LEICAFLEX: My viewfinder popped out!!

[carlprad]

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I was attempting to attach a diopter "correction" lens on my LEICAFLEX SL when the plastic viewfinder window popped out of my camera.

 

 

 

Also, a small metal clip came out as well.

 

 

 

Can anyone tell me how to put it back correctly?

 

 

 

I have attached a photo of the viewfinder and teh small metal clip that came out with it.

 

 

 

Thank you all in advance for your help.

[wildlightphoto]

The small metal part is a light baffle that blocks light from getting past the shutter to the film. The viewfinder eyepiece is supposed to be held in place by two grub screws that are accessed through holed the the back's light baffles just below the viewfinder. It's possible that the plastic tabs the grub screws hold have broken off (not uncommon). If this is the case you'll need a new viewfinder eyepiece.

[carlprad]

Thank you for the information.

 

Can you explain how/where the metal light baffle goes.

 

How do I re-install it in regards to the plastic viewfinder?

 

Thanks

[wildlightphoto]

... The viewfinder eyepiece is supposed to be held in place by two grub screws that are accessed through holed the the back's ....

 

Sorry, poor proofreading... "through holed the the" should be "through holes in the".

 

The metal part rests at the bottom of the hole where the eyepiece goes, with a creased metal edge projecting down at the back edge of the hole.

[carlprad]

Great!!

 

Thanks for all your amazing help.

 

One last question:

 

1) How do I access the two screws that hold the viewfinder in place; and, should I even attempt this procedure or have a technician do it?

 

Thanks

[wildlightphoto]

1) How do I access the two screws that hold the viewfinder in place; and, should I even attempt this procedure or have a technician do it?

 

If you're handy with tiny tools and parts it can be done at home but there's great potential for damaging the shutter and the back's light seals. Do this at your own risk.

 

The screws are accessed through holes in the light baffle below the viewfinder. You need to open the camera's back to access the light baffle. The screwdriver you'd need has a straight blade.

 

There are a number of possible scenarios that could have caused the viewfinder eyepiece to pop out. One possibility is the grub screws have backed out of their holes. You probably would have noticed this because when they back out far enough to lose their grip on the eyepiece they're very close to interfering with closing the camera's back.

 

More likely is the plastic tabs the grub screws hold onto have broken with age and stress. If this is the case you'll need to find the broken plastic parts and remove them from the camera so they don't fall into the shutter, get a new eyepiece, back the grub screws out far enough to clear the plastic tabs, put the metal light baffle and new eyepiece in and screw the grub screws back in place. It's likely that removing and replacing the grub screws will damage the black cotton cord packing in the channel between the light baffle and eyepiece and this is a critical point for its integrity, so you'd have to plan on replacing this packing as well. The cord I use is made by Lily Cotton Co. and was purchased at a craft store. It's held in place with a few dots of rubber cement. I use a toothpick to apply the rubber cement.

Edited December 29, 2012 by wildlightphoto

[carlprad]

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Yes, it is the tabs that are cracked.

 

I placed a little superglue on the tabs, along the fault lines, and they seem to be good-as-new.

 

However, there seems to be an "insulant/baffling" material covering the screw-heads. Should I remove it with tweezers, or just push through it with the screwdriver?

[wildlightphoto]

Yes, it is the tabs that are cracked.

 

I placed a little superglue on the tabs, along the fault lines, and they seem to be good-as-new.

 

However, there seems to be an "insulant/baffling" material covering the screw-heads. Should I remove it with tweezers, or just push through it with the screwdriver?

 

Pushing through will damage it, and you will get light leaks if it's damaged.

[carlprad]

ok, so should I pull it out with tweezers?

 

Or, work around it somehow?

[carlprad]

WILDLIGHTFOTO

 

Thanks for all your help.

 

I figured it out.

 

Viewfinder back in place and working perfectly.

[wildlightphoto]

Viewfinder back in place and working perfectly.

 

[subjectfilm]

Hey carlprad, 

Same thing happened to me. How did you reinstall the viewfinder? Specifically, how did you insert the viewfinder to fit the pins?

Edited November 12, 2021 by subjectfilm