Question - Canon VL2 viewfinder

[doraemon001]

Hello all,

I just got a VL2 from a friend. But the viewfinder is really cloudy.
I successfully opened the top cover and cleaned the back viewfinder (3 rotated finder). But I could not clean the front one, because it has like 2 prisms (glasses) joined together.
Is there any way to dismantle this glass?

Thank you in advance, and regards.

 

[John Shriver]

The Canon RF cameras all use a cemented beam-splitter prism. One surface was coated with a thin film of silver, aluminum, or gold (depends on model and vintage), and then they cement the the two prisms together. (One prism may also have a curved lens surface.) This leaves the half-silvered mirror much more protected than in a Leica II or III series camera. But it also leaves you with a very difficult and pricey repair if the beam splitter goes bad. Basically, you have to uncement it (heat if it's Canada Balsam, MEK if it's synthetic glue), clean, resilver, and glue again. I know CRR Luton knows how to do this. But for a camera of the value of the VL2, it may not be cost-effective.