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Cmedin
Tinkerer
Username: Cmedin
Post Number: 9
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 15, 2007 - 03:52 pm: | 
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I am taking my $5 (with a nice Vivitar flash included!) Canonet 28 apart for cleaning. The rangefinder patch is there, but pretty dim. If after cleaning the stuff I can it's still weak, I'm looking at getting a new beamsplitter. Are all the Canonets using the same size? I found a reference saying it was 13mmx24mm but not sure which particular Canonet that was for... and will any thickness work as long as you get it aligned properly?
While I have it apart I'm going to give it the black paint treatment too. :-)
And a mere two weeks or so ago I was fretting about cleaning some lens elements... |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 377
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 15, 2007 - 06:51 pm: |
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I don't have any real information, only guesses. I have some very general sketches for the original 28, and more detail from the QL17 which might be similar enough to be of some use. I don't know the dimensions of the beamsplitter mirror. The original thickness was probably 1 mm; another thickness should work okay, unless it's so thick that you can't get it to fit into the space.
There is a source for 1mm thick beamsplitter stock at http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3043359&bhcd2=1189907320
This stock is silver color; I don't know a source for gold beamsplitter stock. |
Cmedin
Tinkerer
Username: Cmedin
Post Number: 10
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 08:54 am: |
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Thanks, Rick. If I end up replacing it I'll make sure to measure the dimensions and post up here so somebody else can make use of it in the future.
What can and can't I clean in the RF/VF path? If I use lens cleaning solution should I go over everything spare the splitter? |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 378
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 12:08 pm: |
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You should be able to use lens cleaner on a cotton swab and/or lens tissue on everything except the beamsplitter. Some beamsplitters (including the Edmund Scientific stuff above) are cleanable too; others will be ruined at the first touch. |
Cmedin
Tinkerer
Username: Cmedin
Post Number: 11
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 01:22 pm: |
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Well, I got improvement in the patch. Still not great, but better. However, I recalled reading about darkening the viewfinder for contrast, so played around with some filters in front of it... the dark red filter gave AMAZING contrast and the rangefinder patch was sharp and bright and dead easy to focus in any light. Unfortunately the red I have was a wee bit too dark, but I'll go look for some lighter red gel filters in the photostore now.
Just finished getting the contact cement off all the little windows and junk stuck to the top piece so I can paint it. I figured black with red filled in Canon/Canonet logos would look nice. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 379
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 08:18 pm: |
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It's not real pretty, but have you tried the Sharpie treatment?
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-165.html |
Cmedin
Tinkerer
Username: Cmedin
Post Number: 12
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 17, 2007 - 03:15 pm: |
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Yep, I just used that on a Hi-Matic 11 that I picked up for a few bucks. I like the filter approach better though, at least on that Canonet.
I'm happy with the Hi-Matic, first roll came out with this:
http://www.beyondthematrix.com/truckdriver.jpg
Sorry for the poor crop and scan, don't have a dedicated 35mm film scanner so using a flatbed. The original is a lot sharper.  |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 85
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 17, 2007 - 03:55 pm: |
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The rangefinder sm Leica's got dim often and a company made orange slip on filters that went over the rf window. It gave added contrast and helped to even out the light hitting the splitter Don |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 380
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 17, 2007 - 04:08 pm: |
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I have one of those. It's interesting that nearly every time I see one, the user has placed it on the wrong window: on the RH window it makes a dim rangefinder even dimmer, but that's where you almost always see them. Mine's on the left, and it helps a lot. |
Cmedin
Tinkerer
Username: Cmedin
Post Number: 13
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 17, 2007 - 06:16 pm: |
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I'm actually Leica shopping right now so ran across these little filters. One of the places was offering these jewels for a mere $70. Ouch!
Found a nice IIf RD with 1/1000 top speed, recent service, for $275... that seems like a decent deal to me. |
