Originally Posted by
Neal Chaves
I just checked and aligned my D5 a few days ago. I used an alignment level made by Beseler that came with my 810VXL. You place the level on the base board and zero the bubble, then you use the tool to adjust the negative stage to the base board zero just obtained. You do this for front to rear and side to side.
On the top of the lens track are two mount screws, and at the bottom are two mount and stop screws. If you loosen these you can level the lens stage to the base board the same way for side to side. There is no front to rear level adjustment that I could find, and I have all the instructions. I guess they figured it wasn't needed, but when I checked mine, it was out quite a bit, pitching backward. After all these years something has sagged changed the alignment. I removed the two above-mentioned mount and stop screws at the bottom of the lens track, obtained some longer replacements and put some thin washers between the lens track and the mount on the focus rails until the lens was zeroed with the base board front to rear.
There are some pretty accurate and inexpensive dial level indicators you can buy in Home Depot, etc. Just transfer the readings you have on the base board to the negative stage and lens stage. Many older base boards are warped, all you can do is get it in the ball park.
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