I am having the damnedest time getting started with my recently acquired Fotoman 612. I bought the Fotoman part several weeks back and only more recently picked up a lens (a Fuji 125mm W). Now, when the fun of putting it all together and making pictures should be happening, it's all a big mess. Specifically:
1) I planned to remove the HFM from the lens cone in order to change the shims. The previous owner had used a different lens and, according to Paul Droluk at Fotoman, the shims needed to be slightly different. However, the small jeweler's screws holding the HFM to the cone were overtightened and partly stripped.
I managed to get two of them out using a flat-head jeweler's screwdriver, but two of them are really stuck (and they are now, thanks to my efforts, even more stripped
). Does anyone have any suggestions for getting the remaining two out? I'm afraid to apply more effort lest I damage the HFM and/or the cone.
2) Of course, after furthering this damage, I find out from Paul that I MIGHT not have to change the shims if I can calibrate the focus with things as they stand. Now comes the second problem. The retaining ring I have for my Fuji is too narrow for the opening of the HFM, i.e. it fits through and so cannot be used to attach the lens. Is there something I can add to what I've got to hold the lens to the HFM? In searching around online today, it looked like I might need a "mounting flange" but I don't know if that's right.
Any help with (1) and/or (2) would be appreciated. If it turns out that the answer to (1) is that nothing can be done about stripped screws, then I better hope that I can attach and calibrate the lens as it stands! Hence, an answer to (2) to help me figure that out would be great!
Many thanks!
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