If it is special to you, if it has some sentimental value, then yeah...maybe it is worth having it repaired but if you want a great camera for taking pictures...well, I think you already have a Nikon or two...so, you're all set.
 
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George Mann

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So it looks like I have three options. Send it in for an estimate, try to fix it myself, or toss it in the trash.

Well, it will likely end up in the trash if I try to fix it, and it will only cost me the price of shipping to discover its repair cost.

I will see what they have to say.
 

Helge

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I’m done with the S2 for now.
The Hi-Matic 7s is a better camera in almost all counts and is much more reliable.
Never found an S2 that just worked “out of the box”.
It’s a pity because it’s got some very nice features.
 
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4season

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George Mann said:
is it worth spending hundreds of dollars to restore?
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No, and that's why I've been teaching myself how to fix cameras: If I had to pay someone else to service my cameras and lenses, film photography would simply be too expensive for me.
 

BradS

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...until you choose to travel someplace to do photography...then, the cost of having a competent, trained and experienced technician make a camera* you carry reliable, is trivial.
When you've spent $2000 on plane fare and hotels, spent weeks planning..the a CLA is nothing compared to the cost of finding yourself on location with malfunctioning gear.

* assuming that the camera you carry has some chance at being reliable. Nikon Pro gear, like the Nikon F2, seems to have a pretty good chance.
 
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George Mann

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grat said:
The guy in the video cleans / repairs and sells cameras-- he's had a bit of practice. But he also used lighter fluid to loosen the ring before he ever picked up a tool.
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Maybe he can work on mine?
 

Dismayed

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George Mann said:
But as I tried to point out, the camera in question needs more than a CLA.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you should reread your original post:

"I know that it has a great lens, and a uniquely easy film loading design, but is it worth spending hundreds of dollars to restore?
BTW, the glass is in good condition, and the meter works on this one."

You made no mention of the state of the camera, other than that the glass was good and the meter works. My apologies for trying to be helpful - no good deed goes unpunished.
 
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George Mann

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Oops! Well, I have determined that the entire shutter assembly is locked up do to a timer defect.

Furthermore, the film rails have enough damage (pitting and scratches) to mess up the film as it advances.

Otherwise, it appears to be in good shape.
 

Dismayed

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George Mann said:
Oops! Well, I have determined that the entire shutter assembly is locked up do to a timer defect.

Furthermore, the film rails have enough damage (pitting and scratches) to mess up the film as it advances.

Otherwise, it appears to be in good shape.
Click to expand...

That's a whole different matter. It might be the perfect camera to develop your repair skills on. I, myself, am pretty good at getting things apart. Reassembly is a whole different matter.
 
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George Mann

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Dismayed said:
That's a whole different matter. It might be the perfect camera to develop your repair skills on. I, myself, am pretty good at getting things apart. Reassembly is a whole different matter.
Click to expand...

It's the nature of its aluminum design that scares me. Most of all the film rails.
 

BradS

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George Mann said:
I have one (it's meter needle sticks).
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Yeah. The light meters in these, especially those that use CdS cells seem to have no fared very well. I have two with DP-3 finders and they both work and are accurate (knock on wood). I've owned probably seven or eight F2 with DP-1 or DP-11 finders - all were inaccurate at best, many were wildly inaccurate and a few were just plain dead. Still, tey are better than the DE-1 that everybody seems to want because even a dead DP-1 shows the camera setting in the finder.

built in light meters are a dispensable luxury.
 
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