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Message |
    
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 11
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - 02:49 pm: | 
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I bought this Zeiss Contessa model LKE (1960) at a recent Camera Fair and its in very good condition except that the Range Finder needs adjusting. The horizontal adjustment is ok but the vertical adjustment is way out.
I've had the top cover off and found a grub screw that adjusts the horizontal position but I cannot see an adjusting screw for the vertical position. Can anybody help me with this problem please. Its such a well made camera with a nice 2.8/50mm Tessar lens and deserves to be restored.
There are no signs of the camera being dropped at some time so its a mystery how the Range Finder could get out of adjustment.
Any help would be appreciated. Regards - Alf |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 12
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 03:59 pm: |
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I've found the problem. The mirror nearest to the film winder was not fixed properly so that every time the camera got a knock the mirror moved slightly causing the range finder image to move all over the place!
As a result I would think most of the pictures taken over the years with this camera were out of focus. I will now set-up the focus correctly using a ground glass screen attached to the film aperture then fix the mirror with adhesive.
It seems that Zeiss quality control was not that good after all.
Regards - Alf |
Ethostech
Tinkerer
Username: Ethostech
Post Number: 73
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 05:19 am: |
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You bought it at a recent Camera Fair but have used it over the years Wot ??
Regardless ..displacement of the primary rangefinder mirror does not require the lens to be refocused. Just set the lens on infinity and then secure the primary mirror for proper conincidence. |
Donnie_strickland
Tinkerer
Username: Donnie_strickland
Post Number: 29
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 09:08 am: |
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Ethostech, I think he means the pictures that were taken in the years before he bought the camera.
Alf, Ethostech is quite correct: RF adjustment and lens focus adjustment are not related. |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 13
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 02:11 pm: |
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I am only guessing that previous owners had a lot of out of focus pictures due to the loose mirror. I've only had the camera for a week and yet to run a film though it.
I always like to check the lens focus at infinity with a ground glass screen (just in case someone has had the lens apart) I will then adjust and secure the mirror so that the rangefinder image is correct with the lens set at infinity.
Sorry for the confusion over my last posting and you were quite right to point out my mistake. I see that the camera was produced between 1963 and 1965 but after 42 years is still looking as new.
Regards - Alf |
