manfromh
I'm not there
Few days ago I bought a Zorki-4k for 11$. It seems to be in almost perfect condition, except that the viewfinder is kind of wobbling. When I look through the viewfinder, the image is shaking a bit. At first I thought its my hands that are shaking, but now im sure its the viewfinder. It doesnt bother me very much, but i just wanna make sure that it wont lead to bigger problems. And how hard is it to take the top off and glue (?) the viewfinder down? Is superglue okay?
And another thing. I know that the camera must never be pointed at the sun without a lenscap on. But what about fires and lamps?
And another thing. I know that the camera must never be pointed at the sun without a lenscap on. But what about fires and lamps?
Xmas
Veteran
Man...
Please cover the rangefinder and the finder objectives alternately to see if one or both are wobbling. Both means the problem is in the common path one means it is in the path wobbling.
Noel
Please cover the rangefinder and the finder objectives alternately to see if one or both are wobbling. Both means the problem is in the common path one means it is in the path wobbling.
Noel
rolleistef
Well-known
Hi manfromh
the top coper removal of a Zorki 4 (and 4K) is very easy. Just a couple of screw to take off : the two big ones on the front and the back, the too tiny ones on the speed dial (set it to a speed you'll remember).
as I have a 4 and not a 4k, so not advance lever. But you'll certainely googlize it on a website or another.
For the VF, you will hardly need any glue, it must be a loose screw.
Good luck!!
the top coper removal of a Zorki 4 (and 4K) is very easy. Just a couple of screw to take off : the two big ones on the front and the back, the too tiny ones on the speed dial (set it to a speed you'll remember).
as I have a 4 and not a 4k, so not advance lever. But you'll certainely googlize it on a website or another.
For the VF, you will hardly need any glue, it must be a loose screw.
Good luck!!
rolleistef
Well-known
PS : both Xmas and me answered at the same time 
PPS : I forgot mentionning to remove the long screw on the dial round the speed selector...
PPS : I forgot mentionning to remove the long screw on the dial round the speed selector...
Last edited:
wolves3012
Veteran
Second question first: Fires and lamps would have to be *seriously* powerful to burn the curtains so that's pretty unlikely.manfromh said:
First question: the 4K has a little trap for the unwary when taking the top off, it's the return-spring for the wind lever. Here's how it comes off:
Remove the screw near the eyepiece on the back. Remove the screw near the viewfinder on the