My Argoflex E Repair Project

Below is my endeavor to repair my Argoflex E. I am documenting the entire process with my FinePix S5000 as well, and will upload the photos presently.

I purchased my Argoflex through eBay on 30 May 2011 from eBay seller mayact4 and received it on 7 June, well packed and looking about like what I expected. The inside appeared reasonably clean. The Argoflex E is Bakelite so it doesn't have light seals per se. I tried the shutter and it seemed to work OK at first but I immediately noticed that he aperture was jammed. It could move from wide open (f4.5) to down one marked stop (f6.3) (there are numerous intermediate stops that are unmarked) but then it wouldn't budge. I then noticed too that although the shutter functioned, 1/10 seemed to be irregular, often being as fast as 1/200, the top setting. I reviewed the repair discussion by Matt Denton. He references a diagram by Rick Oleson. He also references a page of Marcy Merrill, where I found three photos of the guts of the aperture/shutter mechanism. Finally, I started disassembly:

First, I focused on infinity and marked the lenses as Matt Denton mentions. I first tried to mark them with a pen as Matt suggests, but without success; so I marked them with a pencil. I used a bodkin (actually a dubbing needle for fly tying) to lift the trim ring on the bottom lens and remove it.

Removal of the trim ring

I then removed the trim ring on the top lens by the same method. At this point, I got a little concerned that the pencil would rub off while I was working so I used the needle to scratch the point where the lenses meshed. I then began removing the screws. One of the screws in the top lens was already missing. I removed the screws with a jewelers screwdriver, though the screws tended to drop back in the hole rather than rising on their threads until they were out, so I used tweezers to remove the screws. I then proceeded to remove the thin spanner rings by the same methods as the trim. Both the outer trim ring and the inner spanner ring are very fragile and have some adhesive on them. I found it necessary to run a jewelers screw driver or the tip of the tweezers around them carefully to break them free.

Now, I was a little unsure what to do. At first from the diagram, I though the sprocket and lens were separate parts but eventually I realized that it was necessary to turn the lower lens counterclockwise until it lifted off and that then the upper lens had to be turned clockwise until it too came free. Below these on each lens are a ring with a tapered lip, on the top lens this ring includes the focus distances. On the lower lens the next level contains two screws on the trim ring which lists the apertures and shutter speeds, these screws have a very narrow slot, almost too narrow for my current tools - I was about to take a file to my smallest screwdriver but found that with sufficient pressure I could just get it to stay in the slot. There are also two inner screws - I removed these easily but I'm not entirely sure what they do. The top lens is apparently done at this point, though I was hoping for access to the mirror from here.

While I was having trouble with the screws on the trim ring, I switched to removing the hood. Four screws retain the hood and are easily removed. A little wiggling and the hood comes off as a single piece. Two similar screws retain the viewfinder, though they are partially covered by the mounts for the camera strap loops, so they must be attacked more carefully at a slight angle. The trim was on quite tight and required a fair amount of effort to remove. The glass simply lifts off and now there is unobstructed access to the mirror.

Returning to the lower lens, I removed the inner trim ring spanner ring and the shutter speed adjustment ring, using tweezers, though it could have been done by hand. The last of these requires a little wiggling to work it around the aperture adjustment arrow. A brass cover plate is now retained by two screws. This plate holds the rear lens element - though it can be removed from this further as it merely acts as a lens board - and removing the plate provides full access to the guts and the front of the shutter.

At this point, I found myself a bit stuck, not sure how to remove the final shutter mechanism without damaging something beyond repair. However, I quickly discovered the aperture issue. The brass retaining plate that holds some of the works on had slipped outboard about .5mm blocking the aperture adjustment.

14 June 2011

Looking at things fresh the next day, I determined I needed a spanner wrench or a makeshift one to remove the nut on the back of the rear lens element. I tried a few other tools but finally managed to get a pair of needlenose pliers to work. With the camera upside down on the work surface and the nut removed I simply lifted the camera and the assembly remained on the table. I then gripped the ridges on the metal ring holding the rear lens element tightly and twisted the ring out of the shutter assembly.

15 June 2011

I placed the shutter assembly in a glass jar, covered it in naphtha (Zippo lighter fluid) and covered the jar. I began looking further at the middle lens assembly that also acts as the shutter assembly cover and functions as part of the shutter timing, it was gummed up so I went about removing the lens so I could soak it in naphtha too. I discovered that the lens could be completely removed and, disconcertingly, looks the same on both sides, a concave piece of glass about half a centimeter thick, hopefully it works the same either way!

