Zorki 4 arrived and has shutter issues

[Psychobells]

I finally got a Zorki 4 that looked to be in good condition and was labelled as fully functioning. I just got it and went to inspect it, test it out, etc. I took the back cover off as I planned to make sure the curtain worked properly and test out the different shutter speeds and make sure they were changing correctly. I wound the advance wheel and I believe heard a click when it was cocked, pressed the release, and the shutter didn't function properly - the left side moved a little, with the right side lagging behind it.

Now, the shutter is seemingly stuck in that position. On top of that, I noticed the shutter speed selector by default sits between 1 and 2. It also only rotates with the advance knob for the last 10% or so of the knob, when I also feel some more resistance and visually see the curtain (still just barely visible on the right side) move fully to the right - before then, the knob turns very easily. Once it's cocked, the shutter speed is set to 1, and I can only rotate it about halfway between 1 and 2, and that's it - I can't go past 1 or halfway between 1 and 2.

So, is this camera busted, or is there a reasonable fix I can do? Obviously, I'd prefer not to go through the hassle of an eBay return, especially sending it back to Ukraine from the US, and especially because it's a rarer model with the red print on the back. Any insight would be appreciated!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

A major "QUIRK" of the Zorki is that the shutter speed should be changed after winding the camera. This is different from the Leica and Japanese Leica copies.

It sounds like the camera needs a clean-lube-adjust. This would be a good camera to learn with.

Good reading-

Zorki 4K - "How to CLA"

Zorki 4K "HOW TO - CLA" here. hope you like it! NOTE 1 - most photos will be in the posts below the sections - there are more than 5 photos in most sections! NOTE 2: You can use this for a Zorki 4 as well. Apart from the winder, the two models are identical. To remove the winder knob on the...

rangefinderforum.com

https://latelierdejp.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Zorki-4-manuel-reparation.pdf

 

[Psychobells]

A major "QUIRK" of the Zorki is that the shutter speed should be changed after winding the camera. This is different from the Leica and Japanese Leica copies.

It sounds like the camera needs a clean-lube-adjust. This would be a good camera to learn with.

Good reading-

Zorki 4K - "How to CLA"

Zorki 4K "HOW TO - CLA" here. hope you like it! NOTE 1 - most photos will be in the posts below the sections - there are more than 5 photos in most sections! NOTE 2: You can use this for a Zorki 4 as well. Apart from the winder, the two models are identical. To remove the winder knob on the...

rangefinderforum.com

https://latelierdejp.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Zorki-4-manuel-reparation.pdf

Thank you! I'll look into this. And yes, I was very aware of the shutter speed thing and made sure I didn't do that, hence my confusion.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

You got scammed. Very common with FSU cameras sellers.
Best you could do is to get money back for this junk and never buy FSU cameras.
Or you could skip photography and dedicate yourself for illusion of been able to fix this trash.

 

[Valkir1987]

Not just FSU camera sellers, after years it still frustrates me that a lot of 'professional' sellers with a business have zero technical knowledge of cameras and 'just trade' them with little or wrong information and a lot of promises. And the expectations of the buyer are usually high. Most camera's haven't been used in decades spending their times in attics, basements etc. Their lubricants become stiff and seals degrade.
I've met a lot of those sellers over the years on camera fairs.

Depending on what you spent, you may want to save yourself the frustration of the return and refund and have it serviced.

You got scammed. Very common with FSU cameras sellers.

 

[boojum]

Not just FSU camera sellers, after years it still frustrates me that a lot of 'professional' sellers with a business have zero technical knowledge of cameras

<snip>


OK, I do not think that there is a blanket rule on this. And here is why. I wanted to find a CZJ Contax II mount 1.5. I found on one eBay for US$200. And it has a Contax III attached. And the lens is coated. So maybe it is a good thing that his seller was not too hip. Everything except the meter works. But I will send it off to Oleg at OKVintageCamera for a thorough going-over flat rate CLA. He did a swell job on a shelf queen Contax II. He even fixed the Zeiss blisters. Nice.

Is it worth the cost? To me it is. For the US$300 or US$400 for repairs and the round trip shipping I will have a fully functioning classic. But I cannot speak for you and your camera. If it were me I'd eat the damage, send it to Oleg and be done with it. You wind up with a nice camera which right now does not work. OTOH you can have the nosebleed of dealing with an eBay refund for a camera which you kind of like. Your money, your choice.

 

[Dralowid]

By way of a contrast...

Every now and then I buy a piece of junk off Ebay in order to keep my repair skills active. (Use it or lose it!)

I found a Fed 2. The ad was dreadful, pictures dark and unhelpful, the camera described as 'untested' and the only positive was that the case was described as good. It cost about the same as a roll of film.

