Super Ikonta 531 lens collimation

[pablokornfeld]

Hello, I'm new in this forum. I made some searches but I didn't found what I was looking for. I've recently bought a Super Ikonta 531 with a Novar lens. I cleaned the lens inside because it was pretty dirty. I made this many times with other folders and never had any problem with the collimation. Now, when I put it all together I checked the lens at infinity (with an SLR) and also checked that the rangefinder is correctly set (at infinity also) I constated that they will not coincide at closer distances. Actually, before dissasembling the lens I saw that it wasn't in focus at infinity, but I thought I could fix it later. I tried many times and had always the same results. Do anyone have an idea how to fix this?
Thanks and sorry for my english!
Pablo

 

[Windscale]

A few things you ought to check:

1. It may well be that your Novar lens was not the original lens on your Super Ikonta. I am no expert but I think most SIs had Tessar lenses.

2. Check your rangefinder and your Novar against actual distances, say 3m, 6m and 10m (or some dictances on the scale of your RF) and see which one is correct. Is is possible that none of them is correct. You may need a piece of ground grass and a loupe to check the lens. If your rangefinder is not correct then you will to calibrate it first.

3. Very likely your lens is not properly calibrated. It is not just as simple as adjusting the infinity. As you only adjusted the front element to get this. But you will have to adjust the distance between the whole lens unit (including the shutter) and the film plane. You may very often find paper spacers between the lens unit (just behind the shutter) so as to adjust the distance between it and the film plane. Once you have got infinity, 3m, 6m and 10m (or corresponding distances from the scale of your RF) correct by actual measurements then your lens will probably match with your RF. You will also find that only when you have got these distances right that your Novar will perform well, or else you will get very blurred edge definition even stopped down.

Welcome to RFF and hope this helps.

 

[titrisol]

Yes collimating lenses is very simple
set your RF to infinity and then with the help of an SLR follow the procedure here: http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/collimator.html
You may have to take the front ring of the Ikonta and disengange de RF coupler first though.
Cheers
PABLO

Hello, I'm new in this forum. I made some searches but I didn't found what I was looking for. I've recently bought a Super Ikonta 531 with a Novar lens. I cleaned the lens inside because it was pretty dirty. I made this many times with other folders and never had any problem with the collimation. Now, when I put it all together I checked the lens at infinity (with an SLR) and also checked that the rangefinder is correctly set (at infinity also) I constated that they will not coincide at closer distances. Actually, before dissasembling the lens I saw that it wasn't in focus at infinity, but I thought I could fix it later. I tried many times and had always the same results. Do anyone have an idea how to fix this?
Thanks and sorry for my english!
Pablo

 

[FallisPhoto]

A few things you ought to check:

1. It may well be that your Novar lens was not the original lens on your Super Ikonta. I am no expert but I think most SIs had Tessar lenses.

2. Check your rangefinder and your Novar against actual distances, say 3m, 6m and 10m (or some dictances on the scale of your RF) and see which one is correct. Is is possible that none of them is correct. You may need a piece of ground grass and a loupe to check the lens. If your rangefinder is not correct then you will to calibrate it first.

3. Very likely your lens is not properly calibrated. It is not just as simple as adjusting the infinity. As you only adjusted the front element to get this. But you will have to adjust the distance between the whole lens unit (including the shutter) and the film plane. You may very often find paper spacers between the lens unit (just behind the shutter) so as to adjust the distance between it and the film plane. Once you have got infinity, 3m, 6m and 10m (or corresponding distances from the scale of your RF) correct by actual measurements then your lens will probably match with your RF. You will also find that only when you have got these distances right that your Novar will perform well, or else you will get very blurred edge definition even stopped down.

Welcome to RFF and hope this helps.

Although most people who had spent enough money to get a Super Ikonta 531 got Tessars, a few rather odd people must have gone with the Novar, since it was an option.

 

[ZeissFan]

Collimating the lens to infinity and calibrating the rangefinder are two separate but connected tasks.

It's a bit complicated with a Super Ikonta and a swinging-arm rotating-prism rangefinder.

But basically, calibrate the rangefinder first.

Then collimate the lens and attach the face ring. Then with the lens at infinity, recalibrate the rangefinder.

 

[noci]

I have a 531/16 with a opton tessar.. on a recent trip I believe the rangefinder went out of calibration - focusing the lens to infinity and pointing it at the ocean, the horizon's ghost image isn't aligned. when I turn the focus to the hyperfocal (red dot) position, it's aligned, but this is wrong, right?

I'm asking because I've never took the Ikonta to anywhere with an "infinite" horizon before (being a crowded city person myself..), so I wouldn't even know whether the camera was ever "good" in that regard.

who would work on such a camera if it needs any maintenance??

Max