Vertical or Horizontal RF alignment

[Never Satisfied]

I need some help. I have recently aquired a Hexar RF Limited kit, it's a thing of beauty, but ...

I took the body out of my bag today and the RF patch is off a little. When the two coincidence spots come together, one is slightly higher than the other, now, is this a vertical or horizontal alignment problem?

I'm going to have a go at a DIY alignment, but I don't want to madly winding on vertical adjustment when I should be adjusting the Horizontal.

Thanks in advance, Andrew.

 

[awilder]

Here's a detailed link: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1937&page=2. You'll need to adjust both vetical and horizontal alignment since any attempt to adjust one will affect the other. Adjusting the "cogwheel" will take care of the vertical problem you're having but you'll need to finish up by re-adjusting the the horizontal (focusing accuracy) setting for correct infinity focus. Make sure you check accuracy at 1 meter before you start in case that needs adjusting as well. If accuracy is equally good at both infinity and 1 meter, than any infinity readjustment will also work for 1 meter.

 

[Never Satisfied]

Thanks, I found that info after leaving my post. I'm very nervous about disasssembembling a perfect camera for such a tiny adjustment.

Andrew.

 

[awilder]

If you can live with the slight vertical misalignment, don't bother especially if the focus at infinity and 1 meter are both accurate. Removing the top plate is fairly easy. The hardest part is peeling back the thick front rubber covering that hides the small Phillips screw under the viewfinder window. Fortunately it's robust and plops right back in place without tearing or cracking. The rangefinder adjustment reqiures removal of the "glue" over the cogwheel which requires a steady hand and patience to cut and pick/peel it off. Once off, the cogwheel can still be very stiff to turn (at least mine was) and I needed a small pair of needle nose pliers (with teeth) to nudge it. This is a good thing as it minimizes the chance of it going out of whack with normal careful use. My "Limited" RF version was like this but the regular black Hexar RF was much easier to turn with the glue off. The small infinity focus adjustment screw will also need a touch of nail polish or varnish applied to it after it's adjusted and you want to be very careful not to get any on the nearby prism face close to the screw. So you see, unless you really have to tweak the rf, it's probably not a good idea to play with it.

 

[Issy]

Completely agree.