DIY: Konic Hexar RF alignment

[FrankS]

I was thinking of trading my M2 for a Hexar RF, now I'm having second thoughts!

 

[ray_g]

Issy, anything in the service manual about adjusting the frameline alignment?

 

[ray_g]

Is there any way that adjusting the horizontal RF alignment can affect the framelines?

I made a minor adjustment some time ago following the instructions above. Not difficult at all. I was able to adjust the RF, but ended up with the framelines having about a one or two degree list, dipping to the right. I went through the steps in reverse, but could not undo it.

Just a minor inconvenience, which I am sure can easily be fixed by a trip to Greg Weber or KM/Sony, but not enough of a hassle for me to do that since it just was serviced recently before the extended warranty was up.

 

[ghost]

ooh, make a pdf of the service manual and put in on the internet!

 

[Issy]

Is there any way that adjusting the horizontal RF alignment can affect the framelines?

Possible. The only reference I have found so far is if you look at the two photo's in my older reply, there is a black "card" masking the mechanism between the horizontal alignment screw and the viewfinder glass... behind that card is some alignment pins that can be turned " to make the frame lines show clearly"... not sure if that means adjusting the tilt, or just insuring that the correct frames lines come up with the correct lens.

 

[amateriat]

I was thinking of trading my M2 for a Hexar RF, now I'm having second thoughts!

Having worked with a pair of HRFs for about four years (and counting), I think you'd be safe in getting one. The thing I'd think twice about is trading away an M2 – I, myself, would like a user M6 or the like as a non-motorized M-body option; the HRF is reasonably quiet as motorized cameras go, but not as quiet as a Leica M, and once in a while, that level of quiet can be useful.


- Barrett

 

[Issy]

Seems getting out from behind my company's firewall allowed me to post images. Reply #20 has been updated with an updated image to match the service manual text.

 

[aizan]

I was finally able to get a copy of the service manual.

Verbatum:

1. Up-down [infinity] coincidence adjustment: Turn the range finding lens frame (1)
2. Up-down 1m coincidence adjustment: Set the lens distance mark to 1m and check at a distance of 1m. If out of focus, set halfway to [infinity] (use 1m chart)
3. Left-right 1m coincidence adjustment: turn the range finding lens lever pin B (2)
4. Left-right 1m coincidence adjustment: Set the lens distance mark to 1m and adjust by turning the roller adjustment pin (3) at a distance of 1m (Use 1m chart)
5. Left-right [infinity] coincidence adjustment: If out of focus, repeat steps 3-5
6. After adjustment, fit the viewfinder cover and check.

I updated the previous image to match the diagram in the service manual (the numbers match the text):

i need to adjust horizontal alignment at 1m. the focus is a couple centimeters behind what's indicated by the rf spot. i don't get what the manual is saying at all! it sounds like you need to adjust both the range finding lens lever pin B and the roller adjustment pin. by what procedure...😕

 

[Issy]

i need to adjust horizontal alignment at 1m. the focus is a couple centimeters behind what's indicated by the rf spot. i don't get what the manual is saying at all! it sounds like you need to adjust both the range finding lens lever pin B and the roller adjustment pin. by what procedure...😕

I have only adjusted infinity, but as I read it (and I copied, verbatum, as written out of the service manual), there are two adjustments. One done with the lens set at infinity, and one done at 1m focus (with a target placed accurately at 1 meter). I would assume that to a certain extent, the two interact, so you have to go back and forth a couple of times.

If I get the chance, between now and the weekend, I'll scan the actual text and diagrams and post. Like a lot of the service manuals I have owned or seen, then tend to be a bit cryptic anyway.

 

[Issy]

HEXAR RF alignment

HEXAR RF alignment

If I get the chance, between now and the weekend, I'll scan the actual text and diagrams and post.

As promised. I did find one error in reply 20, and corrected it. These are from the service manual.

 

[Issy]

Is there any way that adjusting the horizontal RF alignment can affect the framelines?

Doesn't appear to be... this is the only mention of the framelines, prefaced by:

"Adjusting the Visual Field Frame
Turn the visual field frame selector adjusting pin (49150) and adjust the visual field frame so that the patterns shown below can be seen clearly."

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Thanks,

Really helpful. I just fastened the on/of switch which was getting loose.
So far for reliability of this otherwise great camera.

