I know it's not a big deal but I'm going to post it, if just one person finds it useful and happens something similar he/she will be able to solve it.
How to put to work a cranky WLF from a Rolleiflex:
When I bought the camera the opening and closing was a not fine, many times stuck and too many click-cracks.
First I realise the right part was more elevated than the left part (last owner was not very gentle) so I pressed down carefully until I heard click and even not it's a bit more elevated but it's fine.
I took it out from the camera and I studied how it works.
Upper close position.
Middle while opening/closing.
Down open position.
Here we have a big roller that is pressed by the hood against a blade spring being stable at both closed and opened positions.
The roller was not rolling at all on this operation because the grease was dry or no grease at all.
Cleaning and using thick grease solved the problem, now the roller rolls in the opening/closing and no more nasty sounds.
For changing/cleaning the ground glass just remove those small holder-springs and comes out.
Loupe out for focusing.
Why the WFL was in such bad shape I think it was at some point when closing the loupe, this one was not well closed, we need to hear 2 clicks, both sides, if only one the loupe plate will pry the top WLF while closing and again we will have the right/left top raised and finally broken.
If we press the frontal/top part of the viewfinder until clicks we are now in SportFinder mode, we can focus as well through the mirror reflecting the ground glass and composing through both squares.
I know I'm not the smartest because rarely I didn't read the manual of this camera but I was very happy when I discovered how to close effectively the sport finder mode
Rolleiflex closing sport finder.
Let's see if I can finish with this camera before I get bored of it
Thank you for watching.
Alex
