Some photos darker on right side, shutter?

[Kalli]

Scanning in a roll yesterday I started noticing that some photos from my Zorki-4 were significantly darker on the right side. Perhaps a couple of stops darker, probably less rather than more.

I'm guessing this is a shutter issue. Any ideas what might be the problem? Hopefully this is something easily fixed (if it won't just go away by itself, temperamental beast...) as I'm willing to do simpler work myself but otherwise I'm lacking in mechanical aptitude.

I would just hate to see the old beast turn into a paperweight.

 

[wolves3012]

Only some photos? Sounds like you may need to check the shutter tensions. Have a look at the sticky thread on this. There's a small cover over the adjusters on the Zorki 4 but it's nothing major to do. Just needs patience!

 

[colyn]

What you describe sounds like shutter bounce. Adding tension may or may not fix it so the best alternative is to have the camera serviced by someone who knows what to do.. Fedka comes to mind...

 

[bsdunek]

Sounds like either the first curtain is running fast or the second curtain is running slow. This gives more exposure at the end of the run than at the beginning. Or maybe on FSU cameras it's the other way. In any case, a shutter tester is really needed. Trial and error will take a looong time. IMHO.

 

[payasam]

You might try to recall the shutter speed or speeds used in the problem frames.

Fedka's repair service is said to be good; but as you are in Sweden, Oleg K. is closer to you.

 

[Kalli]

Hmmm...

I'd have hoped to not need to have it serviced as the price of servicing it will probably be on the level with getting another one – although I'd have little insurance that the "new" one would be better.

For what it's worth I'm pretty sure most of the photos from that roll, and thus that were half-dark, were taken at 1/125 or 1/250, but it's probably either the "regular" speeds or the slow speeds, right?

How about a "minor" CLA like this guy offers instructions for?

 

[Kalli]

You might try to recall the shutter speed or speeds used in the problem frames.

Fedka's repair service is said to be good; but as you are in Sweden, Oleg K. is closer to you.

Good timing 🙂

Incidentally I bought the camera from Oleg a bit over a year ago. I might try to shoot him an e-mail for a price estimate.

 

[wolves3012]

What you describe sounds like shutter bounce. Adding tension may or may not fix it so the best alternative is to have the camera serviced by someone who knows what to do.. Fedka comes to mind...

Shutter bounce leaves an over-exposed bar at one end, not a gradation of exposure, which is what he seems to describe.

 

[wolves3012]

How about a "minor" CLA like this guy offers instructions for?

There's a sticky thread on here on how to CLA a Zorki 4/4K if you feel adventurous...

 

[Kalli]

Well, it's not a bar and not so graduated. I'll have to get up a sample photo, really, but the right half is darker, really.

Yeah, I'm feeling adventurous and I had seen that sticky thread. Just wanted to get an approximation of what the problem was before I approach a screwdriver. I might try for a CLR.

 

[brachal]

It sounds to me like the shutter mechanism is dry or dirty. My Leica III did the same thing. A cleaning and some lubrication should fix it.

 

[fidget]

I have a FED2 which is in mint condition, but had a shutter cocking problem which I didn't have the enthusiasm to tackle until a few weeks ago (bad weather). I was so thrilled to find a simple fix that I took it away during a weekend break and used it as if it were mint in operation too.

I should have tested it more carefully....some of the pics showed problems in the shutter. Seen mainly at the fastest speeds but also in the next speed down (depending on how seriously mis-adjusted it is).

I make a habit of testing for this on my first film through FSU cameras, for this I simply take the same shot twice at fastest shutter speed, the second time with the camera upside-down.
Comparison of the images clearly shows a problem.

In this, IIRC the top image was taken with the camera inverted. It looks as if the gap between the shutters is closing as it runs across the frame. There is more than one stop difference from one side to the other.

I am pretty sure that this camera is in good mechanical shape, so it's "just" a matter of adjusting one of the curtain's tension. The shutter is nice and soft, so I will decrease the tension by a half turn on the second curtain and run some checks (see the sticky on curtain tension).

It "should" be a trivial adjustment. Have a go!

Dave....

 

[Kalli]

That looks similar to my problem, Dave. I guess I'll have to start ripping things apart with my ten thumbs 🙂

But that can wait, I picked up a very reasonably priced Fed-2, as I'm in a hurry for travelling reasons, which I hope will work well enough. The Zorki can get a bit of time off while I gather courage.