Problem with German style flip up Viewfinder

[MFstooges]

I have problem with this kind of flip up viewfinder. It is very easily deployed at the slightest bump/touch. What is the trick to fix this?

 

[Ian Grant]

Make sure the little catch on the front right is working, it is a spring lock, it's between the finder and opening front button. It may need a drop of oil, I'd tickle it with a fine paint brush.

While I don't recognise the exact model, it's quite obviously an Ikonta.

Ian

 

[MFstooges]

Make sure the little catch on the front right is working, it is a spring lock, it's between the finder and opening front button. It may need a drop of oil, I'd tickle it with a fine paint brush.

While I don't recognise the exact model, it's quite obviously an Ikonta.

Ian

The catch is working as proven that the top cover can stay closed if there's no movement on the camera but the top cover have very slight side to side play on the pivot and I don't see any mechanical means of limiting that play.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Make your own little washer from something like an index card to slip over the axle at one end to push the part in the direction needed? A small rectangle with a lit to push over the axle is probably going to do it.

Or push the frame edge in. Use a flat bladed screwdriver to bend it in a bit at the pivot.

Well, not certain exactly what is at play here, so these could both be bad ideas...

 

[MFstooges]

Make your own little washer from something like an index card to slip over the axle at one end to push the part in the direction needed? A small rectangle with a lit to push over the axle is probably going to do it.

Or push the frame edge in. Use a flat bladed screwdriver to bend it in a bit at the pivot.

Well, not certain exactly what is at play here, so these could both be bad ideas...

I think you get the idea. I try to draw top view with the lens side at top of picture. The large rectangular is the top cover and the 'U' shape line is the frame attached to the camera body. The top cover is joined with the viewfinder frame via a pivot shaft (thin rectangular line on the bottom part) and it has gaps on both side. So as you can see if the gap 'B' is closed then the top cover move to the left and the notch (triangle on the top left) will clear the cover and release it.
I was thinking to make a notch on the pivot shaft to lock it's position with the frame on right side and the cover on the left side but I think your idea to attach small washer (on gap B) is easier to do.

 

[Ian Grant]

The screws for the top plate are probably under the leatherette, you have to ask is it worth it.

Ian

 

[guangong]

The screws for the top plate are probably under the leatherette, you have to ask is it worth it.

Ian

Your question displays too much common sense.

 

[MFstooges]

The screws for the top plate are probably under the leatherette, you have to ask is it worth it.

Ian

My specimen is not exactly the one in the picture and there are no screws, I believe the one in the picture is the same, it is riveted to the body.

 

[loccdor]

I had the opposite problem on a Bessa, my viewfinder wouldn't always open when I unfolded the camera. The metal turned out to be slightly bent, it just needed to be bent back a little with a pair of pliers.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

A small piece of electrical tape.

 

[MFstooges]

I had the opposite problem on a Bessa, my viewfinder wouldn't always open when I unfolded the camera. The metal turned out to be slightly bent, it just needed to be bent back a little with a pair of pliers.

I understand why the manufacturers replaced this clumsy flip up VF with fix integrated VF on newer camera.

 

[BrianShaw]

I don't know the details of the latch on your viewfinder (the flip-up viewfinder on my Nagel-built Kodaks don't have a latch per se) but it seem that a tiny amount of bending of the viewfinder edge, where it interfaces the latch, would solve the problem. Emphasis on "tiny amount".

 

[MattKing]

I understand why the manufacturers replaced this clumsy flip up VF with fix integrated VF on newer camera.

They are, however, infinitely better than the squinty little look-from-above finders on the older folding Kodak cameras, like the one seen on my old Kodak 6-16.

Portal of a different Sort

• MattKing
• Dec 29, 2007
• 7

I thought I’d try something different for this assignment.

In my mind, a “Portal” is an...

 

[loccdor]

I actually prefer the flip up on my Bessa zone focus to the squinty on my Bessa RF. It also makes the camera fit into a pocket better.

 

[MFstooges]

They are, however, infinitely better than the squinty little look-from-above finders on the older folding Kodak cameras, like the one seen on my old Kodak 6-16.

Portal of a different Sort

• MattKing
• Dec 29, 2007
• 7

I thought I’d try something different for this assignment.

In my mind, a “Portal” is an...

Gosh that camera was produced in Dust Bowl era.

This picture below is from internet, exactly like mine. It has fake "button" on the left side of the cover. The idea is to push it so the cover will flex and clears the tab on the right side of the frame. The spring on the pivot is torsion spring not a compression spring. It's just there to swings open the cover.

Finally they realized it (right side) was a bad idea and improve it on the next iteration (left side). But I can't afford the newer one yet so have to live with the clumsy old version and thinking about improving it.