Yashica Minister III RF alignment

[Cholentpot]

I got my grubby hands on a Minister III. Everything fires and clicks but the RF is off.

I did my regular googleing but I've hit a brick wall with this one. There is a screw under a screw-cap on the back but it doesn't turn and I don't wan't to force it. I did remove the cover plate from the accessory shoe but I'm not sure where to locate the adjustment screw. Short of removing the top plate, which I tired and got stuck on the film advance lever, how would I calibrate this nice old machine?

Thanks.

Oh, it came with a bonus 20 shot roll of Plus-X from whoknowswhen inside. I'm going to develop it at some point.

 

[shutterfinger]

Have you read http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html yet?

 

[Cholentpot]

Have you read http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html yet?

Yep, sadly it did not have what I needed.

 

[BrianVS]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yashica-Min...732247?hash=item33d23fdad7:g:leoAAOSwTuJYpM5h

Looking at this "rather sad" example on Ebay, it looks like the cover plate of the Cold Shoe comes off to reveal an access port. This usually was over the RF adjustment screw that you are trying to get at.

Otherwise- use needle nosed pliers or firm tweezers as a spanner to get off the advance lever, take off the rewind knob, top the top.

good Luck, please post back with lessons learned.

 

[Cholentpot]

As of now lessons learned are, the camera's been shelved as I've not been able to remove the rewind knob and my attempts at re-calibration made the problem worse.

I got the flash shoe cover off but it's near impossible to see whats going on in there so I need to get the whole top plate off.

 

[BrianVS]

Most cameras- the rewind knob simply unscrews, use something to hold the shaft still. I've seen some with screws in the center of the shaft that need to be undone; set screws in the rewind knob that hold it in place; and some with screws under the lever of the knob that have to be undone.

 

[Cholentpot]

Most cameras- the rewind knob simply unscrews, use something to hold the shaft still. I've seen some with screws in the center of the shaft that need to be undone; set screws in the rewind knob that hold it in place; and some with screws under the lever of the knob that have to be undone.

From what I've read the Ministers rewind knob is notoriously hard to get off. I've seen suggestions to use a pen torch to heat up the head and then unscrew. I don't have a pen torch.

 

[StanMac]

I know this forum is slanted more to DIY repairs and mods but I suggest sending it to Mark Hama. He's not inexpensive but you'll get back a camera as close to new as you can get, for what I think is a very reasonable cost. He has done a Minister D, Minister III, and now has a Minister 3 in the queue for me.

Stan

 

[Cholentpot]

I know this forum is slanted more to DIY repairs and mods but I suggest sending it to Mark Hama. He's not inexpensive but you'll get back a camera as close to new as you can get, for what I think is a very reasonable cost. He has done a Minister D, Minister III, and now has a Minister 3 in the queue for me.

Stan

Thanks!

Can you tell me roughly the price I would be looking at?