Yashica Electro 35 GT Not focussing to infinity

[BLKRCAT]

Heres my predicament. I got my Yashica Electro 35 GT with a bunch of other cameras. I was weary about picking up this yashica though as the RF didnt line up at infinity. Actually, none of the yashicas this guy had (about 5) lined up at infinity. I took the best one and thought maybe i could adjust the rangefinder and without shooting wide open i should be ok. I recently took the yashica out for a test roll yesterday right after i brought it home and cleaned it up. Here were some of the results.

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basically, i was testing for focus especially at infinity. It looked soft in some but sharp in others. Overall though, focus seemed a bit off. I tested the focus by putting some satin scotch tape on the film plane and opening up and camera at bulb and setting it to something at infinity. It looked soft. So i adjusted focus until it looked sharp. I was at around 3m for infinity to be sharp. I took it one step further and cycled through the focus and it looks like the focus at infinity will go out of focus when focussed close, progressively get sharper, hit 3m, then start getting soft again before the lens stops at its mechanical infinity.

im looking at setting the setting the camera at proper infinity and then adjusting the focus ring, but my problem now is i cant get the damn thing unscrewed, the flathead screwdriver i need is so small!

 

[Frontman]

It is actually quite rare that the focus gets knocked out of adjustment on a Yashica Electro, out of the very many that I have come across, only a couple have had a focus problem, but this was due to the lens being loose. It is also rare for the Electro to require rangefinder adjustment.

When using the scotch tape method to check focus, the tape must be perfectly flat, and stuck to the polished film guide rails, not to anything painted black. If you are simply sticking the tape across the the opening behind the lens, it will be too close, and the camera will appear to focus beyond infinity. I use a piece of ground glass which sits on the polished rails to make sure I have the proper distance.

If you recheck the focus at the film plane, and the rangefinder agrees, don't bother with adjusting the focus ring, it isn't necessary, unless you plan to scale focusing when shooting.

 

[BLKRCAT]

The rangefinder doesnt line up at infinity. Literally none of those cameras i tested did. It was quite weird.

I can see how rare it is for the rangefinder and lens to be adjusted. Theres like nothing out there for me to search for!

I'll check again with some ground glass. But i still think that something is weird with this camera. As the shots cant really lie.

 

[BLKRCAT]

well im rather amazed, After cutting up a piece of glass and taping it up it looks like you are absolutely correct Frontman. I never would have thought that a few mm forward would make such a dramatic change in focus.

I did manage to adjust my rangefinder to infinity. I may have to tweak it on a brighter day. Hopefully focus stays on point!

 

[BLKRCAT]

Thanks frontman, tests are good! All it needed was a little adjustment.

Infinity looks good now!

 

[Frontman]

I like the Pontiac in the last set, it reminds me of my old GTO, which was the same color.

Keep shooting!