SPT is an organization for camera repair technicians. Membership includes access to an extensive library of technical information.
The register distance is the distance between the lens mount and the film plane in a camera. It is important to know the correct register distance for a camera because it is adjustable to correct for focusing accuracy problems.
Micro Tools sells a large selection of specialized camera repair tools, cleaning supplies, lubricants, and some camera parts.
At the end of World War II, British Intelligence did a study of the Leitz factory in Wetzlar , Germany to see how the Leica IIIc 35mm rangefinder camera was made. Their report and the technical drawings taken from Leitz were used to make the Reid III, a British-made Leica copy.
Cameras use a lot of springs, and replacing a broken or worn spring can be difficult with old cameras. This tutorial shows how to manufacture new springs. Written by Dean Williams.
A large number of camera repair tutorials by Dan Mitchell. Dan has also given us permission to share a PDF version of his excellent book on How To Make New Bellows for folding cameras.
Chris Sherlock is a camera repairman in New Zealand who specializes in the repair and restoration of Kodak Retina cameras. His site has a number of repair tutorials that Mr. Sherlock has made for those wishing to repair their own classic Kodak cameras.
With something like a Yashica GSN, put the batteries in, then turn the aperture ring back and forth, back and forth multiple times. Also many GSNs have a very strange shutter trigger where the meter only turns on sporadically when you're pushing the shutter down. Try pushing the shutter button down veeeeerrrrrryyy slowly and see if the meter turns on at any point (you'll hear it more than see it). Do this multiple times until the contacts have self-cleaned and the camera should be fine afterwards as long as you regularly use it.
Specializes in cleaning, polishing, recementing, realigning, and recoating lenses.
Most of the stuff that was originally in your camera degenerates after about 2 decades into a sticky gooey mess. Take it off with denatured alcohol, Goo-Gone, or acetone (nail polish remover), Q-tips, and toothpicks. Be very careful not to get the acetone/alcohol anyplace other than the gooey mess, it may strip the black paint off your camera. Cut the fo am to size. Use Pliobond or contact cement to coat very sparingly both the foam and the back (fo am with peel-off adhesive is much easier to use). Wait 5 minutes until they are tacky dry, and then stick them together carefully using toothpicks as miniature tweezers. I do not recommend trying to replace the mirror box foam in your SLR until you have considerable experience, it's much harder to get right and much easier to get goo on your mirror, which would be a very Bad Thing™.
There are three type of simple repair jobs that I do myself: 1) cleaning the lens; 2) replacing the foam; 3) calibrating the rangefinder; and, 4) regular exercise. The more complicated things I send out. I have a list of recommended repair shops at the end of this page.
Cleaning is the main way lenses are damaged. I've seen many, many lenses with "cleaning marks" and comparatively few with actual impact or abrasion damage. Cleaning damages lenses. Most people would be better off if they never cleaned their lenses - hence the popularity of "protective" UV filters that never come off.
On most rangefinders, adjusting the vertical or horizontal rangefinder patch is as hard or easy as finding the adjustment screws. Most Leica M cameras, you can get at the horizontal adjustment easily. Other cameras you have to take off the top cover. Not for the faint of heart. I have instructions on each camera page on how to RF align the Canon P rangefinder, FED 3, Kiev 4, Zorki 4K, Leica M7, and just got tips on how to align my Kodak Retina IIa.
Harbor Freight is a good source of inexpensive Chinese pliers, screwdriv ers and other tools. None are high-quality but they suffice for the home handyperson just fine.
Lubrication refers to the application of grease or oil to the bearings and shafts of motors or other rotating parts, sliding surfaces, and wherever minimum wear due to friction is desirable. Check levels of hydraulic and auto lube reservoirs.
Preventive maintenance is a systematic series of operations performed at regular intervals on equipment to eliminate major break-downs and unwanted interruptions in service, and to keep the equipment operating at top efficiency. To un-derstand what is meant by preventive mainte-nance, it is necessary to distinguish between preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair.