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Jerry DAmore
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 11:40 am: | 
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I have been searching for information of the Voigtlander Vitessa and came accross this forum. I just purchased a Vitessa and I think the rangefinder mirror has come undone. The lens, etc. moves when the rangefinder dial is turned but there is no "split" image in the viewfinder. Something is loose and ratling around when the camera is jiggled.
Does anyone know where the top of the vitessa camera is fastened and how to remove the top plate. Also, can anyone help with how to remove the knob at the end of the advance plunger?
Any help or direction will be much appreciated. |
Sean OKeefe
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 12:49 pm: |
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https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/vitessarf.html
Also,
By Harold R. Lowder on Friday, April 05, 2002 - 07:38 pm:
The top cover of a Vitessa L is held by two screws from the bottom up. The screw heads are in the film chamber under the rim of the takeup spool on one side and next to the rewind spindle on the other side. The top cover then lifts straight up. |
Jerry DAmore
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 04:23 pm: |
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Thanks Sean.
I found the screw heads and I also checked the link you gave. It provides some good detail.
Before I try to get the top off, I want to deal with the plunger knob. I am still having difficulty with getting the end off the plunger, and I do not want to apply too much force. It looks like it is threaded on the end but my attempt has not produced any result, turning either way.
Do you have any suggestion for the removal of the knob at the end of the plunger? |
Howard
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 05:18 pm: |
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Hi Jerry,
The knob simply unscrews anti clockwise. |
Ray Youngblood
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 08:35 pm: |
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The knob can be extremely tight and is easy to mutilate. Old directions from Voigtlander itself says "Remove the knob on top of the combi-plunger by heating it slightly and unscrewing it." If I recall correctly the best- and maybe only- way to reglue the mirror is to take-out the rf assembly. This is a pretty straightforward job involving removal of two or three pretty obvious screws. The official Voigtlander party line on this repair: "If the mirror has dropped off it is not advised to just recement it because all rangefinders are prealigned. Replacement cost against the old finder would be $8.16 plus postage"
I reglued one a while back and then went nuts realigning the rf. Be sure to consult Stuart Willis' article cited above. |
Jerry DAmore
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 02, 2004 - 06:58 am: |
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Thanks Howard and Ray.
Ray, you are right; I tried to unscrew but it is extremely tight. Even protecting the knob, I caused a small amount of damage. I can see that it is possible to cause significant other damage to continue, rather than help.
I will try the heat and see if I get anywhere. I have printed the artice and will use it, if I get that far. |
Howard
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 02, 2004 - 03:57 pm: |
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Hello again Jerry. I must have been lucky by the sound of it as with both my Vitessas the knob was only a little more than finger tight. It seems like some carefully applied heat is probably the way to go. Ray tends to be very accurate with his advice, his information helped me out on a Vito II once that had stumped everybody else. |
