Super Ricohflex focus question - stuck lens

<p>I'm trying to unstick a stuck taking lens on a Super Ricohflex, and I want to make sure I'm trying to turn the correct part of the lens. There's dried green grease on the part where the gear setscrews grip, so I assume that it's that inner part that's supposed to turn, not the whole straight barrel. Is that correct?<br>

<img src="https://photos-1.dropbox.com/i/xl/EYryOI3JI-APdVSARWhA39k_WUW4SXkKhtRbzalcCZI/11324487/1296756000/ebaf014" alt="" width="400" height="533" /></p>

<p>If the photo doesn't show up in the post above, go to this link:<br>

http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/11324487/1/ricohflex?h=e5c585</p>

<p>The part that the set-screws clamp onto (the outer-most brass part) is the only part that should move during focusing. That inner brass section is the housing for the middle lens element, and should remain snugly screwed-down into the shutter housing.</p>

<p>I have the same camera with same problem. I have tried naptha and also alcohol, and aslo heat, but have not been able to separate the front lens housing from the middle lens housing. </p>

<p>Thanks very much, John.<br>

I'll post a response if I have any luck getting it unstuck.</p>

<p>Rick,<br /> These cameras are notorious for having the hardened green grease which seizes the focusing threads on both lenses. To focus this camera as it did when new, the green grease residue must be cleaned off entirely. What might seem like a quick procedure can, if the grease is completely seized, take considerable time, as the process involves many steps from start to finish. Dis-assembly is less than half of the process, as once you have successfully replaced the lubricant with new silicone grease, you are faced with re-assembling everything and recalibrating focus on both lenses, so that they focus in sync. It is not difficult, but it does take time to do it correctly. The first time I performed a clean, lube, and adjust of one of these cameras, more than four hours passed from start to finish. Succeeding cameras required less time, as I had already learned the correct steps by trial and error on the first expedition.<br /> To begin disassembling the lenses, first you will need to remove the two cogged focusing rings. Simply loosen the set screws on both rings with a .5mm screwdriver, then remove rings. Once the cogged rings are off, you have two separate threaded lens assemblies. One is left thread, while the other is right thread. The brass metal lens tubes are rather fragile, and must be handled carefully to not bend the rims. If the green grease is simply too stiff to allow any movement, you will need to use proper tools to get the tubes unthreaded. I have used two flexi-clamps of the appropriate sizes to do this easily. Due to one tube being slightly large in diameter, one clamp must be slightly larger than the other and will not damage the tubes. As I write this, I do not recall the exact sizes used, but you can measure the tubes carefully, then order the correctly sized flexiclamps from Microtools. Be super careful if you decide to use toothed pliers, as they will almost always crimp the outer, delicate rim of the brass tube and make it difficult to put the chrome rings back on. That said, it not a good idea to use crude, adjustable pliers of any type. <br /> Once you are at this point, it may become obvious that removing the entire front panel from the camera body may be necessary before proceeding to the next step, as the lens assemblies may in fact turn on the mounting panel, which will require another larger flexi-clamp to hold the assembly from the back side and prevent such turning. To be safe, and to be sure you have the correct number of properly sized flexiclamps on hand, take the panel off as a precautionary measure. Here again, doing so will allow for better access of the component you need to service anyway. <br /> Once you get this far with your disassembly, the remaining steps will be intuitive. Take your time, clean everything well, and proceed to reassembly. It should be pointed out that you may need to experiment with the correct viscosity of grease on the focusing threads. Using grease that is too thin will allow focus to wander. Using grease that is too heavy will make for stiff focusing. Be like Goldilocks and choose a grease that gives "just right" focusing. I purchased my grease from Microtools.<br /> Once you have nearly everything put back together, STOP before putting the two cogged focusing rings back onto the lenses. Now comes the most important step in the entire process: calibrating the focus of both lenses so that when you put the rings back together, the distance indicators on the top ring are correct in respect to actual distance between film plane at backside of camera and objects in correct infinity focus. I used a piece of 2 1/4 X 3 1/4 ground glass taped to the film rollers to focus the taking lens, then focused the viewing lens by peering down through the camera's own ground glass underneath the top cover. You will need to hold the back cover open with a large rubber band when calibrating focus on the taking lens, unless you have a third hand to hold it open. Use a focusing loupe held directly on both ground glass surfaces as you carefully turn both lenses manually until your image is in sharp focus. Do this while focusing on an image that is at least 1/2 mile away, to assure sharp infinity focus. Once you have both lenses at proper focus, it is time to replace both cogged focusing rings, while being careful to not turn either of the lenses you have just focused precisely. This is a fiddly step, as it is very easy to accidentally de-focus either lens while mounting these cogged rings back onto the camera lenses. Take your time, be careful, and your last step will be tightening the set screws in each cogged focusing ring. <br /> What is outlined in the above description may seem detailed, but believe me, there are many more details that could have been included. But, as already mentioned, most steps in this lens overhaul are intuitive and not particularly complex. Of note, I have left out completely what is involved when cleaning and adjusting the shutter. If you would like to do a CLA of the shutter, that is another process, but if necessary do it at the same time you are servicing the lenses. I won't go into the details of a shutter overhaul here, as this response would become much longer.......<br /> Best of luck with your Super Ricohflex. They really are fun little cameras to use, and when adjusted properly take awesome photos, too.</p>

<p>Thanks for the detailed info, Daryl. People like you who are willing to share their knowledge make this so much easier for us new to it. I really appreciate it.<br>

John - I was successful in separating the two pieces of the lens. It seemed impossible for a while, but with about an hour of work, I got it. It would be pretty easy and quick work with two properly sized flexiclamps, but not wanting to wait for them to be shipped from Microtools, I jerry-rigged something that worked. Not elegant, but it did the job without any damage. After removing the front lens assembly from the board and soaking it in acetone to soften the grease, I found a piece of conduit (1.25", I think) that happened to be almost the perfect size to fit around the thicker straight lens barrel. I cut a slot in the conduit and filed down any burrs, then pried it open with a screwdriver enough to slide the lens barrel in, then tightened it a little with a small clamp. Now one part was securely held by a pipe that I could get a good grip on. I then tried to fashion a quick flexiclamp out of a sheet of aluminum I had laying around. The aluminum I had was a little too thin, so it didn't clamp well, but with a little help from another small C-clamp, I got a pretty good grip in the recessed part of the front lens element. It still wouldn't budge, so I turned on a heat gun and applied heat to the conduit to soften up the grease (and possibly expand the outer female-threaded lens element a tiny bit, since more heat was applied to that side), and it started to move. Once apart, I simply soaked both elements in acetone some more and the old grease cleaned out easily. There's a photo of my very crude clamping system at the same link as the earlier post above.<br>

I've also fixed a gear problem in the shutter, and now have a shutter that works great. I'll tackle the focus tomorrow, and I think I'll have a great camera to shoot.</p>

<p>new link to images:<br>

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4ln353v8a51ynee/AABGJpwcLkmXNTlK8Yx3c9lXa?dl=0</p>