Bell & Howell 605 Viewfinder Reassembly help please

[Glenn Smith]

Hi Folks,

I've been cleaning up a newly purchased Bell & Howell 605. Everything was going well until I started on the grubby viewfinder. I unscrewed the eyesight at the back of the body and all hell broke loose. An unexpected spring shot out with an assortment of metal tubes of various lengths, 3 lenses and a tiny washer. I can't fathom the order/configuration and it seems like an impossible puzzle.

I'm wondering, on the off chance, if anyone can help me with the arrangement? Two lenses appear to be convex and one is possibly plano-convex (the lens nearest the eye?). I've tried various tube/lens arrangements without success.

I can take photos if that helps too.

Many thanks,

Glenn

[Simon Wyss]

Two elements belong together, namely the plano-convex and the mating one, separated from the third by the spring. The doublet is at the rear, the plane surface in front of the eye.

[Glenn Smith]

Thanks Simon, that was really helpful. Eventually squeezed the gubbins back in the right order like muzzle loading a cannon. The viewfinder works perfectly!

[Daniel Bottom]

Yes thank you Simon I have been after this information too, because I too unscrewed the viewfinder to give it a clean, because it was so dirty it was unusable.

Beware, the 605, and cameras based on the 134 design have other tricks like that in their innards, namely two flat discs that engage with the rim of the motor, and the takeup dog rim, they are "fun" to put back together - using a craft knife blade ( carefully!! ) helps. If you are stuck.