Rollei 35 + Tessar 40mm - how to tighten loose front lens cell?

[jonathan_reynolds]

<p>I posted this question here some years ago, but didn't find a satisfactory answer at the time. So apologies for double posting, but I hope someone reads this who knows what they are doing.<br>

I have a nice example Rollei 35 with Tessar 40mm lens. The front (focussing) lens ring is loose - rocks about 1 mm. The lens therefore loses at the slightest excuse whatever focus setting I have chosen. I'm also concerned about the impact on optical performance (this lens was typically extremely sharp in the days when I used it a lot).<br>

Please, can anyone advise me how to dismantle or tighten this end of the lens?<br>

The service manual available at various places on the web does not describe this intelligibly.</p>

<p> </p>

[User_502260]

<p>I would consider sending the camera to Ken Ruth at Photography On Bald Mountain in Davenport, CA. I have two Rollei 35s. One is an original 1966 model made in Germany and the other is the same model but made in Singapore. The older one has focusing which is slightly stiff. These are quite old now so it isn't too surprising that they would need some service. I think it was assumed when they were made that these cameras would mostly be used at infinity. An SLR lens like a manual focus Nikkor from the early 1970s or a Canon FD lens from the same time period would need a lot more focusing to wear out its helicoid. </p>

[john_robison3]

<p>Jonathan, if the 40 f3.5 Tessar configuration is anything like the 40 f2.5 Sonnar on the 35S then I may have an answer.<br /> My 35S had the same problem. I found that under the trim ring, the ring that has the lettering, there are three small screws that allow adjustment of the focusing ring so that that the infinity mark lines up with the index mark when the lens is focused to infinity. This front trim ring on my camera was just held on by dabs of glue, it handles no load and thus needs little to hold it in place. On my camera these screws had become loose allowing the focusing ring to wobble. Before I could tighten these screws I had to tape a ground glass to the inner rails of the film opening, lock the shutter open on 'B' with a locking cable release, and, with a 10X magnifier determine when the image of an object about 1/2 mile away was sharp. (With a 40mm lens a half mile is close enough to infinity) After getting the image as sharp on the ground glass as I could I slipped the focus ring to the INF mark and tightened the screws, not too much, they are quite small. Then I reinstalled the trim ring with a couple of dabs of rubber cement.</p>

<p>Hope this helps. If you send the camera to a qualified repairman he can set up the focus on a proper optical collimator and that will be more accurate than the ground glass method I used.</p>

[harry_zet]

<p>heres a repairmanual for the 35 te - which has the same lens as yours</p><div></div>

[jonathan_reynolds]

<p>John: That's exactly what I needed to know. I didn't realise that trim ring was just glued on, and was really puzzled how to remove it. After that, it's just exactly a la manual.</p>

<p>Many thanks to all.</p>