It arrived. The case is indeed good but the camera is, in my eyes, very good. The shutter, aperture and focus are all remarkably smooth. There is not a chewed screw head or scratch anywhere and even the rangefinder makes a valiant attempt at accuracy.

It wants for nothing and as a clean, functioning camera it is exactly what I do not want. You can't win them all...

 

[boojum]

By way of a contrast...

Every now and then I buy a piece of junk off Ebay in order to keep my repair skills active. (Use it or lose it!)

I found a Fed 2. The ad was dreadful, pictures dark and unhelpful, the camera described as 'untested' and the only positive was that the case was described as good. It cost about the same as a roll of film.

It arrived. The case is indeed good but the camera is, in my eyes, very good. The shutter, aperture and focus are all remarkably smooth. There is not a chewed screw head or scratch anywhere and even the rangefinder makes a valiant attempt at accuracy.

It wants for nothing and as a clean, functioning camera it is exactly what I do not want. You can't win them all...

ROTFLMAO

 

[Sonnar Brian]

By way of a contrast...

Every now and then I buy a piece of junk off Ebay in order to keep my repair skills active. (Use it or lose it!)

I found a Fed 2. The ad was dreadful, pictures dark and unhelpful, the camera described as 'untested' and the only positive was that the case was described as good. It cost about the same as a roll of film.

It arrived. The case is indeed good but the camera is, in my eyes, very good. The shutter, aperture and focus are all remarkably smooth. There is not a chewed screw head or scratch anywhere and even the rangefinder makes a valiant attempt at accuracy.

It wants for nothing and as a clean, functioning camera it is exactly what I do not want. You can't win them all...

I understand. Feel the same way about Jupiter-3 and Jupiter-8 lenses off Ebay. When I take them apart, clean-lube-adjust them- "pride of ownership" that I made it work. Lens arrives needing nothing, "I'm just the owner".

 

[dexdog]

I understand. Feel the same way about Jupiter-3 and Jupiter-8 lenses off Ebay. When I take them apart, clean-lube-adjust them- "pride of ownership" that I made it work. Lens arrives needing nothing, "I'm just the owner".

I agree! I bought a 1938 Contax-mount f2 Sonnar in April advertised as a parts lens with hazy glass. Turns out that the lens was just really dirty, no haze or oil on aperture blades. I specifically bought it to fix, but was a bit disappointed that it needed no fixing.
On the other hand, I once bought a Fed 2 with attached J-3. Lens cleaned up OK, but I gave up on the camera, which had dripped a fair amount of oil into the packing materials. I think I would have needed to dunk the thing in lighter fluid to de-grease. I took it apart for fun, but dismissed any notion of trying to fix the sticky shutter.

 

[valdas]

You got scammed. Very common with FSU cameras sellers.
Best you could do is to get money back for this junk and never buy FSU cameras.
Or you could skip photography and dedicate yourself for illusion of been able to fix this trash.

That was harsh 🙂 But I tend to agree regarding FSU cameras… Except maybe my old Kiev 2, but it’s mostly Contax legacy…

 

[Valkir1987]

I was a bit too harsh as well perhaps. As an experienced buyer I also know what to get, what to pay and how to get it serviced. We know our ways. But for people who buy their first (FSU or other) camera it can be a bit difficult sometimes.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I found the Fed 1 very easy to work on, bought one with a 1952 Rigid industar-22 on it for $70.
I have several Kiev's in good working order, including a Kiev 4 that is very smooth- someone did a full CLA on it.
I bought a Zorki-3M here that had been serviced by Oleg, "say no more".
Also bought a Zorki-3M off Ebay for $35, was not hard to work on. Just had to flood clean the slow-speed escapement and vertically align the RF. "Hacked that"- put s spacer to push it in place when the top plate was put back on, same way I repaired a Kodak Signet 80 RF.

 

[Psychobells]

OTOH you can have the nosebleed of dealing with an eBay refund for a camera which you kind of like. Your money, your choice.

I was worried about dealing with the refund, especially because this seller is in Ukraine. However, when I messaged them first detailing my issues, they responded by offering to send a replacement body, with a video showing everything working, and told me to keep the original body. So I'm going to wait another week or two, hopefully get the functioning replacement, and then maybe try my hand at repairing the original! This is a big, reputable seller that just sells these Soviet cameras for a living, so I knew their was nothing malicious going on.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Hopefully the replacement will work as well as mine do.

 

[seany65]

You got scammed. Very common with FSU cameras sellers.
Best you could do is to get money back for this junk and never buy FSU cameras.
Or you could skip photography and dedicate yourself for illusion of been able to fix this trash.

Pffft. Just find a reliable seller (this can be difficult of course), or when you do get one that isn't working properly get it fixed by a reliable technician (can be difficult of course), but once fixed it should work properly. These things just need maintainting, like any camera. Just remember they ain't necessarily as well made as they should be, especially the late stuff.