John B
Newbie
After my last thread, I decided to take the plunge into folders and bought a Moskva 5. Immediately I noticed an issue with the rangefinder. It's one of the folding Zeiss-type rangefinders .
Every time I open the camera and set up the rangefinder, I end up with wildly varying distance measurements. The first few times I opened it I could not get overlapping images - the clear image (as opposed to the yellow image) was distinctly above the yellow image (either to the left or the right). As I was setting up a test to see how far off the rangefinder was (measuring distances from a distinct object with a tape measure), suddenly the viewfinder was working perfectly - 3 meters correlated with 10 feet way from the object.
However, the last 5 times closing and re-opening the camera resulted in far different distance measurements through the viewfinder: standing the same 10 feet away from the object, the viewfinder calculated distances of 4 meters, 5 meters, 8 meters, and infinity. Now I'm roughly back at the starting point - no overlapping images.
Besides the PITA factor, does it sound like this an issue with this particular camera, or is this an issue with this particular type of coupled rangefinder? Am I missing a standard tip or trick to setting up this type of viewfinder correctly? How do I ensure I get consistent and (reasonably) accurate distance measurements?
I've also asked these same questions to the person I bought the camera from (he would not have had time to respond yet, as I just sent an e-mail). But any thoughts you all have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
John
Every time I open the camera and set up the rangefinder, I end up with wildly varying distance measurements. The first few times I opened it I could not get overlapping images - the clear image (as opposed to the yellow image) was distinctly above the yellow image (either to the left or the right). As I was setting up a test to see how far off the rangefinder was (measuring distances from a distinct object with a tape measure), suddenly the viewfinder was working perfectly - 3 meters correlated with 10 feet way from the object.
However, the last 5 times closing and re-opening the camera resulted in far different distance measurements through the viewfinder: standing the same 10 feet away from the object, the viewfinder calculated distances of 4 meters, 5 meters, 8 meters, and infinity. Now I'm roughly back at the starting point - no overlapping images.
Besides the PITA factor, does it sound like this an issue with this particular camera, or is this an issue with this particular type of coupled rangefinder? Am I missing a standard tip or trick to setting up this type of viewfinder correctly? How do I ensure I get consistent and (reasonably) accurate distance measurements?
I've also asked these same questions to the person I bought the camera from (he would not have had time to respond yet, as I just sent an e-mail). But any thoughts you all have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
John
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clarence
ダメ
The problem is probably with the front element and the rangefinder arm (just look at my avatar). See if it is loose.
Clarence
Clarence
dazedgonebye
Veteran
I've been looking all over the place for the procedure used to align that rangefinder arm...can't find it.
It was relatively simple though...perhaps someone else here has it.
I'll keep looking.
It was relatively simple though...perhaps someone else here has it.
I'll keep looking.
John B
Newbie
I did find some instructions for aligning a Zeiss A or C rangefinder here if you're still looking, dazedgonebye. In my case, the seller thought the problem was what you described, Clarence, and offered to replace the rangefinder front element and rangefinder arm. I'll have the camera back next week.
http://www.dantestella.com/technical/superfix.html
http://www.dantestella.com/technical/superfix.html
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