I bought a rolleiflex 2.8F for around US$500, after a roll film it appears the focus is off. I was then quoted by local repair shop for US$200 for calibration!
Please advise:
1) US$200 is it a market rate? I saved US$120 the other time by repairing a Rollei35S by myself
2) Is there any disassembly guide of Rolleiflex 2.8?
Please help!
Some would say that for the princely sum of $500 for a 2.8F, investing a further couple of hundred in adjusting the camera with a reputable repairer would be an economically sound course of action. I wouldn't really disagree with them, either. But if you have the necessary skills to do a quality adjustment the following instructions should assist. Then again, if you possess these, would you be asking for advice in the first place?
😉 Nevertheless...
The F model is one of the more complex Rollei models partly because of the coupled meter design. Not a good choice as a first project. Having said this little dismantling is needed to adjust the lenses
providing the focusing mechanism is in good repair. First, I would check the mirror box to ensure the reflex mirror is correctly mounted, the focus screen properly installed and the hood correctly attached. The check the infinity focus of the taking lens with the aid of a ground glass. If this requires adjustment, you need only remove the meter from the inside of the focus knob to reach the collet that fastens the knob to the focus shaft. After setting the infinity focus correctly, the collet is fastened securely with the knob at the infinity stop and, if carefully carried out, taking lens should now be correct.
Of course, the viewing lens has to agree with the taking lens in order for you to be able to focus the camera correctly. If, after checking and (if required) adjusting, the taking lens, the viewfinder focus is off and no elementary reason for this (such as previously suggested) can be found, then it will probably need to be set as well.
This is where a bit more disassembly is required, as the front of the camera must be removed in order to reach the locking screw for the viewing lens. This may or may not be within your capabilities, depending on your skill set and confidence level, as some leatherette needs to be peeled back, and some controls disengaged and then correctly re-connected during the removal of the front plate.
Once the retaining lock for the viewing lens has been loosened, (with the focus knob at the infinity stop) the viewing lens is screwed in or out of its mount until the viewfinder screen shows good focus on a distant target. Having previously carefully checked and/or adjusted the taking lens to correct focus, setting the viewing lens to good infinity focus should now result in the camera focusing well at all focus distances. However I recommend cross checking both lenses near the minimum focus distance to ensure they match there, also.
I should re-iterate that you would want to perform the preliminary checks I suggested before attempting repairs, the moral is to check the easy things first, before progessing to more complex causes and solutions. However if the mirror, screen and hood magnifier are all in good repair and adjustment, there is no indication of a diopter substitution for the magnifier, or any other basic cause that would make the focus inaccurate, then, the procedures outlined above,
if carried out with care and a sound understanding of the principles of operation of the camera, ought to restore proper focus accuracy.
National Camera Repair also put out a pretty decent manual for repairing the 2.8F model some years back. Reprints are sometimes offered on ebay for reasonable prices. I would strongly recommend sourcing additional documentation before tackling first time repairs, as I won't be responsible for your Rolleiflex becoming a pile of unusable bits, if you try to follow my instructions and make a dogs breakfast of it!
Cheers
Brett
