Fun Painting the Zorki-C

[comp_wiz101]

As much as I like the appearance of the "Black" Zorkis, I don't have the equipment to do it well. So, then what do you do with a ho-hum, tired looking Zorki-C? Repaint the Engraving! Yes, out of sheer boredom and a need for the camera to look different, I repainted most of the body's engraving with a nice green (with the exception of the "0" on the film counter and the rewind indicators.
Pointless? Maybe! But it was fun to try, and I like how the Cyrillic Zorki engraving stands out now.
Check out the photos!

 

[lmd91343]

Looks nifty!


How about removing the vulcanite and replacing it with leather? It is cheap and easy. I've done it. The solvent to remove the vulcanite is about $5 and it won't harm the chrome. You can buy pre-cut leather in a variety of textures and colors with adhesive already applied (<$20), just peel and stick. You can also buy leather from a craft store ($5) or a leather purse from a second hand store, a $3 bottle of pliobond adhesive and cut you own piece with a razor blade.

I've used a pre-cut blue goat skin on my Canon QL17 GIII. I used dark brown leather that I bought from a craft store on a FED 2 and a light brown suede on another FED 2. I am about to put a deep maroon leather on my Zorki 1.

Good luck!

 

[w3rk5]

Nice work. The green is very distinctive compaired to the common black. The best part is it looks good with the camera.

 

[comp_wiz101]

Thanks! I have thought about that vulcanite, but I still need to build up the courage to start peeling. Other than a few scuffs, the vulcanite is still in pretty good shape. That said, the scuffs don't look too great, and the metal "trim" is worn is spots too. So, I took the body shell off, cleaned the outside with alcohol, and repainted the shell black with a flexible paint for car interiors. I'll see how it holds up against the test of time, and maybe then I'll look at changing the color. Hmm...maybe a matching green? :dance:
Here's some pics of the new finish, and a nicer picture of my all-green engraving 😉

 

[reagan]

Hey wiz, ya did good. Like the green. The C looks to be in good shape. Enjoy!

 

[comp_wiz101]

Thanks, it took a fair bit of work. When it came to me, it was stained with corrosion, the lens mount was loose, and the lens had "yak butter" grease!

 

[comp_wiz101]

And nowwwww... repainting the inside of the bottom!

 

[lkgroup]

The Zorki C looks Great. What kind of Paint did you use and what was your technique.

Leo

 

[comp_wiz101]

Well, for the lettering I used an Acrylic Art paint. After cleaning with a little alcohol, the paint was brushed into the engraving, then the excess is carefully wiped off with a finger. I found using a finger helped push the paint into the engraving. Additional clean-up was with a damp tissue. The knobs were removed so I could access the flash sync markings, and the shutter speed knob was painted then as well. The rewind knob and exposure counter were removed as well.
The vulcanite & body shell was removed and cleaned with alcohol. I carefully masked it, making sure to cover the area where the lens mount goes. I used latex gloves to ensure that skin oil did not interfere with the paint. I used SEM brand "Color Coat" on it, which is a paint made for the vinyl and plastic interiors of cars. The key is applying in a few thin layers, which is recommended by the manufacturer. So far, I have noticed only a slight amount of chipping where the bottom of the camera hooks onto the small round portion. The grip on the vulcanite is very secure, and the paint did not make it slippery.
The inside of the camera bottom was pretty simple. I removed the door latch assembly via the large center screw, cleaned the inside of the bottom with alcohol, then applied a few layers of flat black laquer, allowing 5 minutes between coats.