Fed II rangefinder calibration

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Printed on: 5/7/2026 2:42:14 PM

Topic

Topic author: Wiglaf

Posted on: 20210306061656

I have a collection of Soviet rangefinders, including a couple of early-ish Fed IIs with collapsible lenses. I've been trying to calibrate the rangefinder on one of these, but when the infinity focus is correctly calibrated by adjusting the horizontal alignment by turning the small screw behind the screw on the front plate below the logo and by rotating the inner RF lens to correct the vertical alignment the close focus is incorrect. When I then correct the close focus by adjusting the wedge-shaped cam behind the lens, this throws the infinity focus considerably out. No amount of back and forth seems to get me any closer to having both infinity and close focus correctly calibrated at the same time! Surely there must be some clever person out there who knows the solution for this issue?

Replies

Reply author: Alex_Rus

Replied on: 20210307093721

http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/info/2.htm

Reply author: Wiglaf

Replied on: 20210310034940

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Alex_Rus
 http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/info/2.htm
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Alex_Rus, thanks for your response. Unfortunately, the steps described in the link that you sent me are the same as the ones that I have already completed. The problem is that when the close focus is correct the infinity focus is completely wrong, and vice versa. I have spent hours trying to get them to agree, but can not! Any ideas? От вашего ника кажется, что Вы, может быть, русский? Так что, если проще на русском общаться, так тоже можно! :)

Reply author: SteveA

Replied on: 20210310091911

Hi, this is related to the position of the cam in picture 2 of the link. It is a real trial-and-error exercise to get the close focus to be correct at infinity and visa-versa. Once it is messed up it can take an absolute age to get it right as such tiny movements can have a huge impact.
Look carefully at the cam angle in picture 5 - I have compared it with my Zorki 3M and it almost precisely matches so that would be a good place to start. If it really is impossible to get it right then it may be that the RF internals have been damaged in some way.
Good luck! Steve

Reply author: Alex_Rus

Replied on: 20210310133043

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Wiglaf
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Alex_Rus
 http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/info/2.htm
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Alex_Rus, thanks for your response. Unfortunately, the steps described in the link that you sent me are the same as the ones that I have already completed. The problem is that when the close focus is correct the infinity focus is completely wrong, and vice versa. I have spent hours trying to get them to agree, but can not! Any ideas? Îò âàøåãî íèêà êàæåòñÿ, ÷òî Âû, ìîæåò áûòü, ðóññêèé? Òàê ÷òî, åñëè ïðîùå íà ðóññêîì îáùàòüñÿ, òàê òîæå ìîæíî! :)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Åñëè íà ðóññêîì, òî âñå ïðîùå - http://www.sovietcamera.su/src/yustirovka_zk.pdf è åùå http://www.sovietcamera.su/src/Remont_fed_zorki.pdf. Ãëàâíîå - òî, ÷òî íàïèñàíî ïðî êóëà÷îê äàëüíîìåðà

Reply author: Wiglaf

Replied on: 20210310134338

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Alex_Rus
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Wiglaf
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Alex_Rus
 http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/info/2.htm
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Alex_Rus, thanks for your response. Unfortunately, the steps described in the link that you sent me are the same as the ones that I have already completed. The problem is that when the close focus is correct the infinity focus is completely wrong, and vice versa. I have spent hours trying to get them to agree, but can not! Any ideas? Îò âàøåãî íèêà êàæåòñÿ, ÷òî Âû, ìîæåò áûòü, ðóññêèé? Òàê ÷òî, åñëè ïðîùå íà ðóññêîì îáùàòüñÿ, òàê òîæå ìîæíî! :)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Åñëè íà ðóññêîì, òî âñå ïðîùå - http://www.sovietcamera.su/src/yustirovka_zk.pdf è åùå http://www.sovietcamera.su/src/Remont_fed_zorki.pdf. Ãëàâíîå - òî, ÷òî íàïèñàíî ïðî êóëà÷îê äàëüíîìåðà
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ñïàñèáî îãðîìíîå. Ïîïðîáóþ ïî èíñòðóêöèÿì, è äîëîæó î ðåçóëüòàòàõ!

Reply author: Wiglaf

Replied on: 20210310134459

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by SteveA
 Hi, this is related to the position of the cam in picture 2 of the link. It is a real trial-and-error exercise to get the close focus to be correct at infinity and visa-versa. Once it is messed up it can take an absolute age to get it right as such tiny movements can have a huge impact.
Look carefully at the cam angle in picture 5 - I have compared it with my Zorki 3M and it almost precisely matches so that would be a good place to start. If it really is impossible to get it right then it may be that the RF internals have been damaged in some way.
Good luck! Steve
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks Steve. You and Alex_Rus concur that the most important bit is the cam position, so I'll concetrate on trying to get that right and report back once I've had another go!