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Kalart side mounted range finder

 
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cjmcauliffe



Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Central New York, Finger Lakes

PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2004 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Crown, with a side mounted Kalart Range finder. I'm looking for some information on how the Range Finder should be properly attached to the Focus Rail and adjustment screw. I recently acquired the camera and was told that the Range finder was not working, and simply needed adjustment, however; it appears fine except that the lever to the adjust screw on the rail is hanging freely. Can anyone with more knowledge than myself tell me if something is missing here ? I have looked over the manual for the range finder, and it does look to be attached to the screw in some fashion, but its not clear from the scanned manual pages just how it is assembled.

Thanks


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alecj



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 853
Location: Alabama

PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2004 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A few preliminaries. When you move the arm, do the images move together? Basic question - you are opening the camera and moving the lens standard out to the infinity stops, then focusing w/i infinity [according to the body distance scale?

At first blush, it sounds as if a spring has come loose. Somebody with more technical expertise can develop this more, I'm sure.
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2004 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Open your camera, pull lens standard to near front edge, turn focusing knob until rear section of rails (yoke) is on the bed and rangefinder bracket is visable past bed brace.
There should be a bracket that is attached to the yoke's right side with two screws. The bracket should be about 1/2 inch wide and stick out about 3/4 inch from the yoke then turn up at 900 for another 1/2 inch. In the front edge of the upturned portion should be a special large head screw that has an internal shoulder 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the head.
With the bellows/standard in same position, look at the rangefinder arm inside the camera box. It should be a 1/4 inch wide arm that attaches to the rangefinder shaft via a collar with a screw. It should have a knee type bend about two inches down from the collar and three inches from that bend should be a 450 outward turn with a 450 downward trun about 1/2 inch after the first and end about 1 inch after that.
As yoke enters the body, screw on bracket contacts arm on rangefinder pushing it in causing shaft on rangefinder to turn moving mirror inside rangefinder, OR, upon extending yoke from body screw on bracket releases pressure on rangefinder arm allowing arm to move foward turning rangefinder shaft which moves the mirror.
Check arm for free movement. With yoke fully extended rangefinder arm should move foward the mechinical limit (touch the rear of the bed brace bracket).

Describe fully the problem you are having with the rangefinder if you continue to have problems.
Charles

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[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2004-01-21 13:58 ]
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cjmcauliffe



Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Central New York, Finger Lakes

PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the replies and attempt to asist me. Here is where I stand at the moment. I have examined all of the componenets suggested, and indeed I have found that the Arm which is inside the camera and bent at a 45 angle did have a problem. At the top of the arm, where it connects into the housing of the camera is a small shaft attached by a clamp to the arm itself. Here I found a balck screw, which was loose causing the arm to swing freely.

What caused this I do not know, but I have another issue now that I could use help with. The images inside the range finder are not comming together when I attempt to focus the camera, even though the arm now turns the shaft visably (I marked the shaft with a small dot so that I could gauge its range, I would say between zero and 5 degrees, but this is only an estimate).

I have been told that the mirror is stuck in one position. The range finder appears to have no damage to it, in fact the camera is in excellent condition, and deserves to be restored ( I have never seen one like this in this shape before, and I ave seen many).

Advice comments etc....are appreciated. I would like to use this camera in my work, this has got to be something that can be fixed.

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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 4:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Go to the Kalart Rangefinder Adjustment Manual and DOWNLOAD it. Now print it on your printer scaling each page of the manual to fit a sheet of paper. Set printer for High Quality.
Now, try to relock the once loose arm in the exact place it was once in, set screw or clamp screw should have left an inprint on shaft.
Now go to the first step, Setting Rangefinder for Infinity and follow the instructions exactly.
Check rangefinder for correct operation, adjust other settings as required according to procedures in the manual.

If you get the arm reset to where it once was and the rangefinder was calibrated to the lens you currently have on the camera then you may not have to recalibrate the rangefinder.

Do you have two bright images, one movable, in your view port?

Charles

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glennfromwy



Joined: 29 Nov 2001
Posts: 903
Location: S.W. Wyoming

PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 5:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Before you tighten the screw to the rangefinder shaft, you must turn the shaft by means of the two flats on it with a small wrench. With the arm loose,turn the shaft in the direction it would turn as the arm moves back, all the way until it just stops. Don't force it! Make sure the arm is in it's rear most position. Hold the shaft and arm in that position while tightening the set screw on the arm. It's close quarters work, so work with care. I made a little wrench out of thin flat stock for this purpose. It's only an inch or so long but that's about all the room there is. If you don't do this proceedure first, it is impossible to adjust the rangefinder.

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



Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Central New York, Finger Lakes

PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 2:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So far this has all been a great help, I have the reflecting surfaces all moving and I'm running through the calibration proceedures this morning.

Wow, I can't imagine having to do this on assignment in a tight spot, but I guess practice would make a photographer better and better at it, of course working with this camera daily I'd be sure there were no problems before I went out, Lesson 1 preparation.

And thus Lessons begin, thank for your responses !

[ This Message was edited by: cjmcauliffe on 2004-01-29 06:12 ]
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