I think I screwed up my Zorki 4

W

wizard717

Member
Local time
7:28 AM
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
32
I have a Zorki 4, which I love. I've gotten some great pictures with it.
Today while I was shooting some pic's at a local VW show. I Accidently changed the shutter speed before I cocked the shutter. (first time I very did this):bang:
Now the second shutter curtain sticks a speeds of 1/60 and slower. The shutter timer seems to be working as far as the length of time from the first curtain opening and the second starting to close. But the second curtain just seems to drag and stop.

How bad did I screw up my beloved Zorki 4 and is there an easy way to repair it?
 
Last edited:
I did the same on a Zorki 4 once. I can't find the link but somewhere it was suggested to fire the camera on B several times, then at 1/30 once and then at 1/500 once - it worked on mine. I don't know what the logic is in this; I am not very handy - never saw the camera from the inside.

When I was young a good friend of mine had a Zenit E, he forgot the golden rule of FSU shutters several times and his remedy was to bash the camera a couple of times on a hard surface - not that I would recommend that, but it worked :D
 
We've all done this at some stage. From an earlier thread:

"Success! Curt and einolu - thanks for your suggestions. I actually went in deep again tonite; pulled off the top and the bottom plate and the body as well, pulled out the self-timer (got that working again too!), and the plate at the front that hides the shutter curtains, and finally pulled off the cover over the shutter bits that holds the flash-synch contacts. Under all that I found a bunch of bits that looked somewhat like the diagrams on Rick's site. Fiddled with that until I understood what I was poking at, and suddenly the shutter released! The problem was the little cam that lies under the disk with the notches - it had been rotated away from its proper position lying within the curve of that bit that manages the "B" setting (if you've been there you'll know what I'm talking about - maybe!). Did a major clean and lube on the way out, and it's all back together again with no bits left over."

Unfortunately this site removes the pics attached to old posts, but the text may help.
 
Take a look at the Zorki 4/4K CLA sticky thread, it'll help if you need to pull it apart. Depending what speed you actually set, you may have forced the pins that operate the slow-speed mechanism past each other - it's hard to say. You may well not have actually broken anything
 
Firstly, do you actually have a problem now? From what you said above, I suspect the slow-speed mechanism is, at least, knocked out of position. Are you willing to take the top off and tinker?
 
Yup, I have the problem. I've tried the thing konicaman mentioned, but no luck.

I'm a little nervous about taking the top off. Well, really not so much taking it off, it's getting it back together correctly that concerns me.


How will I know if I get the slow speed mechanism into the correct position?
 
Last edited:
wizard717 said:
Yup, I have the problem. I've tried the thing konicaman mentioned, but no luck.

I'm a little nervous about taking the top off. Well, really not so much taking it off, it's getting it back together correctly that concerns me.


How will I know if I get the slow speed mechanism into the correct position?
Click to expand...
Read the relevant part of the sticky thread, it's explained in there how it works and how to position it correctly. Based on your description, I suspect the slow-speed mechanism cam is no longer positioned correctly, or the two pins that wind it up have been forced past each other. If you're not confident of opening it up, I'd leave it to the repairman - and that may not be an economic answer.
 
Just got an email from Oleg Khalyavin in Russia.

He said a complete CLA from him will fix the problem and any others. The cost would be 48 U.S. dollars
Have you or anybody on the forum had any experience with his work.
 
Well, my Zorki is off to see the wizard, Oleg, for a complete CLA.
He told me that will resolve my problem and anything that may be wrong.:)
Shipped it out this morning.
For the next month or so I'll be like a kid waiting for Christmas.
 
spystyle said:
Which former Soviet Union range finder cameras do not have this problem ? I'm sure I'd damage one if I got it :)
Click to expand...

Treat them all this way (winding first) - I do that just in case, so I don't have to remember which ones have this syndrome and which not - heck I have even started doing that on my Konica SLRs :)
 
spystyle said:
Which former Soviet Union range finder cameras do not have this problem ? I'm sure I'd damage one if I got it :)
Click to expand...
The ones you definitely can change without damaging: FED 2, Zorki C/2/2C/5/6 and all Kievs (there is some opinion that setting a Kiev uncocked may not give you the speed you set on some slower speeds, but it won't damage it).

The ones you really risk damaging fairly easily: Any FED/Zorki with a slow-speed clockwork delay (i.e. it has speeds slower than 1/20th). Zorki 3 (all models), Zorki 4/4K and FED 3/4/5.

The ones it's pointless on but you have to use force to damage: Ones with one-piece dials but no slow-speed clockwork, i.e. Zorki/FED 1, Zorki MIR.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom