questions on rangefinder alignment

[taffy]

Hi! I'm almost certain my rangefinder isn't aligned properly but I just have a few questions:

1. What can cause rangefinder misaligment? Can a bad fall cause it? 3 weeks ago I fell about 3 feet and my camera fell with me. Could this have caused it?

2. How can you avoid focus-related problems if your rangefinder isn't aligned properly? Should I stop down? Should I shoot farther than the minimum focus distance?

3. How often do you find your rangefinders misaligned? What's a normal time for it to go from perfectly aligned to misaligned under "normal use".

4. Any tips for shooting with a misaligned rangefinder? To get my rangefinder aligned I have to go send the camera to HK (I live in Manila) and I'm not sure if I can do that soon. I need tips on how to still get good performance from my camera while I haven't yet the chance to send it to HK for alignment.

Thanks!

taffy
Philippines

 

[Finder]

Yes, a fall can cause the rangefinder to go out of alignment.

Yes, you can use depth of field to conpensate for bad alignment depending on how far off the alignment is - only you can find that out by testing the camera.

I have had my Mamiya 6s calibrated three times in the last 16 years. How often depends on many things including how you treat the camera and the rangefinder design.

 

[wyk_penguin]

My Kiev never went out of alignment, despite a nice fall from my hand. I speculate the Kiev will have snapped shutter ribbons before its alignment is off.
Others such as the FEDs are not as lucky...

 

[Kim Coxon]

Hi,
You don't say which camera it is. In most cases, it is relatively easy to adjust the RF yourself. If you tell us which camera it is, I am sure someone here can tell you how to do it.

Kim

 

[taffy]

Hi,
You don't say which camera it is. In most cases, it is relatively easy to adjust the RF yourself. If you tell us which camera it is, I am sure someone here can tell you how to do it.

Kim

Hi Kim, its a Leica M4-2. Hope someone out there can give tips on how to DIY this if it is recommended, that is.

Cheers!

 

[Kim Coxon]

I am not a Leica expert, Canon and FSU I can do. I am sure some of the Leica experts will be better able to advise than me.

Kim

 

[jaapv]

How far misaligned? Even if it is aligned correctly there can be marginal differences at infinity with different lenses, that are of no practical importance at all. If seriously out of kilter, you can always revert to scale focussing until you get it adjusted.

 

[ZorkiKat]

Hi! I'm almost certain my rangefinder isn't aligned properly but I just have a few questions:

1. What can cause rangefinder misaligment? Can a bad fall cause it? 3 weeks ago I fell about 3 feet and my camera fell with me. Could this have caused it?

Thanks!

taffy
Philippines

Taffy

Kamusta!

Same thing happened with my Leica M3 years ago. It tumbled down top first 50cms to a wooden floor.

Rf has to be repaired if you expect your M2 to work right. The RF in these Leicas rarely go off unless they've been abused or got shocks like what your camera got.

We used to have someone here who could fix that- he fixed my M3. Don't know if the repairist is still alive though. 😕

Jay

 

[taffy]

How far misaligned? Even if it is aligned correctly there can be marginal differences at infinity with different lenses, that are of no practical importance at all. If seriously out of kilter, you can always revert to scale focussing until you get it adjusted.

Forgive my lack of knowledge Japp, but do you mean that RF being misaligned at infinity wont' give me problems at a closer distance? If that's the case then I'm fine bec it seems that my camera isn't grossly misaligned at infinity.

Hope to hear from you. Thanks for your patience 🙂

 

[taffy]

Taffy

Kamusta!

Same thing happened with my Leica M3 years ago. It tumbled down top first 50cms to a wooden floor.

Rf has to be repaired if you expect your M2 to work right. The RF in these Leicas rarely go off unless they've been abused or got shocks like what your camera got.

We used to have someone here who could fix that- he fixed my M3. Don't know if the repairist is still alive though. 😕

Jay

Hi Jay!

I hope I can find a way to send this to HK soon. I've met Mr. Fu Wing Lee there once last year to have this camera's RF aligned. Never thought I'd need another one so soon!

Hope all is well!

Cheers!

Taffy