http://daniel.mitchell.name/cameras/kodak35/kodak35.html
John - if you happen to still check this site occasionally, the above shows photos and detail for servicing a Kodak 35RF.

No entries for the past year so I don't know if anyone will see and comment on this, but I have seen an unusual 35RF serial number and I am interested if anyone knows of others with this feature. The lens serial number has the usual 2 letters preceeding the sn, but also has a letter at the end of the sn. The SN of the lens is ER6284D. Does anyone know the significance of the "D"? Any thoughts would be appreciated. It is not an "O" that I am mistaking for a D, it is definitely a D. Ken Locke

Thanks Ken. I've been fiddling some more this morning to no avail.

I was hoping Kirk Kekatos (4 entries down) might have some repair information. So far he has not gotten back to me. This chat box doesn't have provision for photos, so if he has some information he may need to post it elsewhere and let me know what link to provide you. Ken Locke

I recently obtained an older Kodak RF35. I found a website that illustrated disassembly and refurbishing of the RF35. I ran into a problem when the the pin that you press to allow the film to advance fell out and the spring went "boing". I did not see how the spring was originally attached and I think I have it assembled properly but the "cam" will not re-engage the advance gear. Can anyone provide a closeup photo of this assembly? I love the camera and it's in great shape otherwise.
Thanks,
John Hussey
jkhussey@nycap.rr.com

ha! :-)

Sorry Scot - it is Bilotta, left out a "t".

Kirk - If I have picked out some items you missed, you probably can thank Scott Bilota (Clarus Chat). On the Clarus cameras he notes everything it seems, even different size screws. I think describing my Clarus bodies to him set me up for being similarly critical when I did my pages on the accompanying site about the Kodak 35RF. Congratulations on finding the RC body. It is interesting that my favorite 35RF's, the ones with the black trim, were done out of necessity instead of design - personally I still think they are the best looking variations. Ken L

It appears that my article "The Kodak 35 Camera Series" will be a long time coming. The editor that our Society (www.chicagophotographic.org)hired to fashion our Journal is having problems completing the task. Ken, when last we talked, I implied my article was definitive. Now that I am in the process of reading the chat room comments and carefully looking at your 35RF images/comparisons, I withdraw that implication!
The good news is that I finally found a 35RF with Anastar "RC" code. I had mentioned that the collection had examples and variations of the entire Kodak 35 Series for what I cosidered to be every year of production except 1951 and 1943. That leaves that latter year to search for. I leave the group with an observation. As wartime production restricted the use of chromium and cadmium plating, some bits and pieces in the Kodak 35 Camera production lines understandably began to appear in painted finishes by necessity, not design.

There is a reflection on the second letter of the lens serial number, but I imagine it is an "R" - the features on this camera are of a 1945 vintage Kodak 35 Rangefinder - at latest early 1946. When writing below, I forgot that immediately after the war the lenses still were uncoated - and I don't see the L in the circle on that lens. Again, identifying it as 1945.

Thank you Ken for your reply. Please, tell us when appears that article you mention about the Kodak 35 RF by a Chicago collector.
  I enclose additional photos of the camera referred on my previous message:
      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/galone_es/kodak35c.jpg
      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/galone_es/kodak35b.jpg
      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/galone_es/kodak35a.jpg

Just heard back from the Chicago collector I know who has written an article (yet to be published) on the Kodak 35 Rangefinder. He too did not find any consistency in body serial numbers. Better go with the lens letters. Based on what little I can see about the rest of your camera body, it is black trim and no flash sync. That generally dates it about 1945. If the lens is uncoated, then date it about 1941. If the lens is coated, then somewhere around the front ring (with the rest of the lens information) is an L in a circle- designation for Kodak's coatings of that time.

Angel - sorry, I checked my body serial numbers and they skip all over the place - I found no sequence. I found 1945 bodies with SN's that included a low of 49791 to 80162. Then 1946 SN's from 54172 to 172634. I didn't see any with letter prefixs until 1947 - but that doesn't help you since there are no letters on yours.

http://kenspix.4t.com/custom.html
In the 1st paragraphy of the above page I describe how to date your Kodak 35RF by the lens serial number. I will check my own cameras sequences and check with another 35RF collector I know and see if there are any records for the bottom serial numbers.

How can you date a Kodak 35 Rangefinder according to the number engraved on the bottom of the camera (near the tripod socket)
See picture here: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/galone_es/kodak35.jpg