xbartx Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I finally found time to check out and use this camera, that I purchased at a garage sale last year. When I bought it I knew it had some issues. The lens and bellows unit were off their track. I took it apart and I was able to reset the unit in the tracks. After putting it back together the lens and bellows felt good, not to much play and movement was smooth. I proceeded to shoot some film and found the focus was really far off. The range finder matched the distance marks on the focus dial. I then checked the focus by using a loupe and ground glass on the film plane and it was off. Good focus at infinity showed 12 feet on the focus dial. Does anyone have any thoughts on adjusting the position of the lens as to match the distance marks on the focus knob. I don't see how to move the lens in the required position? My guess that someone tried to close or focus the camera after the lens came off it's track and this throw focus out? Any help would be greatly appreciated. -Brad Barton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank r Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Try emailing Jurgen at certo6.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Brad, I've had a Bessa II sitting on the shelf since November with the same problem. Your post got me to disassemble the Bessa II last night. I've already got the geared slider for the focus arm unstuck. I'll post another reply later when I have collimated the lens and adjusted the RF. Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbartx Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 Andrew, I would really appreciate any help on how to make this adjustment. The geared slider on my Bessa moves freely, Originaly I was thinking that the distance scale just needs realignment, except that the distance markings line up pretty good with the rangefinder. It looks like an adjustment on that gear and arm unit, I can't tell how that might be done? Also let me know how you go about adjusting the rangefinder, I see where this is done, just not sure what screws make what adjustments. - Brad<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Well, it is a pig of job. The Bessa RF unit doesnt' have any horizontal adjustment screws that I could see. I found the infinity focus and then put a mark on the front platform just beside the rivet for the front of the focus arm.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 The infinity mark, which sets a needed reference point.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 That is difficult to see, try a little closer.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 This gear has an eccentric cam that moves the RF linkage. I removed the RF assembly for cleaning, but this gear comes off without removing the RF assembly. The linkage arm can be moved a from the cam to remove this gear.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 The photos show the RF unit removed, but to reset this gear by an educated guess type trial and error, you must have the RF unit installed.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 There is a photo missing - sorry. The depth of field scale should not be installed at this point. - I had it on to make a reference mark on the top of the camera body - for setting the dial.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Once the DOF scale is removed, you gain access to the two screws that fasten the focus wheel to the gear shown in the previous photos. The screw securing the DOF scale is a hole located in the upper part of the inner chamber for the take up spool. Once the two screws that are holding down the focus wheel, lift straight up. Pay attention to which washers are above and below the focus wheel. Underneath the focus wheel is the gear with the RF cam. The DOF scale and the focus wheel are removed before lifting off the top cover. The top cover is held down by two screws, one is brass over by the winding gears and the other acts as a stop for the focus wheel. The one that acts as stop for the focus wheel has a tall screw head. ******** The fun part ******** With the lens set at infinity, the challenge is to repeatedly install the gear under the focus wheel, followed by the top cover, then the focus wheel, so you can check that the horizontal alignment of the RF matches matches distances layed out with a tape measure. I used 6, 8 and 10 feet to check the RF adjustment - It's pain to do, because the top cover of the camera needs to be removed and reinstalled for each successive attempt. One hour and twenty minutes of successive attempts finally got it. Why couldn't someone at the Voigtlander design studio thought to include an adjustment screw at the end of the RF arm that rides on the cam? Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 The missing photo. Notice how the arm from the RF rides in a groove above the geared wheel. The eccentric cam is in this groove.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbartx Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 Andrew, Thanks for taking the time with the very detailed instruction and photos, they were very helpful. After getting the top off, I once agin focused at infinity. The distance marked showed 12 feet, I just lifted up the focus knob and set it to the infinity mark ( seemed like it was off by 4 teeth on the gear). Rangefinder looks good and I'm going to run some film through it and see what happens. Once more, thanks for all your help. I will keep you posted and I would like to hear more about your results. -Brad Barton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd frederick Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Brad, Please keep working on it. These are very fine cameras and expensive. It's worth repairing. I found one in an antique shop about ten years ago, did some good photography with it, but sold it for some business gear. I paid $35 at the antique shop, and sold it for $450 to a dealer! I'd like to have it now. It's worth the time and expense to make it a fine working camera, and use it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in Austin Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Running film through the camera is my next step. This particular Bessa II an early silver top model. It probably hasn't been used in years, seeing as the focus gears were totally frozen and slightly rusted. The RF/VF glass definitely benefited from being cleaned. One observation from working on the camera - set the focus wheel to infinity before closing the camera. Second observation - if this had been a working camera and did not need a total disassembly - in other words, a working camera with the RF slightly off - I'd would have tried adjusting the two shiny screws shown below in the RF assembly. The two screws are located where the RF arm is attached to the base of the lens, which pivots. Look to the left of the word L in lens to see the bottom screw. The top one is visible through the cut out of the upper arm connecting the lens to its pivot point. The lens moves the image from the prism mirror horizontally. The prism mirror is at the RF window and beam splitter at the VF window do not move.<div></div> Best Regards - Andrew in Austin, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_rob Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 <p>Hi Andrew, I have the Bessa II which has the same problem. Could you please tell me how to take the top plate off the camera? Thanks.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_rob Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 <p><!