I was given one of these a few days ago, as it happens. The glass isn't great (marked up front element, a bit of fungus on the inner rear face) and the shutter is sluggish. I have serviced about a dozen Retina models and the Compur shutters are simple and easy to clean, but I don't know how to get into this one. It seems there are layers of components on the lens barrel that probably have to come of in a certain way to get to the actual shutter: anyone have any experience dissecting the shutter on one of these? Thanks.
Paul,
Which exact model is it?
Broadly if it is a unit focusing Tessar you'll begin by removing the decorative ring from the front of the shutter housing and then the four screws which fasten the lens bayonet ring to the shutter. Nothing hard about this, although there is a small ball bearing beneath it for the setting ring detents, so keep an eye out for that and place a small dab of grease into its seat to both lubricate it and keep it in position on re-assembly.
After that you'll need to remove the centre lens mount. Depending on the model this might be locked into place with a small screw (III) or staked in position with a tiny stake featuring an offset head you will need to rotate to clear the inner edge of the lens mount before pulling it out with tweezers (IV, Rapid, early Super). From the New Super onward (Ie Super B, BC/S) the stake was generally omitted and the mount can simply be unscrewed. It may be very tight especially on later un-staked mounts, I suggest inverting the camera onto a bench and rubber mat and unscrewing the camera from the lens mount by friction. If this is unsuccessful you will need to invest in a collet wrench from microtools or nobby sparrow, there is no other viable means of extraction that will not damage the soft metal of the mount.
As the outer surface of the centre lens mount is flush with the back of the front lens cell mount, and assists in supporting and locating the front cell (or any of the Pro Tessar lenses that may also be fitted) in position, in addition to the bayonet lugs, the centre mount
must remain concentric and undamaged, else, you will have difficulties aligning the front cell and/or lens alignment problems to deal with, (or even difficulties being able to fit the front cell at all, potentially, if it is damaged badly enough).
Once the middle cell is extracted there is usually a black closing rung that simply sits in place behind the mount, this lifts off and the rest is really garden variety Synchro Compur, despite the auto aperture operation of the reflex versions. No nasty surprises.
Be careful if you remove the shutter from the camera body. This is very easy to do, but it isn't hard to upset the infinity focus calibration in the process. I wrote a quite detailed post on Rangefinder Forum only a couple of months ago that delves into a bit of detail about how to sidestep any time-wasting need to re-establish the focus adjustment, and also why you may well want to remove the shutter anyway to lube the focus helicals. Rather than repeating that here you ought to be able to find that information easily enough. In truth I'm usually easier to reach at RFF, anyway.
Cheers
Brett
