Canon P rangefinder alignment problem

[drec]

Hi folks! Got a Canon P yesterday. Rangefinder wasn't horizontally aligned properly.

So I tried to adjust it myself. Earlier today, I had problems taking out the screw that covers the rangefinder adjustment piece at the corner of the viewfinder.

So, I took it to a jeweller who dremeled it and removed the screw successfully. The threads had been stripped.

New problem: I stuck a small screwdriver in the hole, but to my chagrin, am not touching anything that resembles a rangefinder adjuster piece (whatever that is) as described on Karen Nakamura's site. So I've fished around in the hole, trying to make contact with anything that resembles a rod. No luck...

I don't want to dig around any further, as I don't want to damage any of the internals. Does it sound like the previous owner futzed up the aligner, or is it in there, just at the very back?

Thanks!

 

[KoNickon]

There should be a screw slot inside the hole -- it helps to shine a light in there to see the angle of the slot in the screw (to help engage the screwdriver). If you see no screw in there, straight behind the opening, then there's a problem.

 

[Kim Coxon]

The screw is a PITA to find properly. The easiest way to be sure would be to take the top off. It would give you a chance to clean the finder at the same time. I wouldn't associate the cover screw being stripped with a futzed up aligner . The 2 are quite separate things.

Kim

 

[john neal]

Kim,

I have seen this before - the one I worked on had crud in the driver slot and I could not find it at all until I took the top plate off. It was as well that i did as the crud was all over the adjuster, even in the threads (I don't think it was a thread locking method). Without cleaning it down properly I would probably have either stripped the threads or broken the slot.

I was surprised how obvious the slot was once it was all clean.

Hope that helps?

 

[back alley]

i used to have a few p's.
it took a couple of tries but i finally found a small screwdriver that fit the screw in the hole. after that it was easy. just make very small adjustments and keep checking the viewfinder for good allignment.

 

[drec]

Whew! Got it! The whole shebang cost $10 to get it dremeled by the jeweler down the street. Better than what I thought it'd cost me this morning. Thanks!

 

[ScottH]

I went through this recently with my 'new' P, and found that the smallest flat edge screwdriver from a glasses kit worked just fine for the internal adjustment. It was rather easy to find, just be gentle. I think the other posters may be onto something, with dirt inside the head's groove.