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paulangle

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Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 05:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi All, I'm trying to fix the RF of the Konica C35. I can only located one screw behide the RF mirror. I turned it and it changed the vertical alignment, by tilt the image. I don't see the other one.

The thing is I just got this camera from a flea market recently. Shot a roll, and look like the focus off. So I compared the RF with the focus ring/distance, by put a ground glass on the back of the lens to check it. The result came in different distance everytime, i.e. if i focus by loooking thru viewfinder til the yellow patches matched but the distance doesn't match the RF, say from 5-7 ft. object when it focus in RF it's locked at 3.5 ft, although looking thru the groundglass it's matched the distance (I measured it). And the infinity is off. I don't know what to do to reset the RF, tried to search from the web see nothing. Well, most of other cameras has a hole next to the viewfinder but my C35 doesn't. hmmm, please anyone?

The photos came out really good color rendition and sharpness, regardless the blurry objects.
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paulangle

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Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 07:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Well, finally found the horizontal screw, in a hole btwn the front and back viewfinder glasses.

But the distance keep changing when focusing thru the VF?..oh...boy..It won't stay. I knew I can put some glue on the vertical screw but how about the horizontal one, it's deep in side a hole.
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paulangle

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Posted on Thursday, July 28, 2005 - 12:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

After keep searching it. I found lele's post about his Yashica electro back in May.

It's sound like my RF is not coupled with the lens. Anyone know how to take apart the C35 RF? I hope it's not too complicated, it's gonna be my 1st camera that I go so deep.
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WernerJB

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Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2005 - 01:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Try "C35" in the "Keyword Search" section of this forum, and you will definitely find what you need to know, there's lots of info there.
(The C35 was one of my first projects, too, and I especially like the lens for its contrasty sharp pictures, so the camera's worth the effort !)
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paulangle

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Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 09:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks Werner. I did searched on it, there're some really helpful info. But seem there're nobody have got the same problem like mine. I thought it was a simple adjust for the RF patch alignment. But it seem like my RF won't stay couple with the lens. Anyway your info and the others are really helpful for the future if I'd run into the shutter, wire, or other problems.

Now I just have to go buy a soldering gun, to take of the glue from the tight screws on the RF base. See how amature I am not even have all the basic tools yet. I definitely agreed with you on the lens quality, it's keep me going for this project. I hope it'll work.

Thanks for your input.
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Winfried

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Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 06:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

On most, if not all, rangefinder cameras the rangefinder assembly can be removed as a unit. There are (usually) three screws on the corners of the bottom plate of the rangefinder. After removing these you can lift the whole assembly.

Sometimes the bearings of the leavers underneath the bottom plate of the rangefinder are gummed or corroded. Sometimes even the shaft protruding backwards from the lens barrel is stuck. Check whether everything is moving freely, whether the hairspring(s) of the rangefinder lever(s) are in place.

When reassembling the rangefinder unit take care that the tab of the rangefinder lever hits the rear end of the coupling shaft. The lever usually is spring loaded and must be held in the rear position when putting the assembly back into place.
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paulangle

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Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 02:05 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks Winfried. Actually I removed the RF unit last night. And checked all the shaft, the bearing, rf lever, etc. Everything seem to work fine, move freely.

Only the shaft made some dragging noise when I turn the focus ring, it happen since i got the camera. It look a little dirty, or gummy. Then I cleaned and oiled the shaft and the inside lens barrel where it's touched. I tried to see if there anything feel/look out of place, coudn't find any. I then oiled the bearings too. I put them back together, in the way as you mentioned.

Now everything moves smoothly, no draging noise anymore. But when I checked the RF focus, it's still on and off the mark even in the same distance. Hmm.. may be I've missed something here? It's my 1st time repair may be something wrong there and I don't know what it should look like. I'll post the photos tonight.

Hate to think, if it might be wrong in other places?
I think I'm getting impatient, trying to find what's wrong with it.
Thanks for your suggestions
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paulangle

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Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 11:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Sorry for the delay, I finally loaded the photos, welcome to take a look.
http://home.earthlink.net/~n2omedium/koni_c35rf/
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WernerJB

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Posted on Friday, August 05, 2005 - 01:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Took a long look at the photos, everything seems right. That lever #2 in the last picture works like a shade for the flash symbol visible in the viewfinder if the camera is set to flash mode (done automatically by the foot of the flashlight which moves a coupled lever inside the flash shoe on the right).
Maybe the beamsplitter or another part (the mirror or that lens with the black frame) is loose ?
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paul

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Posted on Friday, August 05, 2005 - 08:32 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks for looking. I'll check the things you mentioned. The mirror I think it was intact as I recall. I think I'll try to go back and read the basic of the RF, see whatelse could have effected the RF, or what exactly connect them all. Thanks for your advises.
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paul

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Posted on Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 09:35 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

After rechecked a few more times, beamsplitter, mirror with the black frame next to the rf mirror, and the rf mirror all intact. Nothing comes lose.

Compared to my Auto S2 RF movement, watching from the top, look like the C35 RF mirror swing not as freely as S2. Then I went took the RF unit out and rechecked. I took off a bearing screw underneath the vertical adjustment, cleant it and put it back. Not much improve.

But after a very closely observation I found if I turned the focus ring to the end on the closest distance first then focus. It seem ok and stable most of the time. If I started focusing form the middle or from the infinity side, the focus is shorter by about half of the real distance. Say 15 feet becomes 7 and it's not consistent sometimes more sometimes less. Anyone have seen this symtom before?
Should the hairspring go thru the hole on the RF lever? ref. from my web photo# 8.

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