adjusting the compact rangefinder -- infinity calibration

[black_box]

I came with questions about adjusting the infinity calibration on my vivitar 35ES roughly a week ago... And while in my searches, I noticed alot of people throughout the internet had this very question yet remained unanswered.

Vivitar 35ES horizontal adjustments are calibrated via a small flat head screw. It is accessible while the camera film door is open, located on the left side of the upper film rail. Remove the first silver screw (small-- dont loose it!), and about 5mm deep you will find what you are looking for. Apply the general rangefinder adjustment technique (at infinity, object at long distance, etc) going in ~1/8 turn increments.

Im almost positive it will be the same for most other compact fixed lens RFs-- ive seen this same screw in photographs. So simple... I wonder why the answer is not overly abundant?


I also have cleaned these little viewfinders to a very pleasing level of clarity. I have a few tips handy that could help accomplish this using improvised household utilities. The two front elements in the viewfinder are very tightly arranged and usually collect dust inbetween, causing that hated fuzzy glare and general lack of clarity.

 

[radiocemetery]

Thanks for the tip black box. Tonight I have my 35ES on the bench with the top plate off to clean the optics of the rangefinder. I am pretty sure that my infinity or horizontal focus is off based on the difference between known distances and the distance reported on the focus ring.

How did you clean those front and rear elements of the viewfinder where they form acute angles with the half silvered mirror? Qtips obviously won't fit in there. Thanks.

Steve at the radiocemetery

 

[black_box]

Sorry, havnt seen this post in a long while.

I devised a few tools. I ended up using the flat side of a bobbypin tightly wrapped in lens cloth and light alcohol on one side.

What is more difficult, is the front two elements in the viewfinder. They are so close, Id suspect most people to miss them (and they are covered at the top with a thin slice of tape). Those ones I had to be extra careful, but cleaning them made a big difference compared to not cleaning them.

Its hard to type it out... but I again started with the flat side of a bobbypin. Removed the plastic/rubbery tip, then took a very small piece of lens cloth approx. 1cm x 3cm, and folded it over the strait and now bare end of the bobbypin, lengthwise, then dipped in alcohol. Keep a dry 1x3cm piece ready too. I start out by not pushing this pin/wad combo strait in- that would leave the lens cloth getting stuck at the top and likely scraped elements, but instead going it as horizontal as possible from the top corner and moving it in a clock-hand sweet motion. This should end you up with the cloth still running to the end of the bobbypin, and the whole assembly in the middle. Then I drag it all the way to one side, then pull strait up. I repeat with a dry piece, then move on to the other side.

I can think of a much more sophisticated way to do this (Im sure anyone else can too), but these are super easy to find materials and work out great if your hands are good in a little precision way.

 

[radiocemetery]

Well, I saw that tape you mentioned in my camera too, but I left it alone. The next time I am in there I will try to clean those elements too. Thanks for the ideas.

Steve