Vertical adjustment on RD-1S

[guyplatt]

Hi,

Before I mess everything up, can someone please confirm whether the screw I see here is in fact screw 3 (from Rich Cutler's site)?

I have some focus issues. I shot the following (100% crop) on a tripod from 1 meter and focused on the C on the red book (Holub's Compiler Design in C) but it looks like the blue book is in focus. I will have to print out some focus tests and do this more accurately, but for now I would love to know that I can reach the screws needed to fix this without taking off the top plate -- otherwise I will take it to someone with more skills than I have for dissambling things.

Many thanks
Guy

 

[menos]

AAAhhh - Guy, don't mess with the top plate! You most likely don't need it.
The screw, you marked is one of the 3 screws for adjustment.

You should not mess with the tripod approach either, when adjusting the rangefinder for infinity or vertical alignment.
Both these settings are best adjusted by holding the camera to your eye in the very natural position, you always focus it (a constant eye position is absolutely crucial with the R-D1, as it's rangefinder is much more prone to eye misalignment, than the Leica rangefinders).

Have the flash top plate removed (as in your picture) and prepare two different perfectly fitting jewelry screwdrivers (don't try, to make a wrong one fitting, you likely mess up the screw heads by slipping).

Hold the camera with your left hand for focussing, supporting the whole camera and lens with your left palm.
Find a good light, to see the 3 screwheads through the small opening through the flash area.
Align the right screwdriver along the slit in the screw head and precisely find the screw with your tool (you won't see this, you have to find it by feel - especially the big screw on the right).

When you feel you have the screw with the screwdriver in your right hand, raise the camera to your eye and focus.

When you have the best focus and have determined what is not aligned, start, to put momentum on the screw driver (remember which direction of the screw moves the rangefinder patch to either direction).

Repeat this step with all needed screws until you have a good focus.

I find it best, to adjust a combination of infinity and the vertical alignment first.
I did not adjust the "rangefinder focus" itself, as my focussing eye is off anyway and I would have to find the right diopter correction lenses first.

Be careful and do not put strength on the screws - you will bring other things out of alignment by doing so.

All screws influence each other slightly. So if you have set one perfectly, you might have moved another adjustment slightly too. Take your time.

 

[RichC]

Looks like the right screw to me (that's my website!).

And make sure it's your camera that's off, not the lens - nearly every second-hand lens I've bought has been out of adjustment (new lenses were spot on).

After having the lenses adjusted professionally, the focus was spot on. Many of these lenses were kept when I sold the R-D1 and bought an M8, proving it was the lenses that were out.

That said, the R-D1 is notorious for being out of adjustment!

Anyway, just wanted to post a "head's up": you don't want to adjust your camera only to find out that it now focuses perfectly - but just with one particular lens!

 

[menos]

Thanks again Rich for the great collection of information you provide on your website. This surely is a goldmine for all new/ and old R-D1 users.

One can only hope, EPSON finds a way, to make a follow up R-D2 feasible and runs a project like this. It doesn't even have to compete with the other offerings spec wise - just do it different, like the R-D1 did …

 

[guyplatt]

Good to know

Good to know

Hi Rich,

Thanks for the in formation and the website.

I think in my case that it is the camera as I have two new lenses and they are both off. I also have a 1958 Summilux 50mm which I know is off.

I was able to get the horizontal focus pretty close using screw #2 and Dirk's method for adjusting (hold the camera to the eye and turn the screw) but I can not get the vertical to align .. it doesn't matter how much I turn screw 3 (which was fastened as far clockwise as it could got) I see no difference in the vertical alignment.

I have found a very experience Leica technician here in Stockholm who will look at my Lecia lense's, and I will ask him if he can help with the RD-1. Otherwise I guess I have to post it to London or California.

Thanks again
Guy

Looks like the right screw to me (that's my website!).

And make sure it's your camera that's off, not the lens - nearly every second-hand lens I've bought has been out of adjustment (new lenses were spot on).

After having the lenses adjusted professionally, the focus was spot on. Many of these lenses were kept when I sold the R-D1 and bought an M8, proving it was the lenses that were out.

That said, the R-D1 is notorious for being out of adjustment!

Anyway, just wanted to post a "head's up": you don't want to adjust your camera only to find out that it now focuses perfectly - but just with one particular lens!

 

[menos]

Guy, are you sure, the rangefinder is really off vertically?

Did you try already, to focus horizontally perfect and then move your eye position up and down, to "align" the vertically misaligned rangefinder patch?

In any case, it is good, to have a good technician around, when home methods are at end. I would like, to know a good Leica technician here in Shanghai, who could take a look at my 50 Lux.

According to the info on the web, it should be actually stingingly razor sharp - so sharp, that some people even do not like it anymore.

For me it looks very sharp @ f1.4, but I know only Nikon SLR lenses to compare ;-)

 

[guyplatt]

I think it is off vertically

I think it is off vertically

It is true that I can adjust the vertical image by moving my eye position up and down but when it is aligned correctly in the viewfinder I feel like I am looking almost at the top part of the viewfinder window. Maybe I need to get someone to observe me. It could be like every other sport .. when they say "bend your knees" I say "I am" 🙂

regards
Guy

P.S. Did you see my post on dpreview regarding the M3 and the film?

 

[menos]

It is true that I can adjust the vertical image by moving my eye position up and down but when it is aligned correctly in the viewfinder I feel like I am looking almost at the top part of the viewfinder window. Maybe I need to get someone to observe me. It could be like every other sport .. when they say "bend your knees" I say "I am" 🙂

regards
Guy

P.S. Did you see my post on dpreview regarding the M3 and the film?

No - when you have to move your eye into an uncomfortable position, to have a vertical alignment, the rangefinder should be adjusted.

I saw your film issue. It sounds, you should stock some film, the next time, you come over a good source. To bad, the first roll turned out bad.

Is the film rewind knob of the M3 turning on film transport as with the M6? This way, you could prevent such accident in the future and safe a film next time 😉

 

[guyplatt]

I never thought to check the nob

I never thought to check the nob

The first time I used it I never considered that the film might not be loaded correctly.

Aftert hat good learning experience I was very careful with the second roll and I could feel the difference in the extra weight as the film was pulled out of the canister.

I'll try and get it developed tomorrow to see how it looks. Hopefully I won't find out that my light meter is way off 🙂

regards
Guy

No - when you have to move your eye into an uncomfortable position, to have a vertical alignment, the rangefinder should be adjusted.

I saw your film issue. It sounds, you should stock some film, the next time, you come over a good source. To bad, the first roll turned out bad.

Is the film rewind knob of the M3 turning on film transport as with the M6? This way, you could prevent such accident in the future and safe a film next time 😉

 

[menos]

Guy - when I bought my first film camera since years (a Nikon Fm3a) a few month back, I made a very bad impression to the shop owner and asked him all kind of question regarding usage, loading, handling, etc…

I am not to shy, to bother the dealer, to show me the loading and checking of the camera, until it sits in my cells ;-)

Since then, I have an old 135 film cassette with me, when I plan, to go to the second hand camera shops. This way, I can check the film transport as good as possible too.

When a film camera is new to me, I really do practice loading, checking, handling the camera at home before heading the street (watch a movie with the girlfriend and check and load the camera to nausea).

This was especially helpful in improving my one handed loading technique with the Leica M6, using a wrist strap - partly handicapping my right hand for film handling and loading.

This might help especially with the M3, having to load with the separate film spool.