Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]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