Rangefinder weird issues (on Droog; Rotating mirror type)

[RedTurian]

Hello !

So, long story short I have a Droog, which I recently sent to Oleg Khalyavin to CLA. He did a wonderful job, but I noticed something weird : the vertical alignment is absolutely perfect when focused to infinity (as well as the horizontal alignment, of course) ; but the closer I focus, the closer it shifts, to the point (i.e. at min focusing distance = 1m) where there is approximately 1/10th of the rangefinder's image that is below the actual thing I'm aiming at...

My guess is that the mirror was kicked out of alignment during shipping and post shenanigans. Which is really lame, I'm having issue upon issue with this camera at the moment... I tried adjusting it, obviously, but I ended exactly where I started.

Can anyone tell me that my guess is wrong and that the solution is very easy ? I'm really kind of giving up because of how much issues I'm having with this camera.

And by the way, sorry about my crappy English.

 

[ranger9]

Your English is great! No apologies necessary. I owned a Drug once — it was the best-made and most well-finished Soviet camera I've ever owned.

Unfortunately, I don't remember much about the rangefinder mechanism, although I did once remove the top cover and peek at it. As a general guess, it sounds like the pivot axis for the rangefinder mirror might be tilted or bent. This would make it possible to set the vertical alignment perfectly at one point, but at other points it would be off because the mirror is pivoting slightly up and down as it moves from side to side. No idea how you would check this except for very careful visual inspection, but wouldn't Oleg have some ideas if you told him about the issue?

 

[RedTurian]

Your English is great! No apologies necessary. I owned a Drug once — it was the best-made and most well-finished Soviet camera I've ever owned.

Unfortunately, I don't remember much about the rangefinder mechanism, although I did once remove the top cover and peek at it. As a general guess, it sounds like the pivot axis for the rangefinder mirror might be tilted or bent. This would make it possible to set the vertical alignment perfectly at one point, but at other points it would be off because the mirror is pivoting slightly up and down as it moves from side to side. No idea how you would check this except for very careful visual inspection, but wouldn't Oleg have some ideas if you told him about the issue?

Thanks !
I WOULD love it aswell if it hadn't all these annoying issues.
Actually, I told Oleg about a week ago, but he did not answered yet. Can't blame him though, I've been harassing him lately because of how curious I am. A very nice guy. But yeah, no answers yet.

 

[RedTurian]

Okay, I fixed it !
It took a bit of fidgeting and screw-loosening but I got it right.

Though... I have noticed something else. The horizontal alignment shifts when I focus and/or shake the camera, which I do on a nearly daily basis since I always carry one film camera on me, usually in their leather pouches and in a backpack pretty much all day long. I am quite sure this is because the rangefinder adjustment screw is really loose, so would anyone here happen to know a way to steady / tighten that screw ? I thought of applying a small patch of these "patafix"-like fixating putties, but maybe there is a better / other solution that I should be aware of.... Let me know if any of you have insights !