new zorki 4 owner

[abnopanda]

Hi everyone!

I have recently acquired a Zorki-4 w/ industrar 50-2 3.5/50. It took me a while before getting comfortable and learning how to use the camera. I had my fingers crossed the whole time I was figuring the camera out thinking i might break it. 😛 It's fun after I figured out how to use it though.

I do have a question for all the zorki experts out there. I noticed that the pictures i get back from the camera is a bit out of focus no matter what. After doing some research online, it seems that it might be the lens no matching the camera body. I verified that the camera is built in 56 while the lens is 70 based on the serial numbers. Could that be the reason? does that mean that I need to buy a lens that is make exactly in 56? or can i get ones that are built within a certain time period?

Also, if this is indeed a lens issue, which lens would you recommend I get as a must have?

thanks in advance!!!

 

[fidget]

It could be that your rangefinder is out of alignment. Did you take all your pics by focussing with the viewfinder?
You could check that something at infinity (more than say 50m away) with the RF and look to see if the scale on the lens is at infinity.
Might be a good start...

Dave

 

[Spyderman]

Welcome to forum abnopanda.

You don't need to buy another lens. All lenses should be interchangable with exception being pre-war FED bodies and lenses.

To be able to interchange lenses there are 3 things that sometimes might need adjustment:

1.) "mount register" = the distance from film plane to the front of lens mount must be 28.8mm. Best measured by a "vernier caliper". This adjustment is done by adding or removing paper shims under lens mount.

2.) rangefinder often gets misadjusted by shocks to the camera body or by mounting the lens set to infinity (therefore when mounting lens - turn it to its minimum focus distance!). Just do a search on "rangefinder adjustment".

3.) lens collimation (shimming) so that the lens is really focussed at the distance indicated by the scale. (again - do a search on "collimation")

Start by checking the RF calibration: check that when you focus on something at exactly 1m far from camera, the lens scale reads 1m and similar for infinity, but use a target that is WAY FARTHER THAN 50m (i.e. at lease 1 mile/km).

 

[ErnestoJL]

Welcome to the forum Abnopanda!
I second Dave and Ondrej´s opinion regarding that it may be just an RF misadjustment.
Check it first using a frosted glass in place of the film, focusing a target object far away (>>100 m) and at 1 m. Use a magnifying glass and verify if the lens focuses correctly. If his is OK, then check the RF adjustment .

Ohhhhh....I forget this: never select shutter speed before winding. Do it after to avoid jamming or breaking the shutter.
Hope this helps.
Ernesto