Repair/CLA question

[tjaded]

Hi all--
I have a 35mm lens for my Canon IID and the lens focusing is stiff to frozen. Any idea of the best place to get it CLA'd? I was thinking about putting a drop or two of clock oil in there to free it up and then find a good grease for a more long term solution, anyone here have any experience doing this kind of thing? Would that be a mistake? Also, the viewfinder has a distance range knob on it, but it doesn't seem to do anything. Can I just use the one built in and just use the viewfinder to compose (is this how it is supposed to be?) I'm new to the rangefinder world and am finding it a little weird--not in a bad way, just different. The main issue I am having is that I am so used to seeing the image backwards from side to side that I keep moving the camera the wrong way! Anyway, I'd like to try out the 35mm lens but I need some advice first.
Thanks,
Matt

 

[David H. Bebbington]

There is a manual here:
http://66.49.230.119/canon_pdf/canon_ii_d_iv_s2.pdf
The only adjustment for the viewfinder would seem to be a lever which varies the magnification. If it's not doing anything, it must be broken! Some Leicas and clones have variable diopter correction for the rangefinder (to compensate for user eyesight differences), the Canon IID does not seem to have this.

A gentle application of petroleum-based lighter fuel (not gas) should free up the dried grease on your focusing mount. By all means try clock oil first, this will have less of a solvent action.

If an ACCESSORY viewfinder has a distance scale on it, this will be a facility for tilting the finder to correct for a parallax error - have not seen a built-in finder with this. I have owned around 20 Leicas (and a Reid, and a Zorki) but not a Canon!

Regards,

David

 

[rpsawin]

Matt,

Contact Sherry Krauter Dead Link Removed She repaired a 50mm Summicron for me and did a cla on a M2. Both the lens and the M2 were restored to near mint condition....certainly like new in terms of working order.

Bob

 

[resummerfield]

.....Contact Sherry Krauter Dead Link Removed ......

I would never attempt to add any oil or fluid around a lens. Just the slightest trace in the wrong spot will work it's way to the lens element and fog the glass.

 

[John Koehrer]

Oil is the last thing to put in there.
A couple of drops of ronsonol or other lighter fluid or even penetrating oil on the helical may loosen it up temporarily.
The cure is a cla though. Flutot's camera repair may be a good option for you.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Oil is the last thing to put in there.
... QUOTE]

With normal lenses, yes. In the case of a collapsible Leica lens, it is very easy to control where lubricant goes, and in fact the lens tube needs a very small trace of lubricant on the outside so that it pulls out smoothly.

Regards,

David

 

[John Koehrer]

Hi all--
I have a 35mm lens for my Canon IID and the lens focusing is stiff to frozen.
Matt

David,
Is this a collapsible lens?
What's your point?

 

[David H. Bebbington]

David,
Is this a collapsible lens?
What's your point?

Simply that my impression was that this is a collapisible lens and that, if so, you can apply oil to the helical focusing thread without the risk of it entering the lens assembly.

Regards,

David