Bessa Rangefinder Calibration
No matter what rangefinder you use, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to have the rangefinder calibrated one time or another. This is no big deal if you’re aware that the problem can happen (often as a result of bumping or dropping the camera)
Some cameras will need adjustment more than others, and the Voigtlander Bessa range seem to be more prone to rangefinder misalignment than others (this can be said for the Epson RD as well, which is basically a digital Bessa).
Many older cameras have a pretty simple adjustment process, and there’s quite a lot of info on the net documenting the process. However much of the Bessa range is still relatively new, and at first it seems as though the whole adjustment process is a guarded secret. Naturally, many Bessa owners weren’t too keen on paying a full service fee for a 10 minute RF alignment, so they begun to search for ways to do it themselves.
There’s quite a lot of info floating around the internet on this subject, but I noticed much of it either lacked pictures or description of “simple” steps. I’ve attempted to combine all of my research together in one place and provide some instructions based off my own personal experience. This process was completed on a Bessa R3A, however I’m told most of the Bessa range is very similar.
*Disclaimer. It’s recommended you ignore these instructions and get your Bessa calibrated by a registered Voigtlander technician if :
- You don’t have experience pulling apart and fixing cameras,
- You’re not confident with small tools,
- You’re clumsy,
- You don’t take responsibility for your own actions and will want to blame your broken camera on me.
1. First of all, to calibrate the rangefinder you won’t necessarily need to take the entire top plate off. It is possible to remove part of the hot shoe that will give you access to the adjustment screws. This can be a tricky process particularly if you don’t want to scratch the black paint on your hot shoe. You’ll need a small flat head screwdriver or even a toothpick to wedge and pop/lift up the cover plate illustrated in the photo below.
When you lift the edge up enough, the cover will pop up and you can slide it out in the direction of the arrow above. It’s important to have patience with this step, as it’s easy to get frustrated and be a little too forceful. You don’t want to break or scratch anything.
2. When you get the cover off, you’ll see the bracket is held on with 4 screws shown in the image below.
Taking these screws off should be pretty simple, they weren’t on too tight with my camera. You’ll need a size #00 Philips head screwdriver for this.
3. Now that you have the bracket off you’ll be able to access the adjustment screws. I could only get a photo of one with the sub standard light I was working in, but I’ve show where the others are using blue circles. The screws are numbered from 1 to 3 for reference purposes.
You’ll need a long flat head screwdriver to adjust these screws. Also, you may need to remove any “loctite” or similar residue around the screws that prevent you from turning them.
The adjustment process
Below is a description of what each screw does. Quite often you’ll only need to adjust one of these so don’t feel overwhelmed.
Screw 1: Rangefinder patch focus adjustment
Screw 2: Horizontal (left/right) adjustment for Infinity focus
Screw 3: Vertical (up/down) adjustment
*There is a 4th screw also, but to access it you need to remove the entire top plate. It calibrates the base length but you’ll hopefully not need to adjust it.
Now we can start calibration. Once your camera is adjusted at infinity focus, everything should line up for close focus as well, but check just in case. My camera needed horizontal adjustment, yours might need vertical (or both). Find a place to set your camera up on a tripod where you have clear vision to something you can focus on for infinity (make sure it’s at least 5 blocks away, its better to be safe than sorry). Adjusting horizontal alignment wont affect vertical alignment, so don’t worry.
RF Patch Focus: If your rangefinder patch isn’t sharp then you’ll need to calibrate it also. Doing this first will make the other steps easier. Also, I’ve heard that adjusting this screw can sometimes move the horizontal alignment as well. I didn’t experience this but you may want to keep it in mind. Turn screw #1 to calibrate this. You may also want to do this with the Vertical alignment leaving the infinity and close focus adjustments to last. It’s not absolutely necessary though.
Horizontal: Set lens focus to infinity (use a lens you know is accurate), and then point the RF patch at an object in the distance. Adjust screw #2 which will move the patch left to right and stop when its properly aligned. Be very delicate and precise as it’s quite sensitive.
Vertical: With the lens still focused at infinity, adjust screw #3 which moves the patch up and down. It’s a larger screw and isn’t as deep as the others so it might be easier to access. Once again be very precise.
Close Focus: I’ve never done this adjustment before, so cant speak from experience. Every time I’ve adjusted at infinity the close focus has been fine. To calibrate close focus you’ll need to remove the top plate and access another screw which isn’t covered in this guide. However I’ve been told that very small adjustments can be made using screw #1. You should be adjusting your lens at 1m for close focus calibration.
After you’ve adjusted all the screws for calibration you can put something on them like “loctite” that will help prevent misalignment in the future. To reassemble everything you just reverse the dis-assembly process. I’ve only had to do this once, and to be honest id you’ve had to re-calibrate several times you may want to consider why this is happening.
Update: Thanks for all the positive feedback, I’m happy this guide has been helpful to so many people. Just remember to be slow and systematic and the whole process should be complete without any issues at all.
Have fun 🙂
24 Comments
Chris M
The original Bessa R looks at bit different. The screws are perpendicular to the length of the body as opposed to horizontal shown above. The middle screw is still the horizontal adjustment for infiniti.
