Graflex.org

[john wilton]

Having a good time getting acquainted with my new Crown. (I have experience with field-type cameras). A few things I haven't figured out:

1. The RF spot is VERY dim. I want to take the cover off to at a minimum move the tape seen in pic to inside the case; and to evaluate replacing the beam splitting mirror. Am I correct in thinking I remove screws A, B and C; that screws D and hidden screws at the other end under the cover hold the RF onto the camera?
I read on one how-to site: "There is one type which has a screw on the front (fig 4) to adjust the lateral coincide." (My screw E). What happens when I lift the cover off...how does it connect with the RF?

2. I can't figure out what function sliding bars F perform.

3. I see many cameras on ebay lacking RF eyepiece tube G. Are they usable without one? (I can forsee looking for a Speed for barrel lenses.)

4. My outfit came with a knobwind rollfim back "23". With its giant hump I can't see ( or find directions) for inserting it.

[C. Henry]

John;

Your Crown has a Graflok back. The panel with the ground glass comes off by depressing the arms that hold it and moving it to the right (towards the rangefinder side of the camera). Then other optional backs may be attached and held in place by the sliding bars you have labeled "F". You do not insert the roll film back under the ground glass, instead the ground glass is removed (as above) and the roll film back is installed in place of the ground glass panel.
Welcome to the forum and feel free to ask questions as usually there is somebody here who knows the answer. Someone else will have to answer your rangefinder questions as I have not worked on any rangefinders.
Enjoy your "new" Crown!

C. Henry

[mopar_guy]

John,

If you want to remove the cover of you rangefinder for inspection and/or cleaning you need to remove the two screws at the bottom of the rangefinder which you have labeled as "A" and the two screws on the front and back side of the rangefinder which you have labeled as "C". At this point the cover may be carefully removed by lifting it straight out from the camera side. It should not be a tight fit and should come off easily.

To brighten the image of the rangefinder, it may only be necessary to clean the lenses of the rangefinder inside and out. first use a blower brush for the larger dust and lens cleaner and lens tissue with light pressure. You can also wrap lens tissue around a Q-tip if necessary.

If you want you can try to clean the mirror surfaces in the same way. Wrap lens tissue around a Q-tip and soak with lens cleaner but be very careful to use extremely light pressure on the mirrors.

Re installing the cover is simply putting it back in place and re placing the screws. If you disassemble something on your camera, you may want to give that part of the camera a good cleaning.

I don't know why there is tape over the lens of the rangefinder but it seems to me you shouldn't have much to loose by removing the tape.There is a lot of good information on cleaning and lubrication in another posting in this forum.

Enjoy your brighter viewfinder.

Welcome to this forum,
Dave

[glennfromwy]

The tape over the window is an old trick to increase the contrast of a dim rangefinder spot. The reason it's dim is because the semi silver coating on the beam splitter mirror has worn away. It's extremely delicate. Unless you plan on replacing the beamsplitter, do NOT clean it or even touch it with anything. What's left of the coating will disappear. There are new beam splitters available on the auction site. Edmund scientific has beam splitter material that you would have to cut to size. The most important thing is to get the right thickness. These are not exactly easy to fix.
_________________
Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"