Moskva 5 Rangefinder

scottscottsr · Nov 21, 2023

I've just bought a Moskva 5 which I received today. Everything seems to be working excellently - shutter speeds etc all seem great, however when I flip up the rangefinder arm and look through the rangefinder windoe there doesn't seem to be a ghost image at all. Any ideas why this could be?

When I focus using the ring attached to the front element this turns the finger dial which in turn spins the ring around the flip up arm which seems to be correct however no ghost image at any distance.

Apologies if this doesn't make much sense as I'm not very technically minded

Kino · Nov 21, 2023

Have you tried pointing the camera at a bright light and seeing if there is a secondary image in the rangefinder?

I would point a small flashlight directly at the camera, stand back and see if anything shows up. You could have a mirror dislodged inside the rangfinder; not uncommon for glue to fail and a prism or mirror to detach on all older rangefinders.

Can you post a digital image of the front of the camera from both the front and back?

Hard to diagnose with so little information.

koraks · Nov 22, 2023

Hi @scottscottsr and welcome to Photrio!

My experience with rangefinders is limited, and even worse, it's limited to the kind of rangefinders integrated into the camera body like on Leicas etc. This one is of a fundamentally different design.

Some googling around turns up this page: https://www.dantestella.com/technical/superfix.html It's about alignment, but maybe it gives some clues on diagnosis of your problem as well.

scottscottsr · Nov 22, 2023

Kino said:
Have you tried pointing the camera at a bright light and seeing if there is a secondary image in the rangefinder?

I would point a small flashlight directly at the camera, stand back and see if anything shows up. You could have a mirror dislodged inside the rangfinder; not uncommon for glue to fail and a prism or mirror to detach on all older rangefinders.

Can you post a digital image of the front of the camera from both the front and back?

Hard to diagnose with so little information.

Thanks for the reply

Tried this, if I point a light source at the range finder itself I can see the bright light only, if I shine it directly at the rangefinder viewfinder I can't see it, just kind of secondary light - still no second image

Apologies for the lack of information and probably wrong terminoligy, I'm still learning!

I've attached a few photos but think you may be correct that a mirror could be dislodged. I'm going to run a test roll over the weekend in it so assuning everything else is working it may have to be a zone focus camera

Kino · Nov 22, 2023

And, just to be clear, there is one port on the back of the camera for the rangefinder and one for composing shots.

Focus with the rangefinder and then compose with the rectangular viewfinder.

Correct?

I hate to ask, but just to be sure we are on the same page...

scottscottsr · Nov 22, 2023

Kino said:
And, just to be clear, there is one port on the back of the camera for the rangefinder and one for composing shots.

Focus with the rangefinder and then compose with the rectangular viewfinder.

Correct?

I hate to ask, but just to be sure we are on the same page...

Ha no problem. Yes there is the larger finder on the right to compose and the rangefinder to tge left of this

polka · Nov 26, 2023

The best way to check a rangefinder is not a point light but a vertical contrast line (black on one side white on the other side) at 3-4m distance. Look at such line through the rangefinder ocular of your moskva V, without the telemeter arm raised : you should see two images of the line. Then put your finger over the left rangefinder oculus (near the winding knob) : one of the lines disapears and you will see only one image. Do the same trial with the telemeter arm raised and focus set to infinity : you should see two images of the line (but the other way around) and also only one image when you cover the left oculus. Now you have seen what you ought to see and you can try to move the focus ring in order to superpose the two images of the line. It should work but beware not to hide the way to any of both oculi while focusing.

POLKa

Sergey Ko · Nov 27, 2023

As already You was told, You have to check through the RANGEFINDER eyepiece, that is LEFT, whether it is Doubled Picture. You have to do it with "Rangefinder arm" collapsed.
Then can be different ways to continue.

Moskva 5 Rangefinder

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