Resurfacing Mirrors

EricTheReddish · Dec 19, 2024

I didn't find anything in a search about this, so hoping someone might be able to help.

I have a Reflekta TLR. It seems to work, but its mirror has lost all of it's reflective surface. Is there any way to resurface a mirror like that, or to have a new one made? If so how/where?

Thanks!

P.S. I'm betting there's a name for the reflective surface on a mirror (besides "the reflective surface of a mirror"). Anyone know what it might be?

Kino · Dec 19, 2024

Check with the Ebay seller "Marty1107". He makes replacement mirrors for quite a few cameras and might be able to custom cut a first-surface mirror for you.

I have bought several replacement TLR mirrors from him and they are good quality.

marty1107 on eBay

Follow marty1107 on eBay. Buying, Selling, Collecting on eBay has never been more exciting!

www.ebay.com

EricTheReddish · Dec 19, 2024

Kino said:
Check with the Ebay seller "Marty1107". He makes replacement mirrors for quite a few cameras and might be able to custom cut a first-surface mirror for you.

I have bought several replacement TLR mirrors from him and they are good quality.

marty1107 on eBay

Follow marty1107 on eBay. Buying, Selling, Collecting on eBay has never been more exciting!

www.ebay.com

Thanks! I'll look into that!

Hunter_Compton · Dec 19, 2024

I’d second Marty, he’s cut custom mirrors for me for Graflexes and Exaktas, and his work is very fairly priced.

Be sure to specify glass thickness and whether it’s a front or rear surface mirror

EricTheReddish · Dec 19, 2024

Hunter_Compton said:
I’d second Marty, he’s cut custom mirrors for me for Graflexes and Exaktas, and his work is very fairly priced.

Be sure to specify glass thickness and whether it’s a front or rear surface mirror

Thanks... and I have to confess ignorance... what is a "front" vs "rear" surface mirror? I only came across one.

Tel · Dec 19, 2024

A first-surface mirror is one that has the silvered surface on the outside of the glass. A conventional household mirror has the silvered surface on the back (and usually has a protective coating of black paint on the outside), so you’re looking through the glass to see the image. This will cause distortions that are not objectionable when you’re shaving but are when you’re trying to pull focus in your camera. The reflective surface on a first-surface mirror is also very fragile, which is why they need to be cleaned very carefully and infrequently.

EricTheReddish · Dec 19, 2024

Tel said:
A first-surface mirror is one that has the silvered surface on the outside of the glass. A conventional household mirror has the silvered surface on the back (and usually has a protective coating of black paint on the outside), so you’re looking through the glass to see the image. This will cause distortions that are not objectionable when you’re shaving but are when you’re trying to pull focus in your camera. The reflective surface on a first-surface mirror is also very fragile, which is why they need to be cleaned very carefully and infrequently.

Thanks for that very nice and clear explanation! I was vaguely aware of that aspect of mirrors, but never knew the terminology. Thanks again...

Hunter_Compton · Dec 19, 2024

And to add to that, most but not all mirrors used in cameras are front surface mirrors. Notably, some early Graflex models used rear surface mirrors. You want to match the type of mirror to its replacement, because changing the reflective surface forward or back by the thickness of the glass will shift your plane of focus.

Dustin McAmera · Dec 19, 2024

I bought a Polaroid camera just to get the first-surface mirror out of it to replace the faded one in my Pilot Super. I had to cut that to size in one dimension. I made a pretty poor job of fitting it; snapped a corner off; but it was still a huge improvement on the old mirror, so I settled for it.

EricTheReddish · Dec 19, 2024

Dustin McAmera said:
I bought a Polaroid camera just to get the first-surface mirror out of it to replace the faded one in my Pilot Super. I had to cut that to size in one dimension. I made a pretty poor job of fitting it; snapped a corner off; but it was still a huge improvement on the old mirror, so I settled for it.

I'm already in touch with "Marty", mentioned above. Seems like he knows what needs to be done!

Donald Qualls · Dec 20, 2024

Dustin McAmera said:
I bought a Polaroid camera just to get the first-surface mirror out of it to replace the faded one in my Pilot Super. I had to cut that to size in one dimension. I made a pretty poor job of fitting it; snapped a corner off; but it was still a huge improvement on the old mirror, so I settled for it.

It's worth noting in this context that all integral film Polaroid cameras incorporate a fairly large first surface mirror to make a right-reading print -- SLR models have a second one for the viewing optics, as well as the "beam forming" mirror (a reflectorized Fresnel surface, as I recall) on the back of the moving one. Also the compact Kodak instant cameras (still showing up on eBay from time to time, but mostly not usable even with an Instax Square adapter because of deteriorated print drive gears) have two smaller first surface mirrors to fold the light path.

weemuck · Dec 20, 2024

Pardon Our Interruption...

EricTheReddish · Dec 24, 2024

As a follow-up: Got a mirror from Marty1107 on EBay for a Reflekta II, installed it and it's perfect! Those teeny-tiny screws that fasten the viewfinder are a pain. I lost a couple, put it's still secure enough.

Resurfacing Mirrors

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