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Brett
Tinkerer
Username: Brett
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2010 - 04:14 am: | 
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Gday Guys,
by way of an intro, I've been lurking here quite awhile but this is my first post. What a wonderful resource for lovers of old cameras this is. And I'm in awe of the helpfulness and knowledge of the members!
About me: Over the last 12 months I've taken some steps into repairing various old cameras I own and use, nearly always successfully. It's enjoyable to get something beautifully made back into working nick, and loaded with film again, isn't it? In the last three months, I've successfully got the shutters of a couple of Rolleicord Vs working well again.
Now, I have my first Rolleiflex, and it certainly needs some TLC! Although the shutter requires a clean, and the film transport could be smoother, and certainly needs servicing - the main concern for me is that 2.8 Xenotar taking lens.
At some point, the front lens group has been tampered with. It appears to be intact, however, the thread locking screw for the front group is mangled, and there are some other(thankfully, not visible from the front) signs of poor workmanship (to be polite!). The rear group looks good, and untouched. The number on the front of the lens looks right for the age of the camera, too, incidentally.
But the main worry is that there is some play (a half a millimeter or so) between the elements and their mount. It's possible to move the elements within the mount, from the front to the back (or vice versa).
I haven't attempted to open up the front group for closer inspection yet, because I recently purchased the camera, and still have the option of returning it for refund. Also, the external surface of the front element has seen better days, and seems to have the coating degradation some of these 1950's Xenotars suffer from, complete with a large fingerprint etched into the coating. I'm not too precious about front element defects and know they often do not have as much impact on image quality as one might expect them to. Nevertheless, the deterioration looks advanced enough, and covers enough of the surface area of the element, to potentially affect photographs made with it. As the glass itself still looks OK (I've examined it with a loupe) and as I am in Tasmania, I have access to someone who has successfully recoated a Xenotar previously, Longman Optical (see this thread for more details: https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/messages/6899/5921.html. )
I'll be taking the lens in to them tomorrow for inspection, and if it is a candidate for recoating I plan to hang onto the Rollei, as I got it for a pretty good price and whilst it's not mint it's fairly clean and tidy.
But, I will then have the problem of reassembling the front group correctly. I may know more tomorrow after opening up the front group (I've stripped, cleaned and reassembled a couple of Xenars successfully so am happy to have a go at this). So I'm wondering, if a part of the problem with the play in the front group, might be as simple as the mount not being correctly tightened by whoever last touched it? It seems fairly clear that they had no idea at all of what they were doing!
Sorry for being so long-winded however, if anyone has any advice, photos, or information, about the correct relationship between the elements in the front of a Xenotar, and of any shims, alignment bearings, or other components that are meant to be there, I would be most grateful for your comments. Given the previous tampering I'm kind of starting from scratch here!
After sorting the Rolleiflex, the next project will be to get a couple of Bessamatics working properly again. Yes, I know they're a quantum leap in complexity. I have the Mecking repair CD, which is helpful, and fortunately, what I lack in talent as a repairer, I make up for with patience and perserverence!
Thanks in advance to anyone who can assist.
Best Regards,
Brett
Hobart, Tasmania |
Mareklew
Tinkerer
Username: Mareklew
Post Number: 133
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2010 - 01:24 pm: |
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Well, the obvious problem will be verifying, that all parts are there and all shims are of correct thickness. This can be assessed only by sing a good, reliable collimator with a good target. Moreover, taking and viewing lenses have to be perfectly matched for focal length.
I'd say, if you want to take photos with it, get another one. I know the challenge to fix things, I;m overhauling a $20 Kiev 4 now instead of just junking it...
Marek |
Brett
Tinkerer
Username: Brett
Post Number: 3
Registered: 07-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2010 - 07:39 pm: |
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Thanks Marek, the seller has agreed to refund so this seems the easier option.
Cheers
Brett |
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