Minolta HiMatic 9 focusing problem

[Kat]

My Himatic has been producing out of focus pics ever since I got it. I had the RF aligned by a repair man. At one point, the advanced lever got stuck, so I also had that fixed. It seems that at small apperture, the photos aren't so bad. When wide apperture is used, the focus is clearly on the wrong thing. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong?

 

[FallisPhoto]

My Himatic has been producing out of focus pics ever since I got it. I had the RF aligned by a repair man. At one point, the advanced lever got stuck, so I also had that fixed. It seems that at small apperture, the photos aren't so bad. When wide apperture is used, the focus is clearly on the wrong thing. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong?

Yep. Take it to a different repairman and get it recalibrated.

 

[Sonny Boy Havidson]

Do both images become one when you focus at infinity? If not, you can access to the calibration screw this way:
1. Open the back of the camera
2. When looking arround the 24x36 frame, you see a screw at the bottom left.
3. Unscrew it
4. The access to the rangefinder calibration screw is free now!

Be carefull: use a precision screwdriver to turn the calibration screw because a bad one can easily damage the screw.

 

[Kat]

Yes, the RF seems properly aligned and the image in the VF merge at infinity. That's why I'm at a loss.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Yes, the RF seems properly aligned and the image in the VF merge at infinity. That's why I'm at a loss.

I still think it was improperly calibrated. There is a little play still in there when the images merge at infinity. When you have got it at that point, you next check it at closer ranges and fine tune it. I think whoever calibrated it for you skipped that step.

 

[Nickon51]

The first step in aligning a rangefinder is to check the focus of the lens onto the flim plane.

Open the back, stretch a piece of "magic tape", tracing paper or similar across the film guide rails. Set the shutter at B and fire the shutter. While watching the image on the magic tape, turn the lens for best focus while pointing at a distant object.

When the image is at best focus, look at the lens distance scale, it should be indicating infinity. Then look at the image in the rangefinder, it should be aligned.

Also check that the pressure plate is not misaligned.

Post the results and we'll tell you what to do from the results.

Cheers
Greg