Polaroid 100 rangefinder calibration

[zozur]

Hello
I have old polaroid 100 with 2 problems:
1 rangefinder doesn't show correct focus
2 it underexpose pictures - pictures are well exposed when I set wheel in brightest position.
Because it have only automatic settings I don't know how to set lens to B or T settings to calibrate rangefinder. Any Ideas?
I read about ND trick for light meter, but what value I should use?
All the best

 

[hsandler]

The brightest setting is about 2 stops more exposure than the middle, so about a two stop ND filter should help.

I don't know how to calibrate the rangefinder; I never opened that part of the camera up. When I bought my 100, I did notice the little metal coupling lever that sticks out of the rangefinder box and couples to the focus slider was sticking in the infinity position. A little grease or lighter fluid freed it up.

There is no B or T, and I do not recommend opening the front shutter area to hold the shutter open; there are many little delicate parts and springs that can easily fall out when it is disassembled. What you can do is put something opaque, like black electrical tape, over the electric eye, and the shutter will stay open for about 10 seconds at a time that way to allow you to see through the lens or view an image on wax paper for calibrating the rangefinder. Personally, I would just focus at infinity and ensure the double images become one on a distant object and not bother with trying to use the actual image plane to check focus.