RF mirror
RF mirror
The mirror is very easy to replace, and it is unfortunately a common problem. I found the part on ebay, but something like the Edmund Scientific optical catalog should do the trick.
The mirror is 8 x 10 x 1 mm, semisilvered on one side. I would guess it is 50% silvering, but I am not sure of that.
First step is to remove the top cover, being extremely careful not to lose the #^%#@&& eyepiece lenses. Looking at the RF assembly from the front, you can see that the left-hand end is closed off by a square sheet metal plug, which looks like it can be pried off easily (it can). Before doing that, however, you need to back off the fixing screw at that end of the RF assembly. It can be reached easily through the film chamber with the body still on. Be careful not to back it off too far, as it is a challenge to get it back in its hole.
After the cover is off, you will see a little curved flat spring clip that fits into slots in the front and back surfaces of the RF assembly. Rotate it a bit and it will come out. At this point, the RF mirror and the machined piece that locates it should drop out in your hand. The cameras being old, and exhibiting the famed perversity of inanimate objects, they probably won't, but a bit of poking at the mirror from the exposed front surface will generally do the job.
Take this opportunity to clean everything out with a blower squeeze bulb as much as you can. Any crud on the mirror seating will make it difficult to get into alignment.
Drop in the replacement mirror (carefully) with the silvered surface facing the back of the camera.. Put the retainer and spring back in, and you may want to secure the spring a bit with a drop of clear nail polish, which is also my material of choice to hold the square plug back in place. Remember to retighten the screw securing the end of the RF assembly.
Put everything back in place, and if you are more careful than I am, you can put the little eyepiece lenses and bezel back on, and have a good RF.😀
Note that after doing anything at all with the RF, you can expect to need to adjust the horizontal and vertical alignment of the images, and I am assuming everyone knows how to do that.
Cheers,
Dez
