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Message |
    
Nickm
Tinkerer
Username: Nickm
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2009 - 10:07 pm: | 
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hello all,
first post here. i recently ebayed a great looking yashica electro gsn, and after outfitting the battery compartment and replacing seals, i shot a test roll.
I lined up objects (bottles) at measured distances and shot according to the numbers on the lens. Everything came out incredibly sharp, but my range finder doesn't seem to agree with the lens. for example, actual distance = 3ft rangefinder says 4ft, or actual distance = 7ft, rangefinder says 10ft.
i removed the small silver piece from the hot shoe to get at the alignment screw but the screw only seemed to go about a quarter turn in either direction and i could not get proper infinity alignment.
i can't seem to find any more info on calibrating these finders, so if anyone has some advice, i'd be much appreciative. my next step now is to take the top off and try and fiddle with the screw some more if i haven't already destroyed the grooves.
thanks ahead,
nick |
Vinzenz
Tinkerer
Username: Vinzenz
Post Number: 16
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 07:44 am: |
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Are the objects in the photos sharp because of a large depth-of-field or because the lens was proberly focused using the scale on the lens? If you used the rangefinder for focusing you only need to adjust the scale on the lens barrel (there are some tiny retaining screws). If you were scale focusing, I would open the top of the camera, which is no problem, and lets you clean the rf as well. |
Nickm
Tinkerer
Username: Nickm
Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 01:05 pm: |
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the test was shot at f1.7 with objects lined up along a 30' tape measure. i shot two series. one using the rangefinder to focus on the objects, and one turning the lens until the appropriate distance was lined up.
when i used the rangefinder, the focus range was behind the subjects by a good deal. scale focusing was fine.
i think i'll try to open the top once i get a hold of the proper tools. thanks for the advice |
Vinzenz
Tinkerer
Username: Vinzenz
Post Number: 17
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 04:16 pm: |
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If you do not have needle-nose pliers to open the ASA dial and winder, you could try to hold two small nails with pliers and then twist them in the small holes, provided that the screws are not overtightened.
You have probably found Yashica Guy's repair pages:
http://yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html
Good luck. |
Nickm
Tinkerer
Username: Nickm
Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 - 05:27 pm: |
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so i currently have 2 electros: the aforementioned one with a difficult rangefinder, and another with a good rangefinder but a (probable) dead electrical system. i've opened up the top of the 2nd and know that there are only two screws that attach the rangefinder assembly to the camera.
do you think it might work to swap the whole rangefinder assemblies between the two cameras? i'm kind of going out on a limb here, but i'm trying to have one functional in time for a rapidly approaching birthday |
Charlie
Tinkerer
Username: Charlie
Post Number: 195
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 06:31 am: |
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I had a GSN with a dead electrical system but the problem was corosion from the battery compartment up to the pad for the battery test button. I took the top off and snaked a new wire down to the bottom and fed it into the battery compartment. This solved the problem and the camera works fine with a Radio Shack 5.6 volt battery. If this is your problem the fix may be easier than a rangefinder swap. |
Nickm
Tinkerer
Username: Nickm
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 06:50 pm: |
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hmm, i opened up the dead one and soldered in a new wire from the negative battery to the circuit board. my battery light works fine now, but no over/under lights and shutter only fires at 1/500th. i'm about to go insane, any ideas?
also, i tried to open up the front, but one of the four screws is completely threaded. |
Charlie
Tinkerer
Username: Charlie
Post Number: 196
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 06:50 am: |
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Maybe the battery test button or circuit is shorted or frozen. This site - http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/electro_inside/index.html - has a link to a PDF manual at the bottom of the page with several wiring diagrams. |
Vinzenz
Tinkerer
Username: Vinzenz
Post Number: 19
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 04:08 pm: |
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Swapping the rf-unit seems too much hard work for me. If the rf adjustment screws are hard to loosen, you could try to put a tiny drop of naphtha / lighter fluid on it with the tip of a small screwdriver. Be very careful when working close to the mirror, because the fumes can damage it. Nitro might loosen the screws even better, but will be even more dangerous for the mirror. If the range of adjustment is not enough for your misalignment, the frame of the mirror could be carefully bent into position. |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 30
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 12:21 am: |
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I have a Yashica GSN which I have been using for years, but I didn't realize that the distance scale around the outside of the lens barrel can be moved or calibrated.
How is that done?? |
Nickm
Tinkerer
Username: Nickm
Post Number: 5
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 05:54 pm: |
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final update:
electro 1: swapped rf assembly with electro 2, tested, and meters/focuses perfectly. did a precautionary pod replacement.
electro 2: after getting the battery light working, i proceeded to rip apart the entire camera; front, back, top, and bottom. turns out one of the red cables had disconnected from the battery-switch contact in the shutter. after soldering that back on, the over/under lights are back in action. i just processed a test roll and metering is excellent, but the focus point on my negs is a little short. after full disassembly, a little rf adjustment shouldn't be too bad. thanks to all for the input, both here and on rangefinderforum, and yashicaforum.
also, here's an invaluable resource for electro repair. couldn't have done this without it. go to:
http://www.provins.org.uk/
click on 'instruction books' and then find yashica... |
