Broken Zorki 4

[Jeburtonuk]

I bought a Zorki 4k from ebay and it arrived earlier this week. I knew not to change the shutter speed dial unless it was cocked but I made a mistake with being new to analog film and I thought it was cocked when it wasn't and tried to change the shutter speed. So now when it's cocked it's set to 2 and I can't rotate the dial clockwise as I feel a hard stop. I can rotate it counter clockwise beyond the 1 and 30 setting that I believe I shouldn't be able to do. I hit another hard stop at around 250. Is there a way I can fix it myself or am I going to need to send it to Oleg for repairs?

 

[xayraa33]

Welcome to the RFF.

Turn the rewind collar down (the one around the shutter release button) like you were rewinding a finished roll of film and see if you can reset the shutter dial to its normal positions.

 

[Jeburtonuk]

Thank you for the reply!

Just to be clear and I don't do further damage. I should do this when the camera is cocked correct? It's in the furthest counter clockwise position currently. The markings I've seen on other Zorki 4k's have been rubbed off so I'm not sure which position it's in current

 

[xayraa33]

You said the shutter was not cocked when you turned the shutter speed dial and got you in this problem.


See a photo of a Zorki 4 or 4k shutter dial area online so you can figure out which and where the different shutter speeds are on your Zorki 4k

You can check to see if the shutter was wound or not by taking off the lens and see where the shutter curtains metal edges are... closer to the film rewind knob not cocked ...closer to the winding lever (Z4K) or winding knob (Z4) then shutter is cocked.

If the shutter was not cocked you can try to cock the shutter by slowly turning the shutter speed dial without lifting it and the rewind collar ( a film sprocket clutch) is in the down position.

You should not be too afraid to try to gently quick fix your camera...as you bodged it already and if it has to go to repair techs like Oleg as is or you trying to fix it then it is not going to matter much.

 

[Jeburtonuk]

My apologies for the confusion.
I can cock the shutter fine with the lever and the shutter works. In the cocked position the shutter speed dial moves to where the red 2 position is.

When it is cocked I can move the shutter speed dial anticlockwise to around 250.
What I was trying to ask was about moving the the rewind collar. I've put the rewind collar in the lower position.

 

[xayraa33]

The Zorki 4 and 4k have the slow speed escapement speed selection built into the same single shutter speed and you are going against the gear train resistance , increasing when going from 1/15 to the 1/2 sec (which is the red nr.2 you mentioned) which is lifting and turning the shutter dial counterclockwise .

You should be able to lift and turn the shutter dial (with the shutter cocked of course) going clockwise from that red 2 (1/2 sec) all the way to 1/30 th of a second.

The rewind collar should be up if the shutter is cocking fine like it should.

See if someone has placed the shutter dial in the wrong position, and 250 is really 1000 or any other wrong shutter speed...the shutter selection dial is held by tiny grub screws on the side...very easy to place the dial in the wrong position when re assembling a camera or these grub screws are loose and the dial has turned to a wrong position by just using it.

Check to see if this is so by trying to get B which located at 6:00 right where that tiny black dot on the body is for the Flash sync ring.

 

[Jeburtonuk]

I can only get to B by going anticlockwise. If I try to got clockwise I hit a solid wall. I can't position it between 2 and 250 either clockwise or anticlockwise.

edit: If I move it one position anticlockwise as if it was placed in the correct position moving from 30 to B and press the shutter, the shutter doesn't stay open like it should in B

 

[xayraa33]

I can only get to B by going anticlockwise. If I try to got clockwise I hit a solid wall. I can't position it between 2 and 250 either clockwise or anticlockwise

Does the black line on top of the shutter speed dial line up where B is printed( if it has not rubbed off) .... or at that 6:00 position where that tiny flash sync black dot on the body is (if you cannot see the letter B) when you actually get B and the shutter stays open as long as you keep holding the shutter release button down?

 

[Jeburtonuk]

It's a small fraction to the right of it.

 

[xayraa33]

It's a small fraction to the right of it. View attachment 110466

And you are actually getting B in that position..correct?

If that is so then the shutter selection dial is in the right position.

So your problem is you cannot go past 250th of a sec. and get to the higher shutter speeds like 500th of a sec. or 1000th of a sec.

 

[Jeburtonuk]

It doesn't stay open in that position. I uploaded a video of the range it has

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LLDZIUT4Xw

 

[xayraa33]

It doesn't stay open in that position. I uploaded a video of the range it has

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LLDZIUT4Xw

I seen your video.....you have not lined up the dial line to B ( with the shutter cocked of course) and fired the shutter and actually confirming you got "B" for "bulb" ..where the shutter stays open as long as you hold down the shutter release button.

Go and actually confirm this with the camera back off.

With my functioning Zorki 4k camera you cannot go from 30th of a sec to 1 second like you did at point 0:41 of your video by turning that shutter selection dial clockwise....1 second can only be gotten by going all the way around anti clockwise to get to 1 sec.

I suspect you were sold a dud of a Zorki 4k....if you bought it off Eb@y from Russian or Ukrainian sellers there is always a good chance that can happen.

Spend a bit more and get one from good sellers like OK cameras or Fedka and with a guarantee or some kind of warranty.... Dead on arrival FSU cameras from Russian or Ukrainian Eb@y sellers are as common as chips.

 

[Jeburtonuk]

I know all of this. I know that I shouldn't be able to go between 1 to 30 as there should be metal bar in the way. I feel the metal bar in the fast speeds. I know the behavior it should have with it staying open in B and it doesn't happen. I know that sometimes people put the shutter speed dial in the wrong position and tried to demonstrate that if it was on in the wrong position and I fired a shot that would be in if it was on backwards. I've most likely broken the break latch or made it come loose by moving the shutter speed dial whilst the camera was uncocked. I don't think there is anything I can do without taking it apart and I lack the tools to do so.

 

[xayraa33]

I know all of this. I know that I shouldn't be able to go between 1 to 30 as there should be metal bar in the way. I feel the metal bar in the fast speeds. I know the behavior it should have with it staying open in B and it doesn't happen. I know that sometimes people put the shutter speed dial in the wrong position and tried to demonstrate that if it was on in the wrong position and I fired a shot that would be in if it was on backwards. I've most likely broken the break latch or made it come loose by moving the shutter speed dial whilst the camera was uncocked. I don't think there is anything I can do without taking it apart and I lack the tools to do so.

If you just recently bought it maybe it was already screwed up before you even touched it....like I said it will not be the first time someone tried to pass off broken junk as good and working when they sell these things on Eb@y.

You have three choices of varying degrees of effectiveness:

See if you can return it for a refund from the seller.

Send it out for repair to a knowledgeable tech that does not overcharge .

Try to fix it your self . *(not too good if you are all thumbs and lack Z4K camera repair experience and spare parts).

 

[wolves3012]

I think you've tangled up the slow speed mechanism. It takes a lot of (careless) force to break something so you probably haven't. If you're willing to have a go, there's a thread up above on how to CLA the Zorki 4/4K. Have a read and see if you think you could tackle it. You would need to go only as far as removing the slow speed mechanism and then re fit it, correctly aligned. I think that would solve it. You might end up having to guess the speed dial setting afterwards, then align it once you've figured what speed it's actually set to.