LTM advice needed....

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steve garza

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My 13.5 Nikkor came in today. It looks fine but it doesn't seem to focus. In focusing, the rangefinder patch does not show any movment. Everything at 50 feet and less shows as a double image. Beyond that, the patch shows a single image. The Leitz adapter I'm using has a slightly bent area, but from what I see, shouldn't affect the focusing mechanism. I also tried another lens (m-mount, no adapter) on the same body (M6TTL .85) and it focuses just fine. Any ideas before I raise hell about this? I got the lens for $92.00 but don't want to put money into it. I've alreay paid 30.00 for a used adapter.
 
steve garza said:
My 13.5 Nikkor came in today. It looks fine but it doesn't seem to focus. In focusing, the rangefinder patch does not show any movment. Everything at 50 feet and less shows as a double image. Beyond that, the patch shows a single image. The Leitz adapter I'm using has a slightly bent area, but from what I see, shouldn't affect the focusing mechanism. I also tried another lens (m-mount, no adapter) on the same body (M6TTL .85) and it focuses just fine. Any ideas before I raise hell about this? I got the lens for $92.00 but don't want to put money into it. I've alreay paid 30.00 for a used adapter.
Click to expand...

Steve,

Check with the lens off the camera if the RF tongue of the lens moves when you change focus. Sounds like it doesn't. Could be that that part of the lens has to be relubed. Where are you Steve ?

Let me know,

Roland.
 
steve garza said:
A small black clip just fell out. It fits in where what I think the tongue is..
Click to expand...

OK. The clip is just a shade. Does the tongue move ? On the right of the lens in the attachment (this is mine).

I'm in SF, any way you can get the lens here ?

Cheers,

Roland.
 
Last edited:
Ok, forget the clip for a minute. Try the tongue. Should move back and forth easily.

If that happens, the clip might have been in the way (can be put back).

If the tongue is OK try on the camera again. BTW, when you put it on the camera, is the tongue at 12 o'clock (touching the body's RF mechanism) ?

Roland.
 
We still have to put the clip back in ... this is a bit tricky. The clip is a shade that takes out stray light (similar to the oval shades you see in the rear of many modern camera lenses). I am sure the lens will work well as is, but will be perfect (better contrast, maybe) with the clip. Let me take some photos at home to demonstrate how putting the clip back works. Can you wait till the week-end for this ?

I'll also add a picture to show how to unscrew the lens front so you can clean element surfaces close to the aperture.

Best,

Roland.
 
ferider said:
Ok, forget the clip for a minute. Try the tongue. Should move back and forth easily.
If the tongue is OK try on the camera again. BTW, when you put it on the camera, is the tongue at 12 o'clock (touching the body's RF mechanism) ?

Roland.
Click to expand...

Roland
I have the same lens and have never been able to get the rangefinder to work. The tongue on my lens moves in and out as you focus it but it doesnt seem to move far enough into the camera body to get the rangfinder elements to merge at infinifty. It does actually focus at infinity so I guess I could zone focus but that seems impractical for a telephoto. The other weird thing is when it is focused all the way clockwise (from the front) which is supposed to be infinity it actually focuses a good deal behond the scale marks on the lens. However the pictures are correctly focused.


Any suggestions?

Rex
 
rvaubel said:
Roland
I have the same lens and have never been able to get the rangefinder to work. The tongue on my lens moves in and out as you focus it but it doesnt seem to move far enough into the camera body to get the rangfinder elements to merge at infinifty. It does actually focus at infinity so I guess I could zone focus but that seems impractical for a telephoto. The other weird thing is when it is focused all the way clockwise (from the front) which is supposed to be infinity it actually focuses a good deal behond the scale marks on the lens. However the pictures are correctly focused.

Any suggestions?

Rex
Click to expand...

Hi Rex,

Sounds like somebody disassembled it and put the helix back in shifted.
Now you however are in Berkeley, right ? Just over the bridge
from me. Want to meet somewhere and let me have it for a week-end ?

Cheers,

Roland.
 
Last edited:
steve garza said:
Roland to the rescue!!!!
Click to expand...

😱

I only know because I relubed the three Nikkor teles that I have had. And they are much easier to disassemble than, say, a Jupiter. The 85/2 is mechanically almost identical to the 135. They are phantastic lenses.
 
Last edited:
Ferider
Thanks, I think I'll take you up on that offer. I've never actually met anyone in person who knows what a rangefinder is. I have a home in Berkeley or I could meet you on your turf. I have some fun "show and tell " stuff.

Sunday would work for me. I'll email you for details

Rex
 
shade installment

shade installment

Hi Steve,

here is a couple of pictures of how to install the shade. The shade is basically pushed in the right place, and held in place by nothing but friction. Do this at close-up lens focus that way you make sure that the RF tongue will not be blocked. Test in the end on your camera.

Pictures didn't come out too good with my cheapo Digi cam, but I hope it works.

Let me know if it works. Cheers,

Roland.
 
Last edited:
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