How to collimate your lens...DIY method

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Found a nice explanation here:
http://elekm.net/zeiss-ikon/repair/collimate/

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

Very, very usefull, thanks.

Rino.

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Thanks - I found and used the same technique from here:
http://members.tripod.com/rick_oleson/index-123.html

I did three folders by this method, and love the results.

rick_oleson · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:26 am Post subject:

A really good tool for this is a Pentax Auto 110 camera with the 50mm telephoto lens on it. The lens is small enough to look into most other lenses, it gives you roughly 2x magnification and it has a split-image rangefinder built in. With 110 film pretty much gone, you may be able to get one of these pretty cheap - especially since the camera doesn't have to work....

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

Thanks for this. I want to recalibrate and tighten up the front lens on my Flek 2.8/20. On the camera it's really difficult to know when the lens is correctly focussed at infinity so I want to be able to rely on the infinity stop, which is wrong at present.

Up till now I've been using a trial and error basis, taking shots at different adjustments and looking at the images on the monitor to gradually narrow down the correct position. Does this target method make the process easier with such wide angle lenses?

Also, is it important that the lens used for checking (the 105mm Nikon on this link) is itself perfectly adjusted?

rick_oleson · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:08 am Post subject:

Yes, it is critical that your checking lens be perfectly set at infinity, otherwise everything you set from it will be wrong. If your checking lens stops short of infinity, you will end up with your other lens going past infinity, and vice versa. I have a coulple of old M42 lenses that I've glued the focus rings down to hole them in the right position just for ths purpose.