68degrees
Well-known
Kodak RF very very faint RF patch. Unusable. Is this the beamsplitter glass? Can anything be done to the existing beamsplitter glass to make a nice contrasty patch again? Ive heard of putting tape on the rf window but I dont want to do that, I want to fix the RF or even improve it from factory. Ive seen beamsplitter glass at edmunds for 35 bucks. no thanks. Got to be a better way. I have no junk donor RFs either. How does this Beamsplitter glass go bad? This camera was never opened until I opened it. It was faint when I got it and still faint after I cleaned it. please advise.
Noll
Well-known
If you must clean the RF optics, I'd suggest distilled water and q-tips for cleaning. Use only a feather-light touch on the silvered glass if you must clean it. If you've never done anything like this be prepared to mess something up worse that it was when you started
I have no idea what to tell you about the beam splitter, but $35 for an obscure part does not sound expensive. What would your time is worth to improvise or adapt something else?
I have no idea what to tell you about the beam splitter, but $35 for an obscure part does not sound expensive. What would your time is worth to improvise or adapt something else?
kbg32
neo-romanticist
Other then trying to find a broken camera to be used for parts, $35 is not a bad price. Beam splitters over time can fade, the silver coating will flake off due to age or the epoxy that holds the glass together will break down and fail. Time/age is the culprit to my knowledge.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
The silver in beamsplitters also oxidizes and becomes black or at that layer in the prism there can be optical separation which will also yield a black spot.
You should try to find one of the Tomosoy books on camera repair to see if he recommends any workarounds.
I've always salvaged them out of broken fixed lens RF cameras with good bright RF patches. This is the least expensive route. You will want to find one with a contrasting tone to the VF window. ie: if the VF has a cool tone, find a gold beamsplitter.
In rangefinder repair where the parts can be quite esoteric, $35 is practically free when it comes to optical parts. Some things have to be made in-house and can become quite expensive or a donor camera must be bought with the same optical specifications. For example, if you ask this question about an M3 with RF separation, get yourself another M3 or have the rangefinder completely switched out with a donor unit. It's expensive stuff after a while and the nickel and dime cheap rangefinders wind up costing a lot of money and/or time.
Phil Forrest
You should try to find one of the Tomosoy books on camera repair to see if he recommends any workarounds.
I've always salvaged them out of broken fixed lens RF cameras with good bright RF patches. This is the least expensive route. You will want to find one with a contrasting tone to the VF window. ie: if the VF has a cool tone, find a gold beamsplitter.
In rangefinder repair where the parts can be quite esoteric, $35 is practically free when it comes to optical parts. Some things have to be made in-house and can become quite expensive or a donor camera must be bought with the same optical specifications. For example, if you ask this question about an M3 with RF separation, get yourself another M3 or have the rangefinder completely switched out with a donor unit. It's expensive stuff after a while and the nickel and dime cheap rangefinders wind up costing a lot of money and/or time.
Phil Forrest
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
ZeissFan
Veteran
Which camera are you talking about here? The Kodak 35 RF (the homely camera)? Or some other Kodak, such as a Signet or Retina? It makes a difference.
The Kodak 35 RF doesn't use a beamsplitter. The Signet 35 does. Generally, a careful cleaning of the viewing and rangefinder optics will restore the contrast to the rangefinder system.
The Kodak 35 RF doesn't use a beamsplitter. The Signet 35 does. Generally, a careful cleaning of the viewing and rangefinder optics will restore the contrast to the rangefinder system.