-- [if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>7.8 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>2</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:SpaceForUL/> <w:BalanceSingleByteDoubleByteWidth/> <w:DoNotLeaveBackslashAlone/> <w:ULTrailSpace/> <w:DoNotExpandShiftReturn/> <w:AdjustLineHeightInTable/> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!-- [if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:宋体; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:SimSun; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@宋体"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; text-justify:inter-ideograph; mso-pagination:none; font-size:10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:宋体; mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;} /* Page Definitions */ @page {mso-page-border-surround-header:no; mso-page-border-surround-footer:no;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:42.55pt; mso-footer-margin:49.6pt; mso-paper-source:0; layout-grid:15.6pt;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --><!-- [if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><!-- /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} --> <!-- [endif]--><!-- [if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/> </xml><![endif]--><!-- [if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></p> <p ><strong>Hi Andrew, According to your instruction, I have unscrewed the securing screw of the DOF scale. But the DOF scale does come out. How can I remove the DOF scale? </strong></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_smith24 Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 <p>Seems to be an often found common malady with the Bessa II. Mine was the same way and after reading this thread, I popped the top and had a good look - see. While no doubt the above is a way to re-adjust the Bessa II back into focus, what I found was much simpler. After focusing lens fo infinity, loosen the two screws that hold the focusing knob on and free turn it to line up the Inifinity mark and the index mark. Re-tighten the screws and you're back in business. Quite a bit simpler, easier, and by far quicker than what's listed above. My thinking is this - just how does two meshed gears jump that many teeth with no sign of wear? ; ) </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_smith24 Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 <p>Seems to be an often found common malady with the Bessa II. Mine was the same way and after reading this thread, I popped the top and had a good look - see. While no doubt the above is a way to re-adjust the Bessa II back into focus, what I found was much simpler. After focusing lens fo infinity, loosen the two screws that hold the focusing knob on and free turn it to line up the Inifinity mark and the index mark. Re-tighten the screws and you're back in business. Quite a bit simpler, easier, and by far quicker than what's listed above. My thinking is this - just how does two meshed gears jump that many teeth with no sign of wear? ; ) </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_lebel Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 Can anyone provide step by step instructions on how to remove the top cover on a Bessa II I would like to lean up the rangefinder optics! Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edhaine Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 Can anyone provide step by step instructions on how to remove the top cover on a Bessa II I would like to lean up the rangefinder optics! Thanks for your help. Hi, I have the some need. Do you find the instruction. Regards Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_nancarrow Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 1. Set focus to infinity, don't change it for the duration of this tutorial. 2. Remove the large flat head screw inside the left side film compartment. It is ~1" long and holds the depth of field scale bezel in place. After loosening it you can push up on it to loosen the DOF scale. 3. Under DOF scale there are 2 screws in the top of the focus gear that tighten down on the knurled focus wheel, they need to be removed. Lift off the knurled focus wheel and keep track of the position of the washers underneath it. DON'T move or lift the underlying focus gear. 4. On the right side of camera, remove the large chrome screw holding the winding knob on. After lifting off winding knob find a large flat head screw inside the film spool take up compartment, it holds the winding gearset down (similar to the screw that held the DOF scale down). After removing this screw you can remove the gearset by lifting upwards. The gear might have to be turned to get the works through the round passage or you might even have to unscrew the large brass screw and take the winding shaft apart to remove a part from the bottom. 5. Now remove the flat top plate that is held on to the camera top by tiny screws, on some models 4 screws and on the models with cold shoe 2 screws. This reveals the center camera-top holding screw (and holes to adjust the rangefinder). 6. Now remove the 3 screws holding down the top of the camera, one on the left, the center screw, and the one on the right. The camera top can now be carefully lifted off. "Bob's your Uncle" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_nancarrow Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 1. Set focus to infinity, don't change it for the duration of this tutorial. 2. Remove the large flat head screw inside the left side film compartment. It is ~1" long and holds the depth of field scale bezel in place. After loosening it you can push up on it to loosen the DOF scale. 3. Under DOF scale there are 2 screws in the top of the focus gear that tighten down on the knurled focus wheel, they need to be removed. Lift off the knurled focus wheel and keep track of the position of the washers underneath it. DON'T move or lift the underlying focus gear. 4. On the right side of camera, remove the large chrome screw holding the winding knob on. After lifting off winding knob find a large flat head screw inside the film spool take up compartment, it holds the winding gearset down (similar to the screw that held the DOF scale down). After removing this screw you can remove the gearset by lifting upwards after you unscrew the large brass screw and take the winding shaft apart to remove a part from the bottom. 5. Now remove the flat top plate that is held on to the camera top by tiny screws, on some models 4 screws and on the models with cold shoe 2 screws. This reveals the center camera-top holding screw (and holes to adjust the rangefinder). 6. Now remove the 3 screws holding down the top of the camera, one on the left, the center screw, and the one on the right. The camera top can now be carefully lifted off. "Bob's your Uncle" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 (edited) FWIW This looks like a very detailed way in...Well Done. Chris Sherlock has a series of videos , showing among other things.. the removal of the top for cleaning.. albeit for the similar Bessa I... which doesn't have the RF... just wanted to throw this out there...even if it is off topic ( I can't seem to paste in a simple text hyper-link without the full You Tube video link appearing Google Chris Sherlock Bess 1 strip down and service part 4 (begins at 18 minutes .. and Bessa 1 strip down and service part 5 Edited January 13 by chuck_foreman1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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