Focusing issues with a rangefinder

[Ces1um]

So I've had my voigtlander bessa r3m in for repair twice now. My issue has been that when I go to focus, the vertical component is off so while I can line up any vertical lines to focus, the ghost image is always higher up than the actual. Not an issue when shooting buildings but if you're in the woods the organic shapes make focusing very tricky. It's progressively worse as you go up into longer focal lengths. The camera has been recalibrated by a reputable camera repair shop twice now.

Even after repair this still happens and I've brought it back to be repaired again. It was improved but now I can't line the images up at infinity (although it doesn't actually seem to affect the resulting photos at all).

Is this a problem that plagues rangefinders? Should I just get over it and accept that this is the technology? Or is this camera body just permanently messed up? I haven't missed focus on many photos as a result, but I imagine this has more to do with the focus just being close and my aperture selection providing a fairly decent range of focus.

If I kept all my lenses and just bought a leica film body, would I come across this issue? (I only say leica because my voigtlander lenses are M mount).

 

[Ko.Fe.]

No. It just particular camera in particular "repair" hands. If you are in USA send it to cameraquest or google how to fix it.
Some Bessa cameras are notorious to have RF missalinged. And owners fix by themselves.
I'm on my third and different RF Bessa and non of them had, have this problem.

 

[Ces1um]

No. It just particular camera in particular "repair" hands. If you are in USA send it to cameraquest or google how to fix it.
Some Bessa cameras are notorious to have RF missalinged. And owners fix by themselves.
I'm on my third and different RF Bessa and non of them had, have this problem.

Sounds like I have a dud then... The repair centre I brought it too is a family owned store that's run for two generations. The guys cut their teeth on film cameras. He's also the only show in town and reviews say only good things about them. I have to trust he knows what he's doing- especially given that as you say, Joe Blow owners have done their own repairs with no training at all. Well, I think I'll end up selling this camera the next time KEH is around here and cut my losses. Thanks for the help.

 

[BrianShaw]

I complete understand your dedication to your repair shop (I’m the same way) but perhaps this is just something they can’t do for you. Perhaps it would be prudent to send to an acknowledge specialist. Sometimes that’s a reasonable solution.

 

[Jim Jones]

I'm with Brian. The OP's repairman may have a fine reputation based on cameras other than the Bessa, or that particular Bessa may have one of those gremlins that lay dormant until the camera has left the shop.

 

[Alan9940]

I'm with the others...I'd find a different repair person and, if that didn't permanently resolve the issue, I'd sell the body and get another one. Don't give up on rangefinders! I've used my Leica M6 for nearly 30 years and have never had a need to have the rangefinder adjusted.