Re: [KOML] Focusing Q with Different Lenses

[Mel Brown <melbrown@eatel.net>]

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Tom Cogbill wrote:

> I have been scratching my head lately over the following: I recently
> acquired
> the 180 and 58 mm lenses for my K-O 200.  Now when I have the standard
> 90 mm
> lens on and focus through the rangefinder (RF), the two images inside
> align pretty much in accordance with the distance, as I have measured
> it, up to  about  15 ft (and probably thereafter, as well÷I just havenāt
> measured it any farther).  When I switch to the 180 lens, and look
> through the RF, everything stays exactly the same÷the two images
> coincide at the same distances as before, using the 90....

> Iāve been told that the silver post(s) on the top right of the lens
> where it attaches to the camera tells the camera what lens is being
> attached....

Tom, you heard right. The two pins on the 180 (and 135) lenses influence the
behavior of the rangefinder. There are adjustments under the hood of those
lenses. And there are adjustments inside the camera body.

It is not generally recommended that an untrained individual tinker with any
of those adjustments, lest the problem get worse. That's very likely why
your 180mm lens is not causing the rangefinder to track properly now. I
strongly suggest you send the camera and both lenses to a professional
camera technician who is thoroughly familiar with Konis.

But since yours seems so grossly off, there is one easily-repaired thing I
can think of that just may be causing your problem. There is a spring near
the front end of the posts in the 135 and 180 lenses. If it is broken or has
somehow become unhooked, the pins will not exert the needed pressure on the
rangefinder mechanism in the body. The result would be very much as if the
pins were not there at all, and the body would respond more like a 58 or 90
lens.

This is very easy to check. Push on the pins; if they don't spring back,
pull the top cover off the lens and fix the spring. Otherwise, send the
whole package off to get it calibrated properly. There is one person in
particular who is very much an expert with Konis, but I can't remember
anything at the moment but his first name: Greg. I'm sure someone else can
supply you with his e-mail address and phone number.

Good luck,

Mel