My sad tale of rangefinder woe!

[RichA]

I got an Olympus 35 RC cheap on Ebay ($23). It was replacement for a Ricoh I once had (500G?) and is similar. However, once I got the camera, I noted the buyer had not disclosed that there was a ding in one corner. Something not easy to do with such a solid body. Turns out, the rangefinder though not broken is way out. Basically, I shot a role of film through it and verified that the distance scale on the lens works, but if I use the rangefinder's viewfinder to focus, it is way off. Infinity focus using the image fuser is showing 5.5ft(!) on the lens distance scale. So what was cheap will now be expensive to fix.
Second thing. The first role of film (Arista II 400) that clued me in to the focus issue was developed in T-Max according to the instructions in the Arista box. The second role of Arista used to pin down how "off" the focus was was developed from a packet of Refinal I got for free at a local outlet store. The Refinal produced much nicer negatives (IMO) than the T-Max. They had 10 packets of the Refinal at the store, but when I decided I liked it and went back to get the rest, I was told it had been trashed during a clean-up day!

 

[Al Kaplan]

You need to check that outlet store's dumpster on a regular basis...LOL. It's amazing what gets thrown out. A few years ago one of the local super markets decided to stop selling cigarettes. My tenant called me to say he had a "present" for me. Seems the market had put ALL of their stock of smokes in the dumpster. I preferred non-filters and got nearly a year's supply of Lucky Strike, Camel, Pall Mall, etc. and he kept well over 500 packs of filter cigarettes. I just need to find a market that decides to stop stocking film!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

You need to check that outlet store's dumpster on a regular basis...LOL. It's amazing what gets thrown out. A few years ago one of the local super markets decided to stop selling cigarettes. My tenant called me to say he had a "present" for me. Seems the market had put ALL of their stock of smokes in the dumpster. I preferred non-filters and got nearly a year's supply of Lucky Strike, Camel, Pall Mall, etc. and he kept well over 500 packs of filter cigarettes. I just need to find a market that decides to stop stocking film!

OMG, cigarettes cost $5 a pack. I can't believe they just trashed them. Of course, I can't believe anyone would pay $5 a pack to get cancer either 😛

 

[Bill58]

I had a similar problem. The other day, I stole an apple from the supermarket and I was so mad-it had a worm in it! Should I return it for a refund?

 

[RichA]

They write it off, somehow

They write it off, somehow

You need to check that outlet store's dumpster on a regular basis...LOL. It's amazing what gets thrown out. A few years ago one of the local super markets decided to stop selling cigarettes. My tenant called me to say he had a "present" for me. Seems the market had put ALL of their stock of smokes in the dumpster. I preferred non-filters and got nearly a year's supply of Lucky Strike, Camel, Pall Mall, etc. and he kept well over 500 packs of filter cigarettes. I just need to find a market that decides to stop stocking film!

Hey now! You know what happens when you buy large amounts of junk food or other consumables...you just end up using them twice as fast!

 

[payasam]

Bad about the focus. Since the lens is fixed, the focus adjustment -- if there is one -- will be difficult to get at.

 

[btgc]

RF is easy to adjust, otherwise bump shouldn't make big impact. If lens barrel hasn't bent, I believe you will be fine with just adjusting RF.

If seller isn't aware how RF works, I can get over it. Though (s)he had to mention bump on corner or at least provide picture showing damage. This would make it going for bare minimum.

 

[alcaraban]

If it is a Ricoh 500 G, the RF is very easy to adjust: it is done tuning a little screw lying in a hole under a more prominent screw visible once the back is opened. Definitely worth a try.

 

[januaryman]

Looks like an easy fix that even I could do. Just go here and look at the diagram. Rangefinders always need re adjusting after time, and to think it requires a major effort just makes no sense.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Dings to the outside of the body can be a good thing. The denting of the metal absorbs a good deal of the shock, rather than it being transmitted to the internal parts.

 

[RichA]

?

?

I had a similar problem. The other day, I stole an apple from the supermarket and I was so mad-it had a worm in it! Should I return it for a refund?

Only if you'd paid for the apple, like I did.

 

[RichA]

Thanks!

Thanks!

Looks like an easy fix that even I could do. Just go here and look at the diagram. Rangefinders always need re adjusting after time, and to think it requires a major effort just makes no sense.

Just need the spanner tool for the circular retainer for the shutter speed dial.

 

[RichA]

Thanks!

Thanks!

Looks like an easy fix that even I could do. Just go here and look at the diagram. Rangefinders always need re adjusting after time, and to think it requires a major effort just makes no sense.

Success! The lateral adjustment was just inside the film compartment and I was able to adjust it more or less back to correct position. It is still displaced slightly in the vertical, but that isn't important.

 

[btgc]

Just need the spanner tool for the circular retainer for the shutter speed dial.

paperclip is good source to make tool you need 🙂

 

[FallisPhoto]

I got an Olympus 35 RC cheap on Ebay ($23). It was replacement for a Ricoh I once had (500G?) and is similar. However, once I got the camera, I noted the buyer had not disclosed that there was a ding in one corner. Something not easy to do with such a solid body. Turns out, the rangefinder though not broken is way out. Basically, I shot a role of film through it and verified that the distance scale on the lens works, but if I use the rangefinder's viewfinder to focus, it is way off. Infinity focus using the image fuser is showing 5.5ft(!) on the lens distance scale. So what was cheap will now be expensive to fix.
Second thing. The first role of film (Arista II 400) that clued me in to the focus issue was developed in T-Max according to the instructions in the Arista box. The second role of Arista used to pin down how "off" the focus was was developed from a packet of Refinal I got for free at a local outlet store. The Refinal produced much nicer negatives (IMO) than the T-Max. They had 10 packets of the Refinal at the store, but when I decided I liked it and went back to get the rest, I was told it had been trashed during a clean-up day!

I can adjust your rangefinder, clean, lube and adjust the shutter and linkages, clean the lens and maybe even tap out the dent, if it isn't too bad, for $80.