Sokol Automat repair question

[Spyderman]

So I have here this huge but quite sophisticated camera. The RF doesn't work good. From 0.8 to 1.5m it doesn't move at all, and then it moves but doesn't reach infinity.

What I did is that I removed the front of the lens - to lubricate the rings on the lens (aperture, shutter speed, focusing). I found there a rod, that goes all the way through the lens barell to the body and it moves the rangefinder. One end of the rod is plastic - perhaps to enable quick adjustments by filing (shortening). But unfotunately someone put the rod in the wrong way - the plastic facing the front, and by focusing the lens the rod was filed down.

I was thinking about replacing the rod. Does anyone have a better idea?

Also - I don't know what are the 2 big screws inside of the film chamber between the film rails (from the back), any ideas? I was wondering if there might be something to adjust the RF instead of replacing the rod...

 

[Spyderman]

OK, no replies, but just in case somebody faces the same problem, I'll write here how I solved it:

- the rangefinder was disabled in the close focus range, because a small silver excentric screw in front that moves the framelines up and down would touch the lens barrel. There are two brass screws under the mirror that reflects framelines into the viewfinder. one of them is just securing screw (the front one) and one is an excentric screw (the rear one). I first loosened the securing and then rotated the excentric to move the part backwards.

- then I calibrated the rangefinder by first unscrewing the bigger screw (the lower) in the film compartment and then adjusted the tiny set screw - which as I suspected really is the rangefinder calibration screw.

 

[lucas]

Another Sokol Automat repair question:

Because of a leaking battery, the brass of the negative contact corroded away so my new battery does not make contact.

To solve this I thought of changing the contact, but I'm having difficulties in taking off the top plate. I did take off the rewinder knob and the three visible screws, but still the top plate seems to be stuck at the side of the rewinder knob. Did I miss a screw or is there another trick to take off the top plate?

 

[Spyderman]

No, nothing else except the rewind lever and the 3 screws and battery compartment cover. Try to wiggle it gently...

 

[fanshaw]

OK, no replies, but just in case somebody faces the same problem, I'll write here how I solved it:

- the rangefinder was disabled in the close focus range, because a small silver excentric screw in front that moves the framelines up and down would touch the lens barrel. There are two brass screws under the mirror that reflects framelines into the viewfinder. one of them is just securing screw (the front one) and one is an excentric screw (the rear one). I first loosened the securing and then rotated the excentric to move the part backwards.

- then I calibrated the rangefinder by first unscrewing the bigger screw (the lower) in the film compartment and then adjusted the tiny set screw - which as I suspected really is the rangefinder calibration screw.

I have a Sokol with the same rangefinder problem.
I assume that you took the top off to get to the brass screws under the mirror. Is top removal straightforward? Anything to watch for?

 

[Spyderman]

The top removal is very straightforward. Remove battery compartment cover, rewind lever and the 3 screws. Then lift up.

 

[fanshaw]

The top removal is very straightforward. Remove battery compartment cover, rewind lever and the 3 screws. Then lift up.

Thanks. I should be able to fix it.

 

[onfocus]

hello,

i have the same problem as lucas,
the top plate can not be removed on the rewind lever side.

Has the rear finder to be removed also?