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[trittium]

Thanks for the Help. My horizontal was off just a little bit. It bothered me enough that I didn't really want to shoot with the camera in low light bc most images were slightly out of focus. ie

I sync'ed it up to my Leica, and now everything should be great. The directions were great, and it was a simple procedure. Way better than paying the $168 to fix it.

ps. Yes college kids sometimes have to ride the yellow bus when certain drinks are involved

 

[DaKobed7]

I did as indicated, which worked well enough; I couldn't get the vertical to match perfectly and thought I'd just have to live with it. Then I discovered that the lens immediately to the right of the viewfinder was loose, the one at 45 degrees or so to the film plane. It was sitting high and after it's being seated properly - and tacked with adhesive - the vertical snapped right into alignment. I suspect that this may be the real reason why the original alignment had so quickly gone off; I don't believe that the adjustment screw and wheel could easily move under normal use.

 

[skhan]

Wow! Thanks so much for posting this. My Hexar's power switch got really loose; it took me just 7 mins to fix it! In case anyone is interested, the power switch is held by 2 small screws (see pic for details). Thanks again!

 

[heyeug]

Can anybody tell me what type of screwdriver I need to get the film speed dial off so that the top plate can be removed? I have a screwdriver that is small enough to remove the four screws that secure the top plate, but it is not small enough to remove the film speed dial.

My power switch has become quite loose so I'm trying to repair it. Michiel, I see that you had the same problem...anything I should know about in particular to do the fix?

Thanks!

 

[Issy]

You don't have to remove the shutter speed dial (see post #2, this topic).

You do need some sort of two-prong plier or spanner to remove the film speed dial (see post #3 this topic) --- something with two pins. Micro-tools probably has something.

I have a pair of right-angle dental tweezers with worn nibs in my tool kit that engages both holes so I can turn the cap (see image).

Bill

 

[awilder]

I recently obtained a Hexar RF on ebay and had to tweak the rf as it was badly off at at infinity and vertical was slightly off. Following the direction on this thread was great but here's a few additional notes about my experience. I tried the vertical and horizontal rf adjustments with just the top plug removed and was able the adjust both but getting the "seal "off the vertical adj. cogwheel was a royal pain as I needed jeweler's forceps and a low powered loupe to see what I was doing. This setup is very tough to adjust (but worth it) because the rangefinding lens is set with it's optical axis as an eccentric in the cogwheel mount so turning it affect BOTH vertical and horizontal setting. The degree that each setting is affected varies depending on the "clock position" of the eccentric position of the rangefinding lens' optical center in which the center hole of the clock repesents the geometric center of the cogwheel and the clock numbers represent possible positions of the rangefinding lens' optical axis. In other words, if the optical axis is near 6-12:00, the horizontal alignment is mainly affected by turning the cogwheel and conversely if the optical axis is near 3-9:00, vertical alignment is mainly affected by turning the cogwheel. Another issue with the cogwheel is that once the glue seal is cut off, the cogwheel is easy to turn and this explains the need for the seal. In this area I found the Minolta CLE superior because the cogwheel was tighter and didn't need a glue seal to secure it from vibration. The adjacent infinity focus adjustment screw is very tight and because of this, the downward force of the screwdriver will temporarily move the vertical image down a little, so you should rock focus back and forth a few times and wait a little while for it to gradually move back up to the original position. Once both were adjusted, I checked the focus at 1 meter and it was off. To fix this, you must remove the top cover (which I should have done in the first place but was hesitant). Once done, the location of the near focus adjustment screw is visible providing the black adhesive patch is removed that covers the opening. Turning this screw was much easier than for infinity and it nicely allowed me to reset the focus to exactly where I wanted it. I then checked focus at infinity and it shifted a little so that had to be reset. You may have to go back and forth with these two adjustments a few times but at least the vertical is not affected by these back and forth adjustments. Another interesting point on my preliminary testing is that the rf coupling accuracy and back focus issue of the Hexar RF using Hexanon or Leica M lenses does not exist once the rf is properly adjusted. I think all the fuss in the past can be traced to less than exact rf adjustment. Film channel depth and inner rail placement differences are of no great significance based on my tests.

 

[Issy]

Interesting. There are a few of us who have had different experiences between Hexanon and Leica (including Voigtlander) lenses --- basically in the infinity focus location -- aligned for one, it is off on the other:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DAzK

Likewise, for those that use LTMs, there are "bad" and "good" thread adapters as well, which will also throw the alignment point off (I had a VC 50 Nokton on a 3rd party LTM converter not match infinity point, but a 35 summicron did --- change to a Leica adapter, no issue).

Anyway, glad to hear the experience of one person who went through the entire alignement.

btw, checking the service manual for your PM question.

Regards,

Bill

 

[trix]

Where are all the pictures from the original post ? Are they still available anywhere else ?