RichC
Well-known
Thanks to Tim Messenger for his clear instructions on removing the top plate: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31755.
The only things I'd add are: (a) make sure you have decent jeweller's screwdrivers (some of those screws are tight!) and (b) when removing the rubber grip, the double-sided tape was damaged in places, so have some strong double-sided tape to hand in case you need to replace areas of the original. As Tim says, it's easy to remove the top plate, but do take notes/sketches/photos of the shutter-speed dial and cocking-lever assemblies.
I'm attaching a PDF showing an exploded view of the camera, which should help - this is available on the Internet, but it can't harm to lodge it in this post as an attachment.
My shutter-speed-dial lock button has been intermittently jamming, and on removing the top plate I found the cause: a thin sliver of something (wood?) had worked its way down the button shaft!
With the top plate off, I took the opportunity to disable the shutter-speed-dial lock button entirely, as I've always loathed it: the lock button is one of the camera's few poor ergonomic points, IMO - it's unecessary, and, if the exposures's off by much because the dial's not set to AE, the shutter speed blinks in the viewfinder to alert you anyway.
So, I jammed the mechanism to permanently depress it, using a piece of rubber - ensuring it was securely placed and couldn't work loose. (The mechanism's spring is now permanently tensioned - not ideal, but if it weakens the spring long term, I can't say I care! I could've removed parts instead, but I'd only lose them!)
I also took this opportunity to improve the shutter release: the button on my R-D1 has always felt a bit "scratchy" when pressed - magnified when using a soft release.
Examining the shutter button, the problem seems to be that the lower, tubular, part is catching on the sides of the shaft in which it travels. My solution: round off the square edges of the shutter tube exit, and polish the satin-black paint on the tube to a mirror finish, using fine-grade wet-and-dry paper and metal polish. (I deliberately didn't polish the hard paint off, as soft, bare aluminium rubbing on the steel shaft could lead to the button feeling even worse over time.)
This has completely changed the feel of the shutter button: it's now as smooth as silk when pressed!
Neither of the above are major changes, but they do make the camera even more pleasant to use.
The only things I'd add are: (a) make sure you have decent jeweller's screwdrivers (some of those screws are tight!) and (b) when removing the rubber grip, the double-sided tape was damaged in places, so have some strong double-sided tape to hand in case you need to replace areas of the original. As Tim says, it's easy to remove the top plate, but do take notes/sketches/photos of the shutter-speed dial and cocking-lever assemblies.
I'm attaching a PDF showing an exploded view of the camera, which should help - this is available on the Internet, but it can't harm to lodge it in this post as an attachment.
My shutter-speed-dial lock button has been intermittently jamming, and on removing the top plate I found the cause: a thin sliver of something (wood?) had worked its way down the button shaft!
With the top plate off, I took the opportunity to disable the shutter-speed-dial lock button entirely, as I've always loathed it: the lock button is one of the camera's few poor ergonomic points, IMO - it's unecessary, and, if the exposures's off by much because the dial's not set to AE, the shutter speed blinks in the viewfinder to alert you anyway.
So, I jammed the mechanism to permanently depress it, using a piece of rubber - ensuring it was securely placed and couldn't work loose. (The mechanism's spring is now permanently tensioned - not ideal, but if it weakens the spring long term, I can't say I care! I could've removed parts instead, but I'd only lose them!)
I also took this opportunity to improve the shutter release: the button on my R-D1 has always felt a bit "scratchy" when pressed - magnified when using a soft release.
Examining the shutter button, the problem seems to be that the lower, tubular, part is catching on the sides of the shaft in which it travels. My solution: round off the square edges of the shutter tube exit, and polish the satin-black paint on the tube to a mirror finish, using fine-grade wet-and-dry paper and metal polish. (I deliberately didn't polish the hard paint off, as soft, bare aluminium rubbing on the steel shaft could lead to the button feeling even worse over time.)
This has completely changed the feel of the shutter button: it's now as smooth as silk when pressed!
Neither of the above are major changes, but they do make the camera even more pleasant to use.
Attachments
HANNITECT
Newbie
Thank you so much Rich !!! This is going to be extremely helpful on R-D1 anatomy!!! BTW, I was wondering if you can also share your "operation pictures" in anyway ??!? 
thank you ahead, and if I'm asking too much, let me know too !!
Hann
thank you ahead, and if I'm asking too much, let me know too !! Hann
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Topdog1
Well-known
Sounds like more than "minor" surgery to me. Congratulations!
Regards,
Ira
Regards,
Ira
tmessenger
Established
Disabling the lock is a good idea, now why didn't I think of that
Tim
Tim
RichC
Well-known
Sorry, but I didn't take any - I just drew the orientation and order of the bits I took off onto a scrap of paper. Also, the PDF I uploaded shows the orientation and order of the bits and bobs.HANNITECT said:
Removing the top plate using Tim's instructions is very straightforward - his notes are exemplary. If you're methodical and reasonably handy,* you shouldn't have a problem - but, as Tim says, you're on your own! I tinker with motorbikes, and have dismantled my Rollei 35 plus a Jupiter 8 lens - but that's all the experience I have of fiddling with cameras.
