Alpsman
Well-known
The S2 hasn't been changed in the last ten years 😉
Nikon Rangefinder Patch
- Thread starter Hogarth Ferguson
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 33
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dexdog
Veteran
You are a lot braver than I am! I have pondered trying to clean the rangefinder patch on my one and only Nikon SP but have not worked up the courage.
wlewisiii
Veteran
I was an unit armorer in the US Army. If the balloon had gone up in 1984 Europe, our Tank BN would have relied on my being able to fix firearms.
I find cameras quite calming after that. They only risk my wallet.
I find cameras quite calming after that. They only risk my wallet.
splitimageview
Administrator
Helped with an S3 in '15, an S4 in '20, and another S4 in '25. The site keeps on giving! 🤣
splitimageview
Administrator
I referred Lipmann Wong to Precision Camera for RF cleaning on an SP. He posted the result on fb.
Dave Edwards is the tech, Noel Rankin is the service manager. So if anyone needs this service, contact Noel.
They charged $120, and adjusted speeds as well for no charge.
Dave Edwards is the tech, Noel Rankin is the service manager. So if anyone needs this service, contact Noel.
They charged $120, and adjusted speeds as well for no charge.
Ken Ford
Refuses to suffer fools
It’s funny that you mention this - I was just at Precision yesterday and talked to the gentleman on the back counter about how he just had their repair guy redo his S2. I think I’ll take mine to him.
hap
Well-known
DAG overhauled my SP and installed titanium shutter. the patch was same (dim) and I asked him about it and he said he couldn't/wouldn't do anything about it.
Ken Ford
Refuses to suffer fools
splitimageview
Administrator
I had Don install Ti curtains in an M4 last year. He was using old stock from Canon F1 that he has had for a long time. They were actually cheaper than paying for new fabric curtains. Although I doubt he has any left, he said he was down to his last one or two.
If you can supply the curtains from a donor Nikon F, those can be obtained cheaply although there is labor involved in removing the curtains.
If you can supply the curtains from a donor Nikon F, those can be obtained cheaply although there is labor involved in removing the curtains.
bucs
Well-known
Just received a chrome s2 with faded rf patch. Bookmarked this thread and will try my luck tomorrow. I was under the impression that I had to take the top cover, but Jon’s instructions seem easy enough to follow.
winedemonium
Newbie
Anyone know a Nikon rangefinder repair specialist inside the EU please? I'd like to get the rangefinder mechanisms cleaned up per this discussion on a couple of SPs. Thank you.
modernhero
modernhero
Thanks for sharing such insight.....Manjiro !The thing that makes the *most* difference in bringing a faded Nikon rangefinder focus patch back to life is cleaning the diagonal surface of the half mirror prism. I've cleaned that surface on a Nikon SP and several Nikon S2s with faded focus patches, and after cleaning the focus patches went from almost unusable to almost or on par with a clean Nikon SP 2005.
It goes without saying that cleaning the front and side surfaces of the half mirror prism and the surfaces of the main prism will help, but that's only good for a 20% improvement. Cleaning the diagonal surface gives you the remaining 80% improvement. Below is a half mirror prism from a Nikon S2 rangefinder (removed from the camera for ease of cleaning). There is only a small gap between the prism and the metal casing so the trick is to slide some lens cleaning paper slightly dampened with lens cleaning fluid through that small gap. The Nikon pros at Kiitos Camera Repair in Tokyo use bamboo paper because its thin and rigid.
With the S3, you could also put a blue color filter (I used a B20 Fujifilm filter) on the main viewfinder window. It will make everything look blue through the finder, but the focus patch will stand out a lot more.
You don't need to take the rangefinder out of the camera to clean the diagonal surface of the half mirror prism. Instead, you can can access that diagonal surface by removing the front plate and small RF window, and then gently sliding dampened cleaning paper into/out of the above mentioned small gap. Repeating the cleaning six or so times should make a big difference. Just be careful not to get any damp lens cleaning paper stuck in there.
best regards, Eric (Brisbane Cameraholics)
bucs
Well-known
Came here to say thanks because I was able to solve the dim rf double image issue on my Nikon S2
iphoenix
Well-known
I used the pale blue Kodak "CC40 C" gel for both my early S3 and S3 2000s, with excellent results.With the S3, you could also put a blue color filter (I used a B20 Fujifilm filter) on the main viewfinder window. It will make everything look blue through the finder, but the focus patch will stand out a lot more.
Thank you for your advice.
David
