Hello and help!!

A

austinslide

Guest
Hi Everyone,

I've just recently decided to start shooting film after years of using exclusively digital. Much as I would love a Leica.. finances arent going to stretch to that right now!
So, I bought myself a moinolta himatic, which is fun, and Ive shot off a couple of rolls which are looking pretty good.
I then decided I wanted to try out a Zorki.
So, I bought a 4K from a guy on ebay
But its a dud.
The shutter speed is dead and it doesnt seem to change.
Disappointing as this was, I wasnt overly disturbed. It wasnt a huge amount of money and the vendor assured me that it was fine when he sent it and offered a refund. I decided not to bother as the postage costs hardly made it worthwhile and i could keep it for the lens alone.
So I just bought another one, this time a zorki 4
This one arrived yesterday and there were 2 problems.
The first is that there is no film take up spool.
NOt really the end of the world. Ive contacted the venor and I am sure I will get one from somewhere.
However the second problem is far more irritating.
When I turn the rewind ring counter-clockwise to engage the mechanism, it doesnt fully work, thus when you wind the knob, it just keeps going and doesnt cock the shutter. When i messed around with it for a while, at one point it worked. then when I turned the rewind ring clockwise again and back, once more it stuck.
Irritating as this also happened with the first one!
Both cameras have worked sporadically so its obviously not a fatal flaw.. I was just wondering if anyone else had had this problem and if there is an easy (or even not so easy) fix?
I figure something is just sticking, but i dont want to take a pair of pliers to the rewind ring!!! (Unless someone else has and finds that it works!)
Seeing as how this is my second FSU camera in two weeks, I am currently just really disappointed as a) I've read about how reliable these things are and b) I'm really looking forward to shooting with one!
Any advice is appreciated, even non- direct advice like "give up on zokri's and buy a fed!"
😀
 
Sounds like you have had the unfortunate experience of the FSU saga. I wouldn't give up, there are plenty of good ones around too. I am not the most knowledgeable FSU guy here, but I am sure you will hear recommendations to send you camera/s to Oleg for a repair. If you are going to box them up and send them back to the old country, I would send them to Oleg knowing that when they return they will be back working properly.

http://www.okvintagecamera.com/
 
Yeah exactly. The problems is when set to the right, it isnt going fully to the right and the mechanism is still locked for rewind.
 
I havent had this problem, so I cant help you. You could try to repair it yourself with the help of someone here who knows how to, or send it to Oleg. Unfortunately FSU bargains may or may not have some problems. But when they work they are a joy to use, so dont give up on FSU yet!
 
Many people have the same difficulty with Zorki 4's (me included). Note that the shutter-release button itself also turns. There is actually a lock so that you can use the shutter on "T" as well as "B".

The likely remedy for the "permanent rewind" is to turn the rewind collar fully anticlockwise (so the dot is to the back of the camera and the collar pops up) PLUS turn the shutter-release button fully clockwise. There is actually a dot on the button too, but it is often worn off. The dot on the collar and the dot on the button should line up at the back of the camera in order for the clutch to engage and cock the shutter. Have fun !
 
Hi Austinslide !
Try to depress the trigger button when you turn the collar. It may prove usefull !
I've not my Z4 handy now, but on some Zorki's the shutter release can be locked down in order to make very long exposures at night. This could be another problem (yoou press it and turn it about 45 ° and it locks down, to unlock, press it a little and turn the other direction)
Hope this helps !
 
This reminds me of why, after much deliberation, I decided to buy a Fed 2 from Oleg rather than ebay or other! I could have saved a few dollars I'm sure but the Fed I received from him was Cla'd before it was sent .... as he does to most of his cameras!

I have the type of luck that if I did get a "bargain" of the bay ... it would turn out to be a lemon!

🙁
 
I spent a lot of money sending several bodies over to Oleg after I got a bargin on them on ebay. I traded my Kievs for a Bessa L and I am about to put up for sale a Fed2 that was CLAed by Oleg last spring. I have a 35/2.8 chrome with finder and rear cap, a 85/2 black with front, rear caps and finder and a 5x/2.8 on the body.

I tested all the lenses (ran a roll of film through her) and they all focus fine. The 50 is a bit stiff, but not horable, the 35 and 85 are smooth. I tested the shutter speeds and they all give the same exposure. I even had a Fed5 takeup spool added to her to make her easier to use. She sounds great and the rangefinder patch is bright and snappy.

If you are interested in her, PM me.

B2 (;->
 
So, you have Minolta HiMatic for shooting and Zorkis for playing around. I hope you like tinkering, as this is going to be lot of fun:

If the problem isn't (as others suggested) the shutter release locked-down on T, it might be dirt in the shutter release button assembly.

Get yourself a good set of watchmakers screwdrivers, flat and philips (the will come handy for the Minolta 😉 ) and you can start right away.

Choose the camera you would like to be in working order. Now put it aside until you learn how it works on the other one 😀
The only difference is the advance knob / lever.
I don't know how to remove the lever, but to remove the knob is fairly easy: unscrew one screw on side of the knob and turn knob couter-clockwise. Unscrew the small set-screw on the collar around the shutter release and unscrew the collar. Now the synchronization dial around the shutter speed scale - unscrew the small set-screw. Now you are ready to take off the top.
Take the shutter release button out and clean the shaft.

If you made it to here, I'm sure you are able to 'google' some more info...

Good luck!
 
The Zorki and Feds are real cams just like a similar Leicia but a Leica needs and gets maintenance, you either need to buy from a maintenance shop, or send to a maintenance shop or buy screw drivers...

Searck for Zorkikat (Jay) a member here for maintenance instructions, treat the cams like Leicias, they will all work well, eventually.

Noel
 
Four words: "Ronsonol is our friend."

Every Zorki I've recieved, which luckily have all come ready to shoot, gets introduced to Ronsonol immeidiately (except the Zorki.3M that came CLA'd from Oleg). There is, hiding in every FSU, 40-50 year old grease that's turned to yak-fat grunge with time. Ronsonol lighter fluid takes care of it. Try to control where it runs/drips as best you can and allow it to evaporate and dry thoroughly before trying to shoot film, but it will do wonders for dragging, sticking, stiff anythings. Once the yak fat has been thinned, it needs to be removed if at all possible and the moving parts given some lube, i.e. a conservative drop of very light oil.

Check out these links first. Rick and Jay both hang out here from time to time. Their pages are priceless.

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-58.html
http://jay.fedka.com/index.htm
http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/marine/569/rusrngfdrs/zorki4.html
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/zorki/zorki.htm

Good luck... Tinker and enjoy!
 
Last edited:
Hey folks,

Thanks for the help.
The problem did indeed turn out to be the locked shutter release on the Zorki 4.
The 4K with the non-changing shutter spped seems more terminal.
I've ordered a Fed and a takeup spool for the Zorki 4 from oleg, so once they arrice that should be me set 😀

Thanks again!
 
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