Arran
Thanks for that info. Im sure it will help someone out.
Cheers
Nico
Hi arran!!! I wanted to thank you for the detailed instructions on how to calibrate the rangefinder of the camera. They are definitely the best out there.
I managed to get the cover off. I wouldn’t have imagined the adjustment screws were so deep inside the body, though. The thing is, I wasn’t able to fix the infinity focus (it’s quite off), as the screw was so tight, and I’m worried about breaking something inside as i’ve read on many places that the whole mechanism should be handled delicately. I have a couple of questions. Do you remember which movement (clockwise, counterclockwise) moves the patch to the left or right? How much is it necessary to move the screw to actually see a difference? (1/4 of a turn, 1/8 of a turn, etc). What size screwdriver are you using to move the infinity focus screw?
I’m so frustrated with having a brand new camera with the rf patch off. And it was bought in the US (B&H) but I live in south america, so it’s a royal pain sending it back to get it fixed.
Thanks.
Tom B
Hi Arran
lovely clear and easy-to-follow instructions. I have just adjusted my R3A (latest model) and it is looking good! I found that both the focus screw (1) and the vertical (3) affected the left/right adjustment. So after some playing around with all the screws, I adjusted this screw last. Nico (if you are still out there!): you will definitely see a difference with a 1/8 turn – your fine adjustments will be smaller than this.
My vertical (3) screw is quite loose, so I have tried to put a little nail varnish on the thread, but it is not easy.
Arran – thank you
admin
I’m glad the instructions could be of some use!
Thanks for your positive comments.
Cheers
mirov
I’ve just found a picture of all the three screws : http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00F/00F6Li-27906884.jpg
Campbell Cameron
Thank you very much for the great pics and instyructions. I managed to correct the vertical alignment very easily through the instructions and saved an expensive trip back to cameraquest. Great job and thank you for taking the time to post these, they are extremely helpful,
C.
Michel Ostasch
Thank you so much ! worked like a charm .easy simple instructions ,
pedro m
Hi. I am very disapointed. I was trying to get the vertical adjustment and suddenly the screw was loose and after shaking the camera he fall in my hand. I just don´t know if I force it of if this is normal. I have it in a safe place. Have you our someone any idea about this, and also if it has some way of fixing at home. Also, while I was turning it I was not seeing any difference in the adjustment. And at least the camera stays like it was, with a very small vertical gap. Please please, I need some feedback. Thanks
Baris
Thank you, worked well for me!
Mark
Has anyone given this a go with the Voigtlander Bessa III (667 or Fuji GF670)?
Would like the adjust the vertical alignment on mine and wondering if these instructions apply. Thanks!
John
Hi Mark. I have a similar problem and am trying to find out if you had any luck removing the top plate from the GF670/Bessa III
Emu
Thank you so much for sharing this! For a moment there I thought I messed up completely but that was just the moment before the images aligned and everything works fine now.
James
Thank you so much, this could not have been more helpful! I had vertical alignment issues with my R4A, managed to fix them right up! Cheers
Guy Tremblay
Hi Mark and John,
I have a Bessa III. I had a problem when I unscrewed a jammed filter. The lens was disengaged from the rangefinder. I could fix that, but my rangefinder when off badly. I had a look at the instructions from this forum and I could fix the horizontal adjustment. It only needed a very slight rotation of the central screw (not the big one on the right, but the tiny one in the middle), not even 1/8 of turn. The top plate is easy to remove with a small screwdriver just as shown in the picture above. I suppose that the left screw is the one for the vertical adjustment. (oriented as the picture above)
Good luck !
Guy Tremblay
Hello Again,
I just wanted to correct what I just said earlier about the Bessa III. Maybe the bigger screw on the right is the vertical adjustment as in the Bessa R3. I just re-read the instruction above. It would make more sens.
Cheers
Alessandro
Thank you very much, this article was so precious, you save my bessa r3a.
(my RF was misaligned by my photo repairer
Alessandro
Clive
Hey, Arran. Thanks a lot!
I fixed my R3A by following your instructions!
Paul del Rosario
Wow. Very interesting. Do you (or anyone reading this post) have any information for calibrating / maintaining a Bessa T? I bought a used one recently, took some test shoots using a variety of lenses, and 95% of them don’t seem as sharp as I expected. Wondering if this has something to do with calibration.
Simon
Hi, I’m using a R2M. Managed to open up the hot shoe cover, but I only managed to see one screw. Has anyone opened up a R2M before?
Dr Leslie Dean Brown (@VayaQuorum)
Thanks for this.
I am looking at getting an R4A in the next month. 🙂
This is how I stumbled upon your blog.
I’m sure this will come in handy one day.
Richard Centecette
I have a Bessa 4a and I noticed that the image in the rangefinder patch moves left and right if your eye is even a little off center (so focus can be off depending on your eye position).
Is this normal for Bessa, or is something not quite right?
Kelvin
do you have a fix for R2A skipping frame ( sometimes need double stroke to cock the shutter) ?
C Metairie
i tried this on my R3M … it seems different on nime:
– screw 2 ajusts vertical position of the Rf Patch
– screw 1 ajusts horizontal position of the Rf Patch
– don’t see the third screw !
C Métairie