Ricoh 500/519 Assistance

[KoNickon]

I just got a really nice Five-One-Nine from a fellow RfF'er, and would very much like to clean the viewfinder. The problem is, I can't get the top cover off. Anyone know how to do this?

The F-O-N is a rare bird, but other than the lens I think it's essentially the same camera as the much more common 500 (this is the trigger wind camera from about 50 years ago -- not the 500G). The only things I see holding the cover in place are a screw on the right end, and the rewind crank. But I've removed both of those and it doesn't budge. Sometimes the flash shoe holds down the cover, but that's not the case here.

Thanks very much!

Nick

 

[Ranchu]

Not familiar with the 519, but on the 500 you have to remove the eyepiece, there is also two screws under the wind knob, two of the hot shoe and one on the front...

 

[Ranchu]

Ack. Sorry, that was for a 35 S.

 

[KoNickon]

Thanks, Ranchu -- actually I think you are partially right. There are a couple of screws on the eyepiece and it appears those need to be removed also. That makes me a little concerned, since there appears to be a metal surround/shim under the cover through which the screws pass. I can see a real hassle getting that properly aligned when and if I remount the cover.

 

[Ranchu]

Sorry to cause this dilemma, the eyepiece of the 35 S unscrews out like those on a screw mount Leica. It might be a totally different thing!

 

[Ranchu]

Found this, though.

http://endoscopy.jp/moto/camera/camera_repair/ricoh519/index.html

Hard to say if the screws on the eyepiece need to come off or not, but it appears the hot shoe does!

 

[KoNickon]

Thanks for this. I sure hadn't seen it. I did remove the hot shoe but that didn't make a difference that I could tell. One thing about the picture in the link -- it looks like the viewfinder assembly is covered, so hopefully it's not too hard to get at.

 

[Ranchu]

Just so you know, on the 35 S the half mirror is on the glued together surface of two triangular (from the top) prisms. It's a cube of glass, so you'll only have to clean the back and one side of it, on the 35 S you wouldn't need to remove the black cover, but the back side is really close to the part the eyepiece screws into, which won't come out unless the mirror prism is out, and the mirror prism is glued down.

 

[awilder]

I've had a Ricoh 519 and removed the top cover in the past for cleaning. It's held in place by the rewind crank (which unscrews), the 3 screws holding the hot shoe and a single screw on the right side. The rewing crank is the hardest to remove but the assembly is a one piece unit that screws down. Once removed, be careful about attempting to clean the rf mirror as it's a first surface design that can be easily scratiched. Horizontal and vertical rf adjustment can be easily done with top left in place by removing the screw covers on the front and top to access the adjustment screws.

 

[awilder]

Correction on removal of the rewind crank. It's pretty easy. Simply place a coin or screwdriver shaft within the rewind fork slot (in the film chamber) to steady it and turn the rewind lever on the top of the camera counterclockwise to unscrew the shaft. Once off, use a spanner wrench to remove the rewind crank collar.

 

[kolomo]

Correction on removal of the rewind crank. It's pretty easy. Simply place a coin or screwdriver shaft within the rewind fork slot (in the film chamber) to steady it and turn the rewind lever on the top of the camera counterclockwise to unscrew the shaft. Once off, use a spanner wrench to remove the rewind crank collar.

the rewind crank collar is turned clockwise or anti clockwise ?