Did something dumb with my Zorki 4

[Neil Purling]

I have a UK Zorki 4 and somehow it is 'locked up'.


This camera has tiny dots on the shutter button, rewind collar & body you are supposed to keep aligned for proper operation.
I can wind to a hard stop, but the shutter speed knob isn't rotating.
Does anyone have images of the shutter from front & rear when in a cocked and un-cocked state?

I suspect that mine is cocked. But if that is true, then why can't I trip it. As I said the shutter press is not in the locked position.
I don't feel any tension and there aren't any mechanical noises when I try to select one of the slow speed group.


The body is 1970, if the first two digits of the serial number denotes the date. I use it with my own black J8.

 

[jarski]

FSU cameras are famous of having the quirk of never change speeds before shutter is winded and ready to shoot. probably some models are more at risk of damaging than others, but its good to have the practice just in case if camera is new to user.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have Z4K at home. If nobody will post before, I'll do it later on today after I'm back to home from work.

FSU cameras are famous of having the quirk of never change speeds before shutter is winded and ready to shoot. probably some models are more at risk of damaging than others, but its good to have the practice just in case if camera is new to user.

You could change shutter speed at FED-2 at any time. But not with most of Zorki.

 

[css9450]

Is it possible there is some issue with the advance/rewind collar? Maybe it's not fully in the "advance" position?

 

[wolves3012]

First thoughts are same as css9450 above. The mechanism could be in "rewind" mode, either physically so or because the release has jammed down due to being gummed up. First, check that the rewind/advance is in the "advance" position. Come back to us if you're still stuck. Is there a film in the camera? If there isn't, check if the film sprocket can be turned easily or it feels locked.

 

[Neil Purling]

This camera was a genuine UK market camera supplied via Technical & Optical Equipment in London.
Their cameras have three dots on the top plate, rewind collar and shutter release. There's a note inside the case to keep all 3 dots aligned, which they are.
I am not new to this type of camera as a pre-WW2 Leica III lurks in my camera cupboard as well.
All I can think of is that the camera shutter released while inside my bag, because I never locked it. I then changed the speed which did the damage.



I would imagine that the camera is probably bone-dry inside & would need a CLA anyway. Then I do this to it.

 

[wolves3012]

There's a CLA thread that I wrote some years ago, here:
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33914
You may well find that the shutter button/rewind assembly is jammed up and that's as far as you need to go. However, if you're removing the top cover anyway, you may as well do the other stuff.