Focus on Rolleicord

Steve Karr

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Hi everyone,
I have a Rolleicord and the focus is off at infinity. It is accurate close up & gets worst the more you go long.

Who can fix this for me or is this simply as it is with these cameras? I feel like I can't trust it, so I don't use it much.

Thanks~
Steve
 

Vaughn

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Where are you, Steve?

I just had two cameras ('cords) serviced in Portland, Oregon. But there might be someone closer to you.

Vaughn
 
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Steve Karr

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Hey Vaughn,
I'm in Phoenix. I had the shutter CLA'ed by a great guy here, but the focus is off and I think it is a bit out of his speciality, so I was looking for a 'cord guy. UPS is just down the street so everything is that close to me.

Thanks~
Steve
 

Steve Smith

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The accuracy in focus of a TLR is down to minimising the difference in focus between the taking lens to the film and the viewing lens to the ground glass screen.

Rather than the actual focus of the taking lens being off, it could be that it's simply the ground glass screen out of place slightly.


Steve.
 

Laurent

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Steve Smith said:
Rather than the actual focus of the taking lens being off, it could be that it's simply the ground glass screen out of place slightly.


Steve.
Click to expand...

I had this issue last Christmas with my MX-EVS. I discovered the focus was way off at infinity. Since I KNEW it was fine a few days before (had a film processed) I thought it was worth a try to have a look under the hood. I found that the GG had slipped (it's not an original but a Mamiya RZ that was fitted by the previous owner) and was not longer held in the right place by the springs... Took 3 minutes to fix and it's fine again !
 
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Steve Karr

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Ok,
So it does seem to have an aftermarket screen. This one has the split focus center. The little nibs go down don't they?
Thanks so far,
Steve
 

Vaughn

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Hopefully you can fix it easily yourself.

But just in case my two 'cords were cleaned and adjusted by Classic Camera Repair:

www.ZeissIkonRolleiRepair.com

Setting the taking and viewing lenses at proper infinity is one of the things he does. (as well as finding the lens resolving power).

His rate is $30 an hour which is very reasonable. With my two, it was two hours to CLA each camera, and another hour on one of the 'cords to adjust the transport mechanisms.

Vaughn
 
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