Leica Iii Rf Adjustment – Help Needed

[RFH]

I'm at my wit's end. The focus on my 'new' Leica III is way off. The RF reaches infinity at 20 meters.

I normally adjust my own rangefinders on a number of different cameras, so I more or less know what I'm doing, but I can't get this one to adjust correctly.

The adjustment screw seen below doesn't affect the focus point at all when turned in either direction. Behind this one is a spring and another small screw, which does not turn readily.

On top of the RF housing I have this. Inside the hole I can access a small screw, but it does not seem to affect the focus. The three screws are set with lacqeur. Are these adjustment points?

I also see these four screws at the end of the RF assembly. In the Leica IIIf service manual they are described as being for vertical adjustment. Turning them does not seem to cause any changes in the RF.

By manipulating the inner ring on the round window, I managed to move infinity from 7 to 20 meters, but it does not seem to go any further. Once I reach a certain point of rotation, the alignment drifts off again. This one affects both the horizontal and the vertical RF alignment.

Any suggestions are most welcome.

 

[VictorM.]

This may explain what needs to be done: http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page422.htm

Pre-war and post-war cameras are sometimes very different so it's hard to use instructions for a IIIf on a III. The pre-war cameras are similar to the Russian copies so maybe Fedka's info will be usefull.

 

[xayraa33]

Make sure the RF vertical adjustment (that is the round window under the trim ring closest to the shutter speed dial) is not rotated 180 degrees and is keeping you from achieving the infinity setting.

 

[RFH]

I've been struggling with the vertical adjustment window, but now I understand how it moves in circles, so that one revolution of the inner setting ring equals a full circle. I can get it very close at infinity, and the vertical alignment is ok.

As I understand it, I would now need to loosen the pressure on the spring under the horizontal adjustment screw in order to move the mirror image to the left and closer to infinity.

But since the horizontal adjustment screw does not seem to cause any changes, I can't get the last bit aligned. It's still past infinity. The parts and movements of the adjustment assembly seem fine. I can feel the counter pressure of the spring vs. the coupling lever.

Unlike the IIIf, the RF coupling roller does not seem to have any adjustable parts. Simply a screw on the back of the coupling arm.

So I suppose my question is:
If the horizontal screw doesn't change the RF alignment at all, what may be wrong with it? Do I look elsewhere, or start shimming the lens mount?

 

[RFH]

Silly me. The actual horizontal adjustment screw is not the one holding the spring in place, but the smaller one under the spring. I gave it half a turn CCW, and now it's all gravy.

 

[xayraa33]

Silly me. The actual horizontal adjustment screw is not the one holding the spring in place, but the smaller one under the spring. I gave it half a turn CCW, and now it's all gravy.

Chalk it up to the learning curve.