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Michaelphotography
Tinkerer
Username: Michaelphotography
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 08:56 am: | 
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One of the major problems with the Kodak Signet 35, and several other Kodak rangefinders, is the complete lack of contrast on the superimposed image.
Should this unfortunate circumstance happen to you the easiest possible fix is to pop the top, so to speak, and insert a contrast gelatin, say a +1, over the viewfinder glass at the front of the camera.
What this does is drops the light coming in through the viewfinder glass, while the light coming through the triangular rangefinder glass stays at full intensity.
This will solve the lack of contrast problem instantly.
If you rangefinder is misaligned, good possibility that the rangefinder arm is not in the correct position. The rangefinder arm is in the middle of the camera under the top cover.
If you adjust your focus you will see the focal distancing pin move in and out. The arm that is resting against that is the rangefinder position arm, and can be easily adjusted using a small screwdriver or pin to lift it up into position.
Just look through the viewfinder and focus on Infinity, adjust the rangefinder positioning arm, and once it lines up, you are good to go!
Reassemble the top cover, and get out there and start shooting!
IMPORTANT NOTICE: By removing the top cover you stand the chance of disabling your Frame Counter. I have not found an easy way (as of yet) to replace the top cover and get the frame counter working. I have, however, gotten the frame counter working when I have replaced the cover. Problem is, it is far from easy and can be a real pain in the butt. |
Denny
Tinkerer
Username: Denny
Post Number: 144
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 01:09 pm: |
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If you haven't come across Dan Mitchell's Signet 35 info, it is definitely worth a bookmark. It has been helpful on mine and he does address the film counter.
http://pheugo.com/cameras/index.php?page=signet35
Good Luck and thanks |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 1337
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 02:20 pm: |
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If you're REALLY lazy, you can dim the VF window with a spot of Sharpie pen ink on the front of the glass and make the RF usable in a pinch. For a long term fix without dimming the finder so much, replacing the beamsplitter with a new one really makes the rangefinder pop. 50x50x1mm beamsplitter stock is available (last time I checked) from scientificsonline (Edmund Scientific).
To reassemble the top cover: loop a piece of fine sewing thread around the frame counter pawl and pass both ends of the thread through the RF adjust hole in the front. Use this to pull the pawl out of the way during reassembly, then let go of one end of the thread and pull it out through the hole when you're finished. |
Michaelphotography
Tinkerer
Username: Michaelphotography
Post Number: 3
Registered: 07-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 03:13 pm: |
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Thank you Rick! That is good to know!
I never even though of doing that.
That'll get my film counter working again! |
Michaelphotography
Tinkerer
Username: Michaelphotography
Post Number: 4
Registered: 07-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 03:15 pm: |
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Great info on that page Denny! I've b/med it for future reference! |
Mr_flibble
Tinkerer
Username: Mr_flibble
Post Number: 111
Registered: 10-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2013 - 01:04 pm: |
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Oh, I've simple removed the half-mirror that had turned into a none-mirror and replaced it with a fresh piece of beamsplitter glass on my last 'working according to the seller' Signet 35. Surplusshed is a 'cheap' source of beamsplitter material, just be sure you get one with a 50/50 transmittance ;)
The frame counter requires a little trick when replacing the top: Pull back on the little cam that sits under the sprocket wheel in the film chamber, pull it back a little bit, this should disengage the tooth far enough for you to replace the top and let it re-engage the sprocket wheel of the frame counter. |
Wm_nilliam
Tinkerer
Username: Wm_nilliam
Post Number: 13
Registered: 05-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 - 08:15 pm: |
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That was the procedure recommended on Dan Mitchell's excellent site, but for some reason it didn't work on mine, so I held the pawl back with a little strip of tape which I then slid out once the top was on. I like Rick's sewing thread solution too. Beyond the film counter re-set, the Signet 35 is the easiest camera I've ever worked on. I love the big, hard-to-lose screws... All four of them. |
Denny
Tinkerer
Username: Denny
Post Number: 145
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 - 08:50 pm: |
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They are an impressive little camera. After I cleaned mine and got the shutter purring, I was very pleasantly surprised at the photos I got out of it. Found another one, with a flash for $10 at a flea market and now I have both an English version and the Spanish version.
Good Luck and enjoy using it. |
Donnie_strickland
Tinkerer
Username: Donnie_strickland
Post Number: 178
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 - 07:21 am: |
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I replaced the beamsplitter in my Signet with one salvaged from a Konica Auto S2. It fit perfectly with no alteration. |
Mr_flibble
Tinkerer
Username: Mr_flibble
Post Number: 112
Registered: 10-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 25, 2013 - 03:23 am: |
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My two signets 35s from 1951 and 1956 respectively
http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Signets01.jpg
They both required some work to get going again, including recalibrating the focusing helical on one (after a roll of 36 fuzzy pictures)
The Ektar lens certainly lives up to its name:
http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/KS35test06.jpg |
