Yashica Minster III rangefinder adjustment

[Fedupwithdigital]

Just acquired a Minster III in really nice and working condition except that the rangefinder appears to need adjusting. When the lens is focussed at infinity, the rangefinder in the viewfinder thinks the subject is a lot closer (less than 20m).

Does anyone know how to adjust this?

There's a screw at the rear middle of the top cover (directly behind the rangefinder window) that looks like it might, if removed, give access to a rangefinder adjustment screw. I've also read about rangefinder adjustments being made on Yashicas by removing the cold shoe on top to access an adjustment screw. The cold shoe on my Minster III, however, has not screws visible - just a sprung metal plate. I don't want to take the top cover off if I don't have to.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks

 

[jajong]

Hi. I have got a minister-D, which looks very much like your III, with the same sprung metal plate in the cold shoe. If I remove this plate (slide it off), I find a hole giving access to the adjustment screw. I think (hope) it will be the same with your III.
Cheers,
Jan

 

[Fedupwithdigital]

Thanks Jan.

I have the cover off the hole in the cold shoe and can see an adjustment screw. I have also removed the screw from the rear middle of the top cover and there is another screw in there.

From searching the forum and elsewhere, one screw adjusts the vertical alignment and the other adjusts the horizontal alignment. But which is which!? Information I've found seems to say that the screw under the cold shoe is for vertical alignment but I've also found information that says it is for the horizontal alignment. So I'm confused.

When I look through my viewfinder, with the lens focussed at infinity, the rangefinder patch is off to the side. I assume that means the horizontal alignment is off. Is that correct?

The alignment of the patch vertically looks fine to me. So I'd really like to just adjust the horizontal alignment and not mess up the vertical if I don't have to.

Any further help appreciated.

 

[jajong]

Hi again. The rear middle screw is the horizontal adjustment on my minister-D, and that is indeed the one you need.
Cheers,
Jan

 

[Fedupwithdigital]

Thanks again for your help, Jan. That's done the trick. The screw behind the rear middle of the top cover definitely adjusts the horizontal alignment. And it really didn't take much at all to correct my problem - less than a quarter turn. And adjusting this didn't affect the vertical alignment either. Cheers, Ian