What's wrong with my Zorki?

[nickchew]

Hi guys

I received my Zorki 4K and for the first few shots it only shot B mode (ie shutter opened until I let go of the button).

When I asked the seller he said to try shooting many times at 1000, then 500, then 250... so on. I was silly enough to listen to him... I think I developed carpel tunnel syndrome from all that winding and shooting.

In anycase it did not work, now the Zorki only shoots B mode and approx 1/15 at any other shutter speed.

I also noticed that the shutter speed setting button has almost no resistance to turning at all. (I did remember to crank winder before adjusting shutter speed)

Is there life left for my Zorki or am I dealting with a piece of russian paperweight?

Thanks

Nick

 

[einolu]

Sometimes the speed selector comes loose. Get a screw driver and tighten it and see if this helps (there is a really small screw on ths side of it, you will need a small screwdriver, you can get one with those 99 cent glasses repair kits). If this works you can go from there and loosen the screw and adjust the speed selector so that it lines up with the proper speeds. Hope that works!

 

[nickchew]

Tried but the screws are already tight.
Is the speed selector supposed to have steps? I understand that I need to pull the selctor slightly to turn it?
But my camera speed selector turns without needing to pull it up and I can't feel any step where the markings should be.

Nick

 

[matu]

Hi Nick, the loosen speed selector is very suspicious, since it's very hard to change speeds, you must lift the knob and turn it carefully, sometimes while turning it there is a clock timer sound, when that happens to me I get wrong exposures or bulb setting, in order to fix the problem you must turn speed back to low speed.
Check the little screews on the barrel of the knob.

If that don't work it could be that the tension of the curtains isn't ok, when they are loose you can get wrong exposures and a loose spped knob.
Before messing with the curtains you must be sure of what your doing because you may end with a bigger problem.

Check Rick Oleson web for more details
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-27.html

Good luck

Pablo