| Author |
Message |
    
Connealy
Tinkerer
Username: Connealy
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 04, 2008 - 08:24 am: | 
|
I have a Certo Dolly Super Sport rangefinder model. The camera is the first model with separate viewing and rf windows and no extinction meter. I can't see any obvious way to make the adjustment to bring the split images together at the infinity setting. Taking off the end caps reveals a couple of screws going into the body. Removing those allows the rf housing to pivot, apparently still held in place by the linkage. I don't know for sure that taking the rf off the body will allow me to get where I need to go, and I'm reluctant to try to go further without knowing more. The camera is otherwise in nice condition, and I'm hopeful of getting back to good working order. Thanks for any help. |
Connealy
Tinkerer
Username: Connealy
Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 04, 2008 - 03:06 pm: |
|
Well, I figured out that I can take out a little screw on the top of the rf housing, and that lets me slide the whole thing to the right, exposing the innards of the rangefinder. There is a big screw and a little screw which allow adjustment of a cam that positions the mirror. While I can change the split images, I can't seem to do it in any predictable way. Not sure if I can upload a picture here. If not, there is one at http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a9/connealy/dolly/camera/1641.jpg.
<img> |
Vinzenz
Tinkerer
Username: Vinzenz
Post Number: 6
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 - 06:05 am: |
|
Hi. I have the later model with the silver rf-housing and extinction meter and love it a lot. I tinkered on the rf-adjustment for several days until I had it spot on. It had the bad tendency to disadjust on its own from focusing back and forth a few times. The screws were weak (as they seem in your picture). Therefore, I finally bent the mirrors very carefully into the right position rather than straining the screws too much. I do not remember exactly which screw is used for horizontal and which for vertical adjustement. It was trial and error any way. I just remember that I altered the position of both mirrors, because the range of adjustment of only one mirror did not allow enough movement. I have now used the camera for over a year with great results and without any further need of repair or adjustments.
When I was searching for information on the Dolly, I found your website (at least the name was the same...) and admired both your images and Dolly cameras. My Dolly came with a 4.5 x 6 mask, but I would like the possibility for 6 x 6 as well. Do you have any experience in adapting another folder mask (maybe from Franka Solida?) to fit the Dolly? |
Connealy
Tinkerer
Username: Connealy
Post Number: 5
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 05:58 am: |
|
Thanks for those ideas on the Dolly rf adjustment. I had put it aside, not wanting to put any more wear on the screws, but I'll go back and take a look at it again.
Sorry to say I traded away that non-rf Dolly for which I had both masks. I thought the Trioplan was excellent, and it was also easy and fun to slip in a 35mm cassette to make photos with sprocket holes. Regarding the use of diy masks, it is probably not all that hard. However, the factory built ones do have rollers on each side, and I am not sure how critical that is for success.
While on the subject, let me also ask about the distance scale on yours. Mine looks like a replacement. The near distance settings seem accurate enough, but there are no distance markings between 12 ft. and infinity. That results in a little too much guess-work for manual use. |
Vinzenz
Tinkerer
Username: Vinzenz
Post Number: 7
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 06:03 am: |
|
I have uploaded two images of my Dolly to show you the distance scale (in meters). Let me know if you need it from another angle or something else.
 |
Connealy
Tinkerer
Username: Connealy
Post Number: 11
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 07:35 am: |
|
Thanks for those illustrations. What a fine looking camera that is, a newer model than mine.
Your distance scale is a lot more functional than mine. Looking at yours, I'm very sure mine was a diy project for the purpose of displaying distances in feet. Unfortunately, there is nothing between 12 feet and infinity, which is too big a gap for me to use manually. If the rf was working, it wouldn't be much of an issue, but another stab at that didn't result in any changes for the better. The rest of the camera is in pretty good shape, and the old Tessar is perfect. I'm willing to exercise some patience as I really like the Dolly and expect I'll eventually turn up another, or get some useful info on adjusting the rf. |
|
