Repairing an Ercona I

[Michael Guzzi]

I have not-so-recently bought a Zeiss Ikon VEB Ercona off Ebay Kleinanzeigen. And it finally arrived, after what, 5 months?


I have a few problems with it, listed in order of priority. Any help, thought or criticism is most welcome:


1. Lens is somewhat dirty inside. How do I remove the front group for cleaning? Just unscrew it together with the helical for focusing? Also, how soft are the internal coatings on these? It's a red "T" Tessar, from about 1954.

2. Regarding the double exposure prevention: after how many turns should it let the shutter be released? Mine is a bit erratic, ranging from 1/2 turn to 2 turns, after I reassembled it correctly (some moron before me assembled it wrong. How I don't know, the thing has literally 5 parts...). Oh also: should the whole assembly wobble some with the film back open?

*3. The flip-up viewfinder. I'm assuming the same moron who assembled the above managed to bend the silver portion of it, that serves as a retentive cap when it is folded. It no longer erects itself correctly, staying down at an angle, and has some difficulty staying closed sometimes. Is there a way to disassemble it to straighten it? The pins at the joints don't look of the removable type...

And last, this one is more a what-if: After I repair and clean it well, I'll check for focus accuracy and eveness across the film gate. What can I do to correct just a corner that's out of focus, i.e. misaligned lens/shutter assembly in relation to film plane? Shim it under the shutter? Is there any adjustment point in the frame of the camera itself?

*Alternatively, is there a way to remove it entirely in one piece? it isn't much help to me after all, I wear glasses and can't see the whole frame anyway. Thinking about a solution for that. But would like to keep it as original as possible for now.


Thank you all

 

[shutterfinger]

Can you post some pictures of your camera? Search engine photos turn up several styles of folders and other junk that the programmer thinks you're looking for.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Zei...sAQIQQ&biw=1920&bih=971#imgrc=IfThgrFl_miOeM:
Some countries customs hold up shipments from ebay for weeks or longer.
#3 remove if necessary and straighten the frame as best you can. The frame pieces are attached to the base with pins that run the width of the finder with springs. A bent hinge pin or broken spring end may be the cause of your finders problem. The metal is soft and easily deformed, it may have occurred in packaging or shipping.
#1. If the lens has no linkages to the camera body then extend the bellows fully, open the camera back, look at the back of the lens/front standard. You should see a ring with 2 or 4 slots 90° or 180° apart. Use a lens spanner to engage the slots 180° apart, hold the shutter from the front, unscrew the ring, and separate the lens/shutter from the camera. If there are linkages or cables from the standard/shutter to the body I would not remove the shutter from the front standard.

With the bed open and front standard at the normal usage position the edge of the front standard to the camera body, assuming the body is square, or film plane should be the same distance at all 4 corners of the front standard. With the back open and front standard at normal usage position the distance from the film rail(s) to the rear of the lens mount should be the same. A deformed front standard, bed, bed hinge are the likely causes of different distances. Measure to the tenth of a millimeter if possible.

 

[Michael Guzzi]

This is the model. My lens and shutter are different, the rest is the same (the focus barrel looks identical).

 

[shutterfinger]

I would set the lens to infinity focus, mark/note the position of everything lens related, loosen the set/grub screw(s) and unscrew the front element counting and recording the number of turns for it to come off, clean, reassemble.

You should be able to unscrew the rear element with the front standard closed and the back open.

 

[Michael Guzzi]

Thanks shutterfinger!

About the the frame finder: its hinge pins look to be non removable? Normally how would these open? Are they spring-loaded like those on the back hinge of some 35 mm cameras, you push one end in and they open? if so, how do I push them, with a drift punch? I tried a smal philipps screwdriver to no avail.

 

[shutterfinger]

The pins in the finder are not easily removable. One will have to file/grind off the staked/flared end or turn it down to a straight shaft then push it out. It would have to be staked once reinstalled to prevent it from coming out during use.
The few finders of this type I've worked on had weak springs, broken spring end, or were deformed. I was able to straighten the deformed ones with small needle nose pliers and a small flat tip screwdriver without disassemble. Sometimes the end of a broken spring can be turned up to work like the broken off end without disassembly.

 

[Michael Guzzi]

I will have to do this. I'll make a replacement at work, something that can be removed more easily. Thank you again, shutterfinger.