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Sean
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 01:09 am: | 
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Hi,
Just picked up one of these great little cameras in mint condition. However the viewfinder is relatively dark, when held up to a light the glass appears dirty on the inside. Looking at the Yashica-Guy's website it appears to be pretty simple to get the top off and clean the front and back glass from the inside. However is it worth taking the metal top of the rangefinder housing and cleaning in there and if so which surfaces do you clean? What is the best tactic for cleaning - a Qtip and some window cleaner or are there better alternatives. Also what is the best glue to glue the top of the rangefinder housing back on with, I did read that superglue could make the glass cloudy again. These are great little cameras my first roll of film (Ilford XP2) had some really crisp clear shots.
Thanks Sean |
Jon Flanders
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 02:15 pm: |
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I just cleaned the rangefinder on a GS I am tearing apart with a q tip and windex. Looks fine.
Don't know about the best glue though. I tried a paper glue stick, didn't really work.
Maybe Elmer's?
Jon Flanders |
Jon Flanders
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 02:16 pm: |
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Don't clean the mirror. All the accounts I have read say you will wreck it if you do. |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 06:22 pm: |
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I normally use a dot or three of Elmer's glue at a few of the corners...just a small dot. It normally seems to hold fine. While you're in there, you'll see there is a foam seal between the red and yellow lamps. If it is gone, you can get a bleed-over (from red to yellow or yellow to red) that can make metering seem odd. I'd replace it. There is also a seal around the rewind shaft. Out of habit, I replace this, also. Usually the light seals in these have gone to gummy goo. If you need a seal kit, I can send you one for $6. To see it, you can go to E-Bay and search "by seller." Type in my ID...Interslice...and there you go.
Jon |
Sean OKeefe
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 07:50 pm: |
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As Jon points out, the beamsplitter soft side should not be cleaned as it is easy to wipe off the coating so the rangefinder no longer works.
The beamsplitter is basically a semi-transparent mirror, one side has a light coating of gold or some other metal (the side closest to your eye). It is the glass at 45 degree angle in the works, mixing the light from the rangefinder window with the light coming through the main finder window. Both lights need to be seen for RF focussing, hence the semi-transparent mirror. The RF light beam is moved slightly as the lens is focussed, with correct operation coinciding light beams indicate proper focus.
If you clean everything else you should greatly improve clarity even if the beamsplitter is not perfect. I've seen a few deteriorated beamsplitters in Yashicas but they are much better if everything else is cleaned. I don't know if gold beamsplitters are available anyplace other than other donor cameras. I use q-tips and windex for cleaning.
Yashica uses a rangefinder system that provides a darker view to get more contrast with the rangefinder spot, using a gold beamsplitter. It will never be as bright as a Canonet for example but usability is excellent.
Cleaning the RF makes function much better, is fairly easy, but just be careful with the beamsplitter.
Sean (other one) |
Sean
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 11:07 pm: |
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Thanks for the pointers. I will give it a go and let you know how I got on. Would be nice just to lighten up the viewfinder a little. Rest of the camera is mint, seals are 100%, looks like it's never been used.
Cheers Sean |
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