Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]John Explain the "ground glass screen" that mysteriously appeared. Jerry John Collier wrote: > Please find below a corrected procedure to line up the eyes on a > 135/2.8. I had incorrectly written that the viewfinder side could be > adjusted by the screws which retain the element. > > John Collier > > ------------ > This procedure is for the later lenses with the eyes cast with the lens > body. I have not examined an earlier lens with the goggles that attach > by screws. The early lens may or may not be similar. > ------------ > > First remove the back of the M camera by removing the baseplate and > sliding the hinge pin on the left side of the back. It will have a > small post you can move with your finger or a phillips screw head you > can move with the point of a pen. Put the baseplate back on and mount > the camera/ lens on the tripod. Use the tripod mounting screw on the > lens. Set the shutter to B and lock it open with the cable release. > Frame something at least two kilometers away and use the ground glass > screen to check if the camera framelines are properly indicating the > center of the negative area. Check to see how the rangefinder images > line up. We will assume that both need adjusting. > > To adjust the frameline position at infinity is not easy without the > special adjusting screws. Remove the two large adjusting port cap > screws on either side of the viewfinder ocular on the metal plate > covering the rear of the goggles. There are three wax sealed screw > ports where you can screw in adjustment screws if you have them which I > certainly do not and I doubt you do either. If you do have the > adjusting screws then it is a relatively simple matter to use them to > shift the element around as needed. Just loosen the spring loaded > element retaining screws exposed when you removed the port cap screws. > When you are done, tighten up the spring loaded retaining screws and > put the cap screws back in. If you do not have the special adjusting > screws then you can try adjusting the element by shifting it around > carefully with a thin tool against the metal frame holding the element > -- DO NOT USE A TOOL ON THE ELEMENT ITSELF. You will need to remove the > complete viewfinder backplate to do this. Please carefully consider how > frustratingly difficult it may be to make this adjustment without the > screws. > > To adjust the coincidence of the rangefinder images, remove the two > black wax plugs over the adjusting screws at the bottom and side of the > round rangefinder ocular. They work against the rear element. Now > remove the four small screws around the viewfinder ocular and the three > small screws around the rangefinder ocular. Lift off the metal plate. > The rear element of the rangefinder ocular is now free and can fall out > so be careful. Now you can see how the flat metal spring and the two > set screws are able to move the rear element. Mount the metal plate > back on but leave it loose so the rear element is free tpo move. Mount > the lens back on the camera and the assembly back on the tripod. Again > focus on infinity and use the set screws to adjust the rangefinder > images so they line up. You may have to remove the back plate to rotate > the rear element to get the proper adjustment. When adjusted correctly, > tighten the metal plate as this secures the rear element. Now double > check your adjustment again. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ADJUST THE SET SCREWS > UNLESS THE REAR METAL PLATE IS LOOSE as this will result in you > damaging the rear element. When satisfied, plug the adjustment holes > with either black crayon or black candle wax. > > Put the camera back back on and pat your self on the back for being > such a clever fellow. > > My personal recommendations would be to tackle the job if the > rangefinder is out and to send it in to a competent Leica repair person > if you need to adjust the field of view as well. > > John Collier > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html