reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
They just couldn't make up their minds. Or.... the guys that worked upstairs at KMZ loved the spice of life. For whatever reasons, the Zorki.4 was produced with quite a variety of different style lettering/numbering on the front RF housing. I've seen several different examples so I'm not sure how many there are. Looking at Terrance's 1966, I thought just for funzies we might as well have a short little thread here to compare the styles and year they were produced.
My 1956
Terrance's 1966
Look real close. Anybody else got something a little different?
My 1956
Terrance's 1966
Look real close. Anybody else got something a little different?
wolves3012
Veteran
ZorkiKat
ЗоркийК&
1966г Зоркий-4
1966г Зоркий-4
1966 Zorki-4, just like Wolves', but printed not engraved. Must be from a time when the factory was switching from engraving logos and marks to printing them instead. Luckily, the shutter speed scale and frame counter on this cameras is still engraved. However, the rewind and advance marks are printed. Still has strap lugs.
1966г Зоркий-4
1966 Zorki-4, just like Wolves', but printed not engraved. Must be from a time when the factory was switching from engraving logos and marks to printing them instead. Luckily, the shutter speed scale and frame counter on this cameras is still engraved. However, the rewind and advance marks are printed. Still has strap lugs.
Attachments
santino
FSU gear head
I've got 3 and all are like Wolve's one (one has engraved speeds) and I sold one which looked like "Terrance's" (with latin letters too). Hail to the skilled soviet typographers 
TVphotog
Television Grunt
My 57 looks just like your 56
all engraved and strap lugs
all engraved and strap lugs
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
Sorry it took me a couple days to get back to this ... (Lightning + modem = no surfin' ) Anyway, thanks for the pics and input. '66 must have been a year of "Hey! Let's try this!" It seems like there are a couple more styles. I know the newer Z.4s had the block lettering painted.
Anyway, fun stuff. Thanks again guys!
) Anyway, thanks for the pics and input. '66 must have been a year of "Hey! Let's try this!" It seems like there are a couple more styles. I know the newer Z.4s had the block lettering painted.Anyway, fun stuff. Thanks again guys!
TVphotog
Television Grunt
Actually, the latin script '66 Z4 is an export model I believe. I know with some of the feds and the early kievs, they also say 'Made in the USSR' on the back if they are export only versions. It would be my guess that this is what that Z4 is.
zhang xk
Well-known
ZorkiKat
ЗоркийК&
zhang xk said:My 1956 Zorki 4. See if you can find out what is different from a one made in 1957?
The knobs' milling is different? Were the factory guys as whimsical with the type of finish they put on the cameras as well? My 1966 Z-4 has the diamond-style finish. The knobs on your camera look like the type used on the Z-3(?)
Jay
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dll927
Well-known
The Z-4 was in production for a long, long time, so maybe they just made subtle variations now and then (even if they are obvious). Also, some models of FSU cameras were made in "export" versions, according to various websites, but they would most likely have the engraving in a lettering more recognizable to outsiders.
I have two Z-4s, and they both look just like the last large illustration above.
I have two Z-4s, and they both look just like the last large illustration above.
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R
rick oleson
Guest
I have some notes somewhere trying to track the dates of a series of changes to the Z4, can't recall where they are right now: elimination of the raised window edges, reduction and then elimination of the strap lugs, change from pebble grain to ribbed covering, logos from engraved script to printed script to printed block letters, and dials from engraved to printed. Lots of variations, and that doesn't even include the local/cyrillic vs export/latin lettering variants.
John Robertson
Well-known
They both look a lot nicer than the horrible screen print block letters!!!
zhang xk
Well-known
ZorkiKat said:
Hi Jay,
Exactly.
It also has a machined accessary shoe fixed with 4 screws. Later Z-4 has a stamped metal piece. Like many Chinese cameras, they were sold at the same price for the same model, but cut down the production cost.Zhang
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
Your 4 is "open" at the top while the '57 and my '56 are "closed." Also, the accent mark is shorter on yours than mine. Counting the block lettered screen printing, that's 6 variations.. so far? Go figure.zhang xk said:My 1956 Zorki 4. See if you can find out what is different from a one made in 1957?
Very new looking Z.4, zhang.
zhang xk
Well-known
CVBLZ4 said:Your 4 is "open" at the top while the '57 and my '56 are "closed." Also, the accent mark is shorter on yours than mine. Counting the block lettered screen printing, that's 6 variations.. so far? Go figure.
Very new looking Z.4, zhang.
Thanks.
I did not notice the logo difference. I also have a 1958 Zorki 4 that also has a machined accessary shoe. But one of my 1959 Mir has a simplified accessary shoe.