19 June 2011

Re-assembly begins. I note that the middle lens element is actually flat on one side and concave on the other, I hope I have it in right! I placed the brass ring back on and tightened down the keepers. This ring is a major part of the shutter timing. Then I returned the lens element to the holder and screwed in the retaining ring.

I've decided to re-assemble the shutter assembly before mounting it, this will make it slightly harder to work with, as it won't have the camera body as a sort of mini-vise, but it will make testing easier, if the middle lens element is wrong or the shutter still doesn't function right I can break it back down again easily.

I cleaned and replaced the rear lens element. I then replaced the two small brass screws with tall heads on the front of middle lens carrier that I probably never should have removed, I think they may actually be spacers as they have odd heads and they don't seem to retain anything.

I then placed the cover plate/middle lens carrier back on the shutter assembly, this takes a little fiddling to get the works to fit together properly and I almost screwed the cover plate down tight with the T lever trapped underneath. Best to work the shutter speed lever back and forth to ensure the timing levers are fitting into the brass ring properly. I then decided to try to clean the shutter speed dial, so I dropped it in the jar of naphtha.

While waiting, I cleaned the rear lens element of the viewing lens and the viewfinder and replaced the viewfinder. Cleaning the viewfinder is a bit difficult as the underside is fogged and cleaning makes streaks, though I checked and most don't show up badly with the hood on.

Then I returned to the lens assembly, I cleaned the shutter speed ring well and replaced it, followed by the spanner ring and the trim ring which has the shutter speeds and apertures marked on it. The two tiny screws which hold these the ring in place (and thru it, the shutter speed dial) really require a smaller screw driver than I have. I checked the function of the dials and found my aperture stuck again! Fortunately, I now know that I can merely insert a small screwdriver to push the brass plate inboard and all is functional. The timing now works correctly!

Next, I put the viewing lens back on, cleaning parts as I went. Most just needed to be wiped off. Aligning everything was a bit nerve racking until I figured it out. Actually, I spoke too soon, but now several hours later, I have it, but I'm going to have to think about how to explain it.

Thanks to Rick Oleson, I now know that I was correct with the lens orientation. I e-mailed him and he told me to use a piece of ground glass or strips of scotch tape pulled taught across the film rails and view the image, that it would be very unsharp near the edges if I had the lens in backwards. I used the Scotch tape and this worked great. I was pretty certain it was right and mulled over going with that result but decided it was best to take the lens apart and try it the other way, the difference was dramatic, basically nothing could be brought clearly into focus. I took the lens apart again and returned it to convex to the rear. Both sides are actually convex but the rear face is dramatically more so. Taking the lens apart three times gave me an opportunity to perfect the re-assembly and re-alignment sequence and get better photos of it. The last part does need to be done in just the right order to get everything to work. I'll post photos soon but here are the basic steps:

With the shutter/taking lens assembly out of the camera and dis-assembled and the viewing lens mounted:

• Replace the middle lens assembly/shutter assembly cover plate, note that three of the timing elements stick above the plane of the bottom of the cover plate, these must go outside the brass timing ring. I found it easiest to have the timing ring in the "T" position. Replace the long brass screws that hold the cover plate to the shutter assembly.
• Replace the spanner ring, lining up the holes.
• Replace the shutter speed adjustment ring, the notch goes over the piece of the brass timing ring that sticks through the slot in the cover plate.
• Replace the trim ring (bearing all the shutter speed and aperture indices, line up the holes and replace the screws.
• Note the small protruding piece on the under side of the spacing ring, this must be placed adjacent to and just below the inner brass screw near the 1/50 sec. mark. This will allow the lens to focus while preventing it from unscrewing from the camera.
• Screw the outer element all the way in, then back it off until the index mark for the gears is approximately at 12:00.
• Mount the taking lens assembly on the camera loosely (do not tighten down the spanner ring inside the body - this will allow the lens assembly to move enough that the gears can be properly aligned).
• Carefully align the index marks on the gears.
• Ensure the spacing ring is rotated to the maximum clockwise position. Replace the upper spanner ring and carefully align the holes and the index mark on the ring, lift the spacing ring and screw the spanner ring down, lightly and check the alignment of the gears. *Tighten the spanner ring on the back of the lens down nearly tight and tighten down the spanner ring.
• Test the function of the focus rings.
• Tighten down the ring inside the body and replace the trim ring.
• Perform a function check: shutter, aperture, and focus.