R-d1 rangefinder Close focus adjustment (screw 4)

[cfritze]

So I've got an R-d1 here with some pretty strong front focus. With rangefinder adjustment correct at infinity, and patch in good focus, it's off about about 2 inches at a meter distance with a 50 mm f/2 lens. Focusing on a nose or eyes from across the table with 50/1.4 is awful. Tweaking screw #1 (rf patch focus) a fixes close focus but really louses up clarity of the alignment - in other words then the rf patch truly is out of focus. I could try to send the camera out for service, but I'm pretty game to remove the top plate using the instructions on Rich Cutler's great web resource page. Question is: how do you judge what's the proper amount and direction to turn screw 4. Does one have to reassemble the camera, power it up, shoot an image, display on your monitor of choice, then determine it needs more or opposite adjustment, disassemble the camera again, tweak, repeat? There must be a better way - or I really will send it out. Anyone had experience making this adjustment? Many thanks

Christian

 

[cfritze]

While I didn't solve the question of how screw #4 is to be adjusted, I did have another go at the overall adjustment. Working from the view afforded by an office above the street, I went back slowly and set rf at infinity (it had been off after all.) I got horiz and vert spot on, focus set as well. On objects at 1 m, still front focusing a bit, but by pushing the patch focus a hair off of best setting, I can make taking photos at open aperture accaptably close. It was good to have some quiet time to do this slowly.