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Jona
Tinkerer
Username: Jona
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 08:12 am: | 
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I got a Topcon RE Super recently and the foam needs replaced. However, I cannot find any evidence or residue of foam as a mirror damper. Does anyone know if it requires a foam damper? If yes, is it just a strip in the front or all around the four sides of the fresnel screen? Thanks! |
Nikos
Tinkerer
Username: Nikos
Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 06:04 pm: |
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Yes, it does require a foam cushion. It should be only in the front, flush with the thin, black, metal shield just in front of the mirror in the up position. Remove the focusing screen and you will be able to discern a groove between the said shield and a transverse rib just behind it. That's where the cushion should go. The right way to do it is with the camera mount removed. This is a simple job but you have to secure the chain that interconnects the shutter speed dial/ASA dial/galvanometer/f stop rack. Failing to do so will probably throw everything out of alignement AND bend the galvanometer needle. I can send you instructions and photographs but have in mind this: The RE Super has internal light seals in several places that by now have turned to goo. If you don't have them replaced you will experience unexplained light leaks AND you run the chance of the old foam getting to the curtains and their bearings. On the other hand, doing nothing until the camera malfunctions is a viable alternative. |
Nikos
Tinkerer
Username: Nikos
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 06:29 pm: |
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Here is an example of internal foam:
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Jona
Tinkerer
Username: Jona
Post Number: 2
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 10:53 am: |
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Thanks for the help, Nikos. That all sounds too complicated for me right now. I have not taken apart any cameras before; I have only replaced door and mirror foam on 2 Canon Ftbn's and taken apart some really bad lenses and the Topcon 58mm f1.4 lens. I would not know how to recognize the chain or even know what you mean by the camera mount. Do you mean the lens mount?
I actually found the Topcon lens the easiest to work on because it was so well designed that it was pretty straight forward how everything went back together. Plus, I had an exploded view diagram to work with.
I have 3 old Spotmatics that I got at an estate sale that I plan on taking apart and putting back together in order to learn the internal workings of a camera. I have read Spotmatics are a good camera to learn repair on. Until I learn on the Spotmatics, I think I'll leave the Topcon alone because it seems over-engineered, which makes me think it will be difficult to understand and work on. That means I'll leave the internal foam alone for now too. In case I decide to work on the Topcon one day, do you know of any repair manuals that exist for it and if they are helpful at all? Thanks! |
Nikos
Tinkerer
Username: Nikos
Post Number: 3
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 10:22 pm: |
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You are correct; lens mount. There is a repair manual on the RE Super on eBay, Item number: 140032081755. It's the only one on this camera and it is very good. The price is a fraction of what I paid for my copy. I have about 60 photographs of my RE Super at various stages of disassembly. You can have them at any time.
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Jona
Tinkerer
Username: Jona
Post Number: 3
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 09:19 am: |
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Thanks again for all the help, Nikos! I took a look at the eBay repair manual and the picture of the cover actually looks like the one provided by the great people on this site at the "repair manuals" link at the top of the page. I think I will wait to take apart the camera until I practice on my Spotmatics first. But if I get stuck later on when I work on the RE Super, I will definitely ask for some pictures for help. Thank you very much for the offer! One thing I will have to learn when I take the cameras apart is to take lots of pictures so I can remember how they go back together. I haven't been good about that with the lenses I have taken apart and I have gotten stuck on some of them. |