Must admit, I did start the operation with a bit of trepidation, but I'd happily do it again now. Probably my biggest concern was wondering whether the rubber grip would stick back down, rather than whether the camera would ever work again!
[*Moderator "Back Alley" Joe famously used compressed air on a dismantled lens = room awash in aperture blades! Sorry Joe, we won't let you forget
]
RichC
Well-known
If anyone's interested in what I did, I nicked a small circular rubber foot (~3 mm) off my SD-card drive, drilled a hole through the middle, and stuck it on the inboard screw of the lock mechanism, directly below the lock button. I cut off a bit off one side the rubber foot, so it didn't foul the shutter-speed dial.tmessenger said:Disabling the lock is a good idea, now why didn't I think of that
This way, not only is the bit of rubber lodged on the screw, but the lock button presses on it (held by the tension of a spring), so the rubber's not going to fall into my camera's inners.
Looking at the mechanism, the above wordy description becomes clearer...
As the mechanism's now under permanent tension, the spring may weaken over time - but (a) you can always bend the spring upwards to retension it, and (b) I don't care!
RichC
Well-known
An even smoother shutter button...!
An even smoother shutter button...!
It occurred to me whilst at work today that I could have an even smoother shutter button...
The shutter button has a retaining lip that slides against the inner surface of the retaining ring (that black thing with two slots either side of the shutter button), and that this lip may cause friction.
So, when I got home, I spent 10 minutes on the shutter button:
• rounding off the edges of the lip with fine wet-and-dry paper, then polishing it; and
• polishing the rough paint on the inside of the retaining ring to a smooth gloss.
My shutter button is now the smoothest of any camera I've tried!
Tips:
(1) Put insulating around the sides of the shutter button temporarily, so you don't scratch the paintwork.
(2) If you knock the camera whilst the shutter-speed/ISO dial is removed, the mechanism may slip so that the tab on the copper ring screwed to the bottom of the knurled ring won't locate correctly when replacing the dial assembly.
Solution: if you look down on the mechanism on the camera, you will see a plate through the slots on top of the mechanism - if the tab won't locate correctly, this plate has moved (it can rotate freely). Gently push it round until a rectangular hole matching the copper locating tab is directly below where you want the tab to go (to the rear of the camera if the ISO was set to 200 before dismantling the shutter-speed/ISO assembly.
Sounds complicated, but makes perfect sense if you're looking at the bits!
An even smoother shutter button...!
It occurred to me whilst at work today that I could have an even smoother shutter button...
The shutter button has a retaining lip that slides against the inner surface of the retaining ring (that black thing with two slots either side of the shutter button), and that this lip may cause friction.
So, when I got home, I spent 10 minutes on the shutter button:
• rounding off the edges of the lip with fine wet-and-dry paper, then polishing it; and
• polishing the rough paint on the inside of the retaining ring to a smooth gloss.
My shutter button is now the smoothest of any camera I've tried!
Tips:
(1) Put insulating around the sides of the shutter button temporarily, so you don't scratch the paintwork.
(2) If you knock the camera whilst the shutter-speed/ISO dial is removed, the mechanism may slip so that the tab on the copper ring screwed to the bottom of the knurled ring won't locate correctly when replacing the dial assembly.
Solution: if you look down on the mechanism on the camera, you will see a plate through the slots on top of the mechanism - if the tab won't locate correctly, this plate has moved (it can rotate freely). Gently push it round until a rectangular hole matching the copper locating tab is directly below where you want the tab to go (to the rear of the camera if the ISO was set to 200 before dismantling the shutter-speed/ISO assembly.
Sounds complicated, but makes perfect sense if you're looking at the bits!
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RichC
Well-known
Additional minor improvements
Additional minor improvements
After disabling the AE lock button, consider painting "AE" plus its arrowhead marker on the shutter-speed with red acrylic paint so it's easy to see at a glance if AE is on.
A minor mod, and perhaps obvious, but it does make quite a big difference (to me, anyway!).
Also, I took the opportunity to paint the groove in the on-off switch red, as I'm forever leaving my camera switched on when I put it away!
Additional minor improvements
After disabling the AE lock button, consider painting "AE" plus its arrowhead marker on the shutter-speed with red acrylic paint so it's easy to see at a glance if AE is on.
A minor mod, and perhaps obvious, but it does make quite a big difference (to me, anyway!).
Also, I took the opportunity to paint the groove in the on-off switch red, as I'm forever leaving my camera switched on when I put it away!
pfogle
Well-known
I love it when people hack their kit