Jump to content

Need a 0 diopter eyepiece for a Konica Hexar RF


alanwilder

Recommended Posts

  • 6 years later...

Reanimating this thread at the occasion of my recent Konica Hexar RF "bricolage". I bought this excellent camera online at a very good price. Only problem was, the mounted +1D diopter made the finder unusable for me. Hexar RF diopters are virtually impossible to find. The dedicated MS Optics adapter for Leica diopters — even if it were still available, which I'm not sure about — would have defeated the low cost of the body. So I have taken to replace the +1D diopter, inspired by Matt Alofs' blogged experience, found via the search engine.

 

I ordered (from surplus shed) a tiny lens with the focal length of 51mm and 11mm diameter that is smaller than the opening of the Hexar's eyepiece (with the diopter unscrewed). It's just the perfect optical mach, for my eyesight at least (no correction for medium to long distances) and costs US$ 4,50.

 

The lens is quite thick and stands out a bit from the eyepiece when placed inside, against the finder block. To hold the lens in place (centered) and dust out of the finder, I used a flat rubber o-ring with an opening just wide enough to accomodate the lens' larger outer diameter. I cut the ring's outer part to about the eyepiece's interior dimension (small scissors, holding the ring with tweezers helped). Once the lens placed in the eyepiece (it touches the glass inside), the ring can be fitted around and blocks it in position.

 

Then I took a second o-ring, with a round section this time and of about the outer diameter of the eyepiece (13mm?). Its inner diameter fits around the lens placed in the eyepiece, the o-ring then sits on the metal rim of the eyepiece. I cleaned all parts by wiping them with alcool and fixed the ring with a tiny bit of liqud super glue (cyanoacrylate), applied with a toothpick aound the lens — very sparingly! — to compound the o-ring with the lens and the rim of the eyepiece. The liquid glue creeps in between the parts. It must dry thouroughly before looking through or one risks a lash, lid or even eyeball glued to the eyepiece... Once dried, the new eyepiece was ready to go and the camera revived!

 

By chance, I had the o-ring in appropriate/adaptable sizes, but don't have their references; they're standard small plumbing kit, though. The entire operation should be reversible if very little glue is used, because there is little contact surface. Still, no guarantees and certainly perfectible, but a Hexar RF finder I can use with joy. Just great 35mm lines !

 

Cheers,

Alexander

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...