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Jerry
Tinkerer
Username: Jerry
Post Number: 1
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 11:30 am: | 
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Hello to everyone, this is my first post.
I've just acquired a Rolleiflex K4B -- my first TLR other than Lubitels -- after many years tinkering with Russian rangefinders (which I'm comfortable stripping and and rebuilding). It came cheaply from eBay.
Fortunately, the shutter *appears* correct at all speeds and other than being well used, it seems in working condition. However (!) the focusing screen is very dim and using the magnifying lens (it's mounted in the rear hood shade and deployed using a lever on the front right of the hood) is impossible -- it's completely out of focus, but maybe I'm not usng it correctly? I can only find manuals for later models which seem not to have this type of magnifyer.
Oh, and one other fault: though the self-timer button sets the timer in motion it doesn't fire the shutter... unless I'm not using it correctly (entirely possible).
Anyone have any tips to fixing these small problems? There are four little screws -- two either side of the hood -- which I'm assuming enable the hood to be removed? Once it's removed will I be able to clean and restore some brightness to the screen?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jerry |
Lucas
Tinkerer
Username: Lucas
Post Number: 89
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 02:18 pm: |
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If you are lucky the mirror is just dirty and after you have removed the four screws to remove the hood you will know. The mirrors are very delicate in the old ones so it is very likely the silver has degraded and you will need to buy a polaroid camera at the thriftstore or a garage sale and strip the mirror out of that to replace it. Those are large enough to cut a mirror to size for the Rolleiflex. You will need to shim the mirror to get the same thickness as the rollei mirror or adjust the taking lense or the focus will be off. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 769
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 02:29 pm: |
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I have a solution, and I apologize in advance for it being a bit mercenary. Rolleiflex screens, up through the mid-1950s, were the dimmest in the world even by the standards of the day. I sell modern replacement screens to fit them for $30 each. You can also find something similar on eBay, I believe. If you'd like to see mine, take a look at http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-175.html
I have a similar problem with the Rollei magnifier, it doesn't seem to be quite the correct focal length for its placement above the screen. The magnifier lenses were interchangeable in at least some models, perhaps we don't have the correct ones for our eyesight. |
Hai
Tinkerer
Username: Hai
Post Number: 19
Registered: 05-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - 05:45 pm: |
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I bought Rick's screen for my Rollieflex and it's great (although I can't compare it to the former screen, since I didn't have one...). It also comes with detailed assembly instructions.
Hai |
Jerry
Tinkerer
Username: Jerry
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 02:34 am: |
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Thanks to all for the info.
Rick:
1. A replacement screen would be great -- thank you for pointing it out.
2. On closer inspection and with some research it seems there should be another flip up magnifier (yes, not 'magnifyer', the result of a small person yelling Daddy in my ear as I typed!) which as well as magnifying the screen, flips around to become the focusing lens in a kind of telescope, with the lens in the rear shade as the object lens.
I may have this arrangement wrong but as far as I can tell that's they way it works. Using a jeweller's glass with the lens in the shade brings everythng into focus. Now if I can just find a picture of the flip-up magnifier to use as a template I can make a reasonable copy (mine, of course, is missing).
Thanks again. |
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