Weak RF image on Canon L1; Your advice?

[existrandom]

hi all,

something i need you guys' advice:

i recently got hold of a Canon L1 from Ebay at an agreeable price, the camera works smoothly, except that the rangefinder patch and the secondary image is quite weak/ pale, it is still usable but it becomes difficult to use with in dim light;

i wonder whether there are ways to make the patch and the secondary image stronger? will a professional cleaning of the rangefinder mechanism helps?

it happens that i have a somwhat demolished VI-L as parts, will swapping the optic parts of the rangefinder mechanism helps?

thanks very much!

lee

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I have had several RF's CLA'd at Essex, including a Leica IIIf with almost zero RF image and an M3 with a chipped patch. Both came back like new. Send them an Email.

The VI-L has different optics in the main path, I do not know how many similar parts they have. The prisms "could" be the same.

 

[existrandom]

Hi brian,

thanks for your reply, do you mean Essex Camera Services, Inc.
(100 Amor Avenue Carlstadt, New Jersey 07072) ?

thanks!

lee

 

[jlw]

Re: Weak RF image on Canon L1; Your advice?

hi all,

something i need you guys' advice:

i recently got hold of a Canon L1 from Ebay at an agreeable price, the camera works smoothly, except that the rangefinder patch and the secondary image is quite weak/ pale, it is still usable but it becomes difficult to use with in dim light;

i wonder whether there are ways to make the patch and the secondary image stronger? will a professional cleaning of the rangefinder mechanism helps?

it happens that i have a somwhat demolished VI-L as parts, will swapping the optic parts of the rangefinder mechanism helps?lee

A weak rangefinder image usually means either that the rangefinder optics are just plain dirty, or that the beamsplitter prism is becoming unsilvered.

If it's dirt, cleaning will help; if the beamsplitter is going bad, there isn't much you can do except have it replaced. The VI-L's viewfinder optics are more complicated than the L1's (to provide for its reflected framelines, which the L1 doesn't have) but the beamsplitters might be physically interchangeable; it's been so long since I've seen the guts of an L1 that I don't remember!

But even if it's possible, it would be a complex job -- so I'd start with a cleaning first and see if that helps enough for you to get by with it. The L1's viewfinder optics have a good reputation for longevity (moreso than the VI-L's!) so chances are good that a cleaning is all you'll need to solve your problem.

 

[Doug]

That's the one, Lee! And welcome to RFF...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Yes, I use Essex up in New Jersey. I have sent them about 20 different cameras over the last 15 years or so. The only time that I had to "return a camera after a repair" was a Nikkormat FT3. They fixed a jammed shutter, but it came back with the meter not operating. They took it back without hesitation and fixed the meter free-of-charge. I have sent them many cameras since then, including a Canon 7 with a jammed shutter/film advance, and 3 Leica M's. The Leica viewfinders came back better than I was expecting.

 

[existrandom]

thank you all for your replies;

i have checked with the local repairsperson and he seems to agree with most of what is mentioned above, the VF patch of my L-1 is a bit weak because the beamsplitter is to an extent de-silvered; a general cleaning of the VF optics might help gives a brighter view; otherwise it is too difficult/ expensive to get a spare beamsplitter or to have it re-coated locally; the beamsplitter mechanism on my VI-L is unfortunately broken and is of no use as spare, whether it fits or not...

i have, as suggested, checked with Essex, they qouted US$ 128 for the service, which i deem a bit too expensive; so for the moment i will wait for what the local repairsperson job will turn out

again, thanks all for your input; this seems to be a friendly forum which i regret not having found earlier!

btw, there are some poorly scanned work of mine on my website: http://existrandom.idv.st

have a look and cheers!