Turret Finder Parallax Error.....

[laudrup]

Hello Guy's


i've been using my Zorki 4K with a KMZ turret finder covering 28mm-135mm, ive been using it on the 35mm setting with my 35mm jupiter lens but when i've had prints developed the picture is out of line with how i composed the shot through the turret.

does anyone know if it is possible to correct this?

It's a bit annoying because i've taken some shots that i've instantly thought would be pretty good but then been disappointed when the pic hasn't matched up with how it appeared in the turret viewfinder.

Any advice or help greatly appreciated

Cheers

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[OldNick]

Set the finder on 50mm and lock the camera down on a good tripod. Compare the images from the turret finder and the built-in finder on the camera. I'm not familiar with your specific camera, but, on occasion, the accessory shoe does not align the viewfinder with the lens. After comparing the two views, see if you can shim or loosen the screws and realign the shoe to get the view you want.

 

[drmatthes]

In cameras with removable backs, it might be sound to remove the back, put the whole thing on a tripod and then stick some sort of a ground glass in the film plane (I have been using a playing card box plexiglass roughened with emery paper...), then put a black cloth over the camera (and yourself, like in the good old days) and then counter-check whether the alignment is the same for the film as it is for the turret finder, with the lens you desire to test - sorry screwmount leica clone users, this is rather something for the contax clone gang 😉

 

[laudrup]

thanks for the advice guys!

 

[payasam]

You have not said just what kind of mis-alignment: horizontal or vertical. If it's horizontal, it may well be caused by the fact that Soviet turret finders were offset either to the right or to the left, depending on whether they were for Contax clones or for Leica clones.

OldNick's idea is the obvious one, but I'll add that you should work on a target at the distance for which the built-in finder is designed: between 9 and 11 feet, I think, but do check.

Possibly the best method will involve making three test exposures for every lens that you use with the finder: one at the lens's closest focus, one at around 12 feet, one at infinity. Camera on tripod, of course, and notebook and pencil handy to record precisely what you see through the finder at each exposure. A brick wall or similar might be a good idea for the first two frames of every set.

It is possible also to mount the finder on any camera whose back can be opened and use the method which Drmatthes describes. Ideally, the camera's accessory shoe should be exactly the same distance above the centre of the lens mount as it is with your Zorki; and ideally, you should be able to mount your lenses on the camera -- or else it should have its own lenses of the same focal lengths.

A bit of not so difficult mathematics should see you through even in this far from ideal world -- but, following the ancient Pudding Proof Principle, I'd recommend the practical route of actual negatives.

 

[drmatthes]

Laudrup, please do also visit this link:

http://www.griffinbyteworks.com/photography/equipment/kmzturretfinder.html

In summary, it states that the KMZ finder was constructed after the Zeiss Ikon model for the pre-war Contaxes, and that its features have been modified by Kiev (Zavod Arsenal) in order to also fit the Zorkis.

As there should be additional parallax correction marks on the rim of your finder for the use of the tele lenses, it should, hopefully, only be necessary to find out which mark leads to correct Zorki alignment.

This should shorten the alignment procedures proposed by all of us a lot.

 

[drmatthes]

Correction: As far as I understand, there should also be a correction mark for the shorter focal distances (and even two for the longer ones - as might be exspected due to the fact the parallax error increases with focal length). - - - By the way, eh... nobody around actually using one of these gadgets?

 

[drmatthes]

Can't keep my mouth shut - another specialist explains how to use the parallax correction, at even greater detail. One mark for infinity focus, one mark (the one that doesn't "click") for 1 m. Here's the link:

http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/universal/index.htm

 

[hugivza]

I confess to having one, but having picked up a small albeda finder for $2 which has finder frames for 135 and 35; and with the camera viewfinder covering 50mm, I have only attempted to use it with the 85mm - it looks like a Christmas tree on the top of the camera!

 

[drmatthes]

And, last but not least, this link:

http://www.erikfiss.com/foto/cams/turretfinder/index.html

The link is in German, so I will only summarize the bit that might be relevant to you.

There were actually two variants of the KMZ (Kraznogorsky Zavod) finder, one for the Leica clones with the rotating lens wheel left to the accessory shoe (in pointing & shooting direction), and one for the Contax clones with the wheel to the right - in order to not compromise the use of the shutter speed dial in either case.

This is making the story even more difficult (I remember my first girlfriend not being able to tell left from right anyway 😉 ).

As far as I understand after reading all the pages mentioned above, there might possibly be a serious problem with alignment when using the camera-finder-combination the wrong way 'round - this should also not be corrected by any manipulation upon the finder unless you know the "how to". Otherwise alignment can be a promlem with any camera afterwards...

 

[laudrup]

wowee...thanks for all the info! I'll sift my way through the different links you've all left.

I think that they look pretty daft too, but at the same time it makes you feel like a russian spy!

i've just looked through the viewfinder and moved the 3.5cm setting from the infinity mark to the number 1 mark as suggested and it appears to move the framelines/cross hair slightly to the left & possible down a little, which is where i felt the framelines needed to be.

I'll have to shoot a test roll and see....finger crossed this does the trick!

Yet again...rangefinder forum to the rescue! Thanks a lot for the help, it's appreciated!