Canon IIF2 and Rapidwinder

L

LeicaTom

Watch that step!
Local time
9:58 AM
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
2,504
Location
Winter Haven Florida
View My Gallery
Hello Folks!

.....I just received my 1955 Canon IIF2 and Rapidwinder in the mail today and it`s an amazing little piece of machinery, I`m VERY IMPRESSED with the build quality of this "Knob Top" era Canon RF

It and the Winder are EX++/Mint- and the shutters like new, but I just tried my Canon f1.5 50mm on her and realized that the rangefinder focus is off a touch and slightly doubled :/
The rangefinder window/patch etc. is crystal clear and brighter than the one in my Leica IIIC (which is almost like new) but theres that dammed double image, I guess this means it needs to be adjusted?

This is my FIRST Canon RF camera so I`m cutting my teeth on a strange one the last of the Knob advance RF`s with only 2625 cameras produced - plus as I posted elsewhere in all the years of shooting rangefinders I have NEVER had any CLA`d or adjusted, all that knocking on wood is over, not every camera you find is perfect.....

So with all that said, who`s the Canon Rangefinder repair/adjustment expert in the USA?

Is there someone else out there who does super quality work other than DAG and Sherry K?
I wonder if Youxin Ye would do this? (I guess I better call him)

Thanks

Tom

PS: Some photos here of it soon....
 
Last edited:
Zeroing out the rangefinder is something you really should know how to do at home. It can go out being shipped back from repair.

You need something further away than 1/4 mile. The moon at night is handy. Latch the lens at infinity.

Vertical alignment is done by unscrewing the round ring around the rangefinder window on the front. Then use the notches to rotate the glass (which is a wedge) until the images are aligned vertically.

Now, use a small (1/16") screwdriver to remove the dress screw next to the viewfinder window in the front. There's a small slotted setscrew in there that's the horizontal adjustment. Very touchy, a little turn goes a long way. Use that for horizontal adjustment. Cycle the lens focus after adjusting.

There may be a bit of interaction between the two adjustments.

Please don't lose the ring or the dress screw! So many Canon RF's are missing that ring!
 
John Shriver said:
Zeroing out the rangefinder is something you really should know how to do at home. It can go out being shipped back from repair.

You need something further away than 1/4 mile. The moon at night is handy. Latch the lens at infinity.

Vertical alignment is done by unscrewing the round ring around the rangefinder window on the front. Then use the notches to rotate the glass (which is a wedge) until the images are aligned vertically.

Now, use a small (1/16") screwdriver to remove the dress screw next to the viewfinder window in the front. There's a small slotted setscrew in there that's the horizontal adjustment. Very touchy, a little turn goes a long way. Use that for horizontal adjustment. Cycle the lens focus after adjusting.

There may be a bit of interaction between the two adjustments.

Please don't lose the ring or the dress screw! So many Canon RF's are missing that ring!
Click to expand...

Thank you John!

I have like two left hands so I`m not really mechanically inclined
(just being honest)
But, since I know what must be done, I`ll figure out something, now, does`nt sound like it`s really extensive work and the top of the camera doesn`t have to come off so that`s good 🙂

I guess when you really have to categorize me , you can call me a camera historian who`s shoots PinUps for a living.....

How`s that old saying go from the late 30`s go......

"Nice Work If You Can Get It?" 😉

Tom
 
congrats Tom, you will have a IIF2 for weekday use, and another IIF2 to take out on Sunday.🙂
 
Here`s my "first" Canon IIF2 and Rapidwinder......outfitted with a Canon f1.5 50mm, shade, "flattie" 40mm UV Filter and original Canon leather strap -

"ready for action!" 🙂

Tom

CanonIIF2jpeg
 
Last edited:
beauty !
that would be my favorite setup.
keep me in mind if you ever decide to sell the IIF2 Tom.
 
xayraa33 said:
beauty !
that would be my favorite setup.
keep me in mind if you ever decide to sell the IIF2 Tom.
Click to expand...

Well, If I find another I`ll let you know.....seems there`s a few Rapidwinders flying around lately but IIF2`s are uncommon

I know where one is but they are KRAZY and want like $800 for it, it`s EX++/Mint - but that`s stupid high, even if it had a f1.5 50mm or a nice early wide angle and finder, it`s not WORTH that much

Tom
 
Well, I just received my "second" Canon IIF2 with Rapidwinder in the mail today (the one off of Evilbay) and I decided to take a 1950`s styled catalog photo of it......

IIF2cataloglookjpeg


I think that kinda comes close to what the stuff looked like way back then......camera`s really nice and clean, some brush marks on the top plate, but is pretty much EX+/EX++

The f1.8 looks pretty good to, has some cleaning marks, but nothing too severe, no haze or fog, very pretty Curtains and the RF and Shutter speeds are dead on, I think a pretty good deal for $366
*I was lucky on this one* 😀

Yay!

I can`t wait till I can get some new gals to shoot, I have two shoots planned this weekend, so I should have some new work to post soon 🙂

Enjoy!

Tom
 
Last edited:
I`m happy..............I just scored the rare "rapidwinder" eveready case for the IIF2 on Evilbay 😀

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150154432992

Now my setup with both IIF2`s is almost complete cept for a Lens Shade for the f1.8 50mm a "flattie" UV filter and it`s ready to go, I`m putting a vintage Canon wrist strap on the camera with the f1.8 while there`s no winder grip, but that will work just as fine and look kool too........

This is IT! for a real good while, no more new stuff, I still have two Nikkor lenses that I have to pay for and then I`m taking a break from the GAS for LTM stuff and getting to work, I have TWO beauties over this weekend for shoots, can`t wait!

😎

Tom
 
Last edited:
uGGH!

Well, IIF2 #2 is loaded with color reverse for cross processing......and it JUST STARTED RAINING 🙁

Weather`s been terrible here lately can`t shoot anything outside and that`s where I shoot 80% of my work, well the model`s still coming over, so I hope I can get up some good ideas for lighting so I can shoot this CP out and test the Canon 🙂

Well, EVERYONE have a great Labor Day weekend!

Tom
 
Last edited:
Congrats on the cameras, Tom. I've got a Canon IIs2 that I simply adore. I shoot it with a Summitar mainly. I really think the Canon knob winds are underrated compared to Leica. The viewfinders of the later models are far superior, in my opinon. Just beautiful cameras that are so very usable today.

Joe
 
the so called improved models like the IIS2 that Joe mentions, are still bottomloaders just like the IIS model, the exit pupil is a little bigger on the improved bottom loader models and the high speed dial has a" set at any time" central axis marker with modern speed progressions.
the real benefits came on the V models, with hinged back and a VF that was really improved for ease of use.
Canon should have put the V style viewfinder on the so called improved bottomloaders like the IIS2, IIF2, IVSb2 and the IID2 and then it would have been worthy of the suffix "improved".
 
v/finders

v/finders

I thought Joe was citing the much improved viewfinders of the later V, VI series ......

Blimely - if the viewfinder of my IV-Sb was an improvement, the originals must have been awful.
 
the viewfinder on the IV are awfull and the improved series ie: IVSB2 etc. are not much better.
the earlier three mode finder like what is on the IIB and the III, is the same as on the IVSB.
I use the early models and a IVSB, and they are all getting harder to use, with the passing years on my eyesight.
 
It`s going to take some getting used to the IIF2 viewfinder, but it is brighter and the x3 settings make it faster to focus than my IIIC - or as fast while I have an orangel RF filter on my IIIC K and that camera does do everything faster...... 😀

As for loading the Canon IIF2 loaded lickedy split.......just pull out the right length of film, leave TWO eyelets free away from the film canister and cut - I cut it a little longer than normal and wrap it round the spool, by 1 or 1/2 of the spool

I`m good with loading IIIC`s again after taking my 10 year break from screw mounts, but that Canon loaded faster than any Leica has.....maybe it`s just me, but I have a feeling that the "interest" in these mid 1950`s knob top Canon`s will really take off.....

I only have a part of my roll of Cross Processed film shot,
(had a darling little art nude model over to shoot some Retro Strip-Teese)
I shot some stocking photos with her and have to shoot the rest of the roll out with another model, but as soon as the results are in I`ll post some samples here in this thread 🙂

Tom

PS: Now I`ve never used a V series Canon yet.....but I imagine the viewfinder`s much better, if the IIF2 would have had a bigger one, it would have been an even better camera
I love both of them and this FIRST roll of film`s going to be fun can`t wait to see the results!
 
Last edited:
Here`s a sample of some Crossprocessed Kodak Slide Film from last weekend with the adorable "Cooey" taking a Coca Cola break in my retro pinup style - shot with one of my Canon IIF2`s and the Canon f1.8 50mm shot at full aperture - comments are welcome, I`ll be posting more in a seperate forum 🙂

Enjoy!

Tom

CooeyCrossPr06jpeg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

aoresteen
FujiFilm Caps for 40mm filter Size Lenses
Replies
0
Views
110
aoresteen
aoresteen
T
Stupid question about the Canon 35mm f2.8 M39 lens
Replies
5
Views
525
raid
raid
O
Stuck bottom ring on Canon P
Replies
1
Views
158
Oxydopser
O
B
Canon IV SB2
Replies
15
Views
1K
xayraa33
xayraa33
G
Canon VT deluxe, parallax pin query
Replies
2
Views
116
gordonrgw
G
Back
Top Bottom