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Hobbes
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Username: Hobbes

Post Number: 23
Registered: 02-2009

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Posted on Friday, March 02, 2012 - 08:11 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I'm having some trouble adjusting the rangefinder on a FED 2. I adjusted the rangefinder for infinity focus, but I'm having a hard time getting it right for focus at 1 meter. I have turned the little wedge as low as I can, but when I focus on a mark 1 meter away, the distance setting that the lens is at is about halfway between 1 and 1.2 meters.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Would loosening the large slotted screw that holds the cam arm and adjusting the arm help? Or is that asking for more trouble?

Thanks,
Rob

FED 2 rangefinder cam arm
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Nick_merritt
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Username: Nick_merritt

Post Number: 24
Registered: 06-2008

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Posted on Friday, March 02, 2012 - 02:05 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

This may be somewhat of a non-answer, but have you checked to see that focus of the RF mechanism coincides with at the film plane? (That is, have you checked focus with a ground glass?)

It may be that the lens's distance marking may not be quite precise -- the critical thing is that focus as observed in the rangefinder agrees with the actual results on film.
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Glenn
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Username: Glenn

Post Number: 978
Registered: 07-2006

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Posted on Friday, March 02, 2012 - 03:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Firstly go to the link below for some details on rangefinder repairs etc -

http://www.jay.fedka.com/

or Google for more information, I think there are a couple more sites, if they are still up and running.

However, you should note the following - As Nick says, you are trying to do an adjustment and it does not appear that you have tested that the distance scale on the lens is actually aligned correctly. If the scale alignment is just a fraction out at infinity, then this error will translate into a much greater error at 1 metre if the lens is not assembled (focus scale aligned) correctly.
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Hobbes
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Username: Hobbes

Post Number: 27
Registered: 02-2009

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Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 06:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks for the suggestions.

I checked the lens with a ground glass, and the distance markings on the lens are correct. I visited www.jay.fedka.com and have been using his descriptions to align the rangefinder. I'm still not getting a proper alignment at the near distances.

Rob
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T6nn
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Username: T6nn

Post Number: 25
Registered: 06-2009

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Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 - 08:02 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hobbes, are you sure you have turned the wedge right way?. From your description It seems to me that you need to "slow down" the rangefinder movement in comparison to the lens movement. For that you would need to lengthen the rangefinder arm, by turning the wedge counterclockwise? At the picture it seems the wedge has been turned clockwise?
Hope I didn't confuse the directions this time myself...
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Hobbes
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Username: Hobbes

Post Number: 28
Registered: 02-2009

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Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2012 - 03:55 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

T6nn,

I think you are right. I did turn the tip up and it solved my problem.

Thanks,
Rob

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