Who are we?  Featured Cameras  Articles  Instruction Manuals  Repair Manuals  The Classic Camera Repair Forum  Books  View/Sign Guestbook

Kodak Reflex II TLR Taking Lens Refoc... Log in | Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Classic Camera Repair » Archives-2007 » Kodak Reflex II TLR Taking Lens Refocusing « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Ericscott
Tinkerer
Username: Ericscott

Post Number: 1
Registered: 12-2007

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 10:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I'm new to this forum. I bought the Kodak Reflex II TLR. The shutter did not work. With no experience, I took it apart and put it back together. No cleaning or lubing. It now works perfectly. My problem is that I cannot refocus the taking lens. I placed a piece of ground glass against the film rollers. No matter how little or far I screw the taking lens into the shutter, I cannot get it to focus at any distance (infinity to 4 feet). If I pull the GG about 1/8 inch away from the rollers, it will focus. Clearly something is wrong! Film does not rest in space behind the rollers. I use the same technique with my Super Ricohflex and it focuses fine. I did separate the two elements from the taking lens for cleaning and put them back together, but that should have no effect. I enjoy fixing this old camera, but I just cannot figure this one out. It's killing me.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Charlie
Tinkerer
Username: Charlie

Post Number: 121
Registered: 07-2006

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 03:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Is one element wrong way around? Just a thought.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Ericscott
Tinkerer
Username: Ericscott

Post Number: 2
Registered: 12-2007

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 03:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

No, because I would have male to male and female to female threading. It's physically not possible. That thought did occur to me however.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Ericscott
Tinkerer
Username: Ericscott

Post Number: 3
Registered: 12-2007

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 03:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I read at Rick Oleson's website that the Anastar lens on my Reflex II has 3 air spaced elements in front of the diaphram. Are these elements 3 physically separable elements? My lens has 2 physically separable elements. Am I missing one? Just grasping at straws at this point.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Ericscott
Tinkerer
Username: Ericscott

Post Number: 4
Registered: 12-2007

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 06:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Problem solved. I'm an idiot. The taking lens has two physical components. I was rotating both as a unit. They were practically glued to each other. Screwing one component completely into the shutter and rotating the front component solved the problem. I guess this is why the lens is referred to as a font cell focusing lens? Duh. I thought that since the component behind the shutter was fixed, the two components in front rotated together. The fact that they were glued together didn't help things. Now I just have to figure out how to get the viewing and taking lens focused as a unit with that meshed geared mechanism.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson

Post Number: 460
Registered: 07-2006

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 07:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

If the gears have not been removed from the lenses, try this: After getting the taking lens set correctly to infinity, mark its position (or tape it down to the shutter so it can't turn) and loosen the retaining ring holding the shutter into the body. Shift the shutter assembly downward enough to disengage the gears between the 2 lenses. Now, without disturbing the taking lens, rotate the viewing lens until it focuses on the screen at infinity, and tape it down.

Finally, tighten the shutter back down, remeshing the gears as it settles into place.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Ericscott
Tinkerer
Username: Ericscott

Post Number: 5
Registered: 12-2007

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 09:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Excellent idea. Thank you Rick.

Add Your Message Here
Post:
Bold text Italics Underline Create a hyperlink Insert a clipart image

Username: Posting Information:
This is a private posting area. Only registered users and moderators may post messages here.
Password:
Options: Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action:

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | User List | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration