Re: Viewmaster Allignment

[P3D Paul E Baker <baker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>0.25 mm is considerable in a tiny Viewmaster chip.  So, the question
>is, how can this be adjusted?  If anyone knows, please e-mail me.
>
>Also, I would be interested to know if this is a common problem. 

I don't recall receiving this message's original Digest so I don't know
which camera is in question.  But I can report that my Mark II shows this
problem and it is driving me nuts -- to the point where I have decided to
tear the beauty apart to fix it.

On the Mark II, the root cause is obvious:  The lens/shutter assembly is
mounted on a plate and attaches to the body casting with four screws (one
in each corner of the plate).  If there is any rotational error in that
plate's allignment with respect to the body, vertical allignment errors
result.  

The fix is equally obvious, but unfortunately requires peeling the leather
and taking the front of the camera apart to expose the four screws in
question.  Because there is no easy provision for adjusting this plate,
my guess is that the factory didn't spend much (any?) time checking the
allignment of each camera with a ground glass before tightening the screws.

On the Personal, there are adjustable stops on the sliding lens assembly
which (I think) can be tweeked with an allen wrench from the open back of
the camera.  Or else they are accessible after the front cover has been
removed (a necessary step for shutter pad replacement, no big deal).

I just discovered another good reason for taking my Mark II apart:  It is
prone to glare reflections in contrasty scenes, especialy nighttime and/or
long exposure.  At first I thought it was the uncoated wide-angle lenses
I use with the camera.  But closer inspection with a ground glass proves
that even without accessory lenses light from objects outside the field of
view does bounce off those "tunnels" cast into the body and reflect back
onto the film.  Paint the insides of the tunnels flat black?  They already
are!  Flock the walls?  Too messy in such a tiny space.  So, I plan to
grind the tunnels away with a Dremel tool and paint the entire inside
casting flat black.

Paul Baker, Naperville, IL  pebaker@xxxxxxxxxx


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