At Last The Kodak Reflex

Last year I posted a question about removing the focusing hood from my Kodak Reflex to clean inside – and hopefully answered my own question, concluding that with this very early version, removing the hood is pretty much impossible:

 

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/kodak-reflex-first-version-hood-removal.5513579/

 

 

Well I took some shots with it at the Autojumble, and was disappointed with the sharpness. It turns out that the viewing lens focus is off, whilst the taking lens is OK. If I had focussed with the distance scale instead of on the ground glass, it would have been fine. I haven't been able to adjust it. I slackened the four screws around the rim of the taking lens to make the adjustment, but it won't budge, perhaps not surprisingly, it is 75 years old. Does anyone have any ideas how to do this?

 

Otherwise the camera is in great shape and full working order.

 

Where the focus happened to be correct (motorcycle picture), the Kodak Anastigmat came up with some pretty sharp results. With the odd light leak.

 

 

 

Something which puzzled me at first was that there is what appears to be a tripod bush on the side of the camera, as well as on the base. But I've realised since that it's probably a fixing point for the dedicated flash. That's all for now and thanks for looking.

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by John Seaman

Are there screws under the front leatherette to facilitate getting the viewing lens off the camera ?

No, I peeled it back as far as I dared. The usual way of adjusting these geared focus TLR's is to loosen the screws around the rim of the nameplate bezel. This should then just pull off along with the gear ring, leaving the actual lens in its helix, which can then be turned to the correct position and the outer ring reattached. On the Kodak there are four tiny screws on the inner rim, that is, between the lettering and the lens glass. You can just see two of them in the first picture. I loosened these expecting the geared ring to come loose, but it wouldn't budge.

I only have experience with the Reflex II. The best guides I found on line for that camera are Rick Oleson's exploded view drawing:

Kodak Reflex TLR Shutter Access

and Markus Berndt's tutorials:

Camera Repair

I worked on a similar Mamiyaflex with ring focusing but the ring was free after loosening the grub screws. Others may have a better idea but if I encountered this, with all the grub screws loosened, I would take a small tack hammer and gently tap, and I mean gently, all around the ring...essentially you would be breaking the bond of the aluminum parts that have fused together. I am not a camera repairman so take this advice with a grain of salt.

I cleaned the lenses and adjusted focus twice on the Reflex II. The second time was needed because I accidentally unscrewed the lenses trying to focus when I couldn't feel my hands on a snowy mountainside. Servicing the camera is a bit fussy, but probably still easier than a lot of others like the Yashicamat. Edited March 13, 2020 by connealy

Thanks for the quick responses. Hmm, looking at Rick's instructions, he says remove the set screws, whereas I just loosened them. Perhaps you have to remove them completely to free the ring, but I'm terrified of losing them, they are so tiny, or not being able to re-insert them. And its so easy to mangle the heads as I know from experience with a Super Ricohflex.. I will re-try it when I have a minute.

 

And Marcus says that the aluminium collars are usually stuck, and suggests how to free them up.

Edited March 13, 2020 by John Seaman

Well....there is nothing wrong with the "hippocrates" approach. Use the scale focus. The results you published were quite acceptable... and don't forget the smaller F-stop forgiveness approach!!

The very few times I have removed screws from my Yashica Mats, I work on a fluffy terry cloth towel with one of my larger refrigerator display magnetics directly under the camera. Saves the bacon when things go phlingy. Aloha, Bill

Thanks, Chuck and Bill. I always work over a large tray. I've loosened the screws again and it still won't budge - I can't believe you have to take them out completely.

 

Ah well, I'll just have to manage with my 3.5F.

I love these Kodak TLRs. They are capable of very sharp photos. I've both the I and II but haven't taken the lenses off before. The focus on the II is a bit stiff, probably from the decades old grease, but it works well enough and the fresnel lens in the viewfinder is great. John, you are right regarding the fixing point on the side being for the flash as Kodak made a dedicated flash bracket for these cameras. I hope you get the focus sorted out on yours.

Also, check with Mike Butkus. It looks like he has the repair manuals for the Reflex I and II on his website Kodak repair manual, kodak service manual, Kodak carousel parts manual

Thanks Jason I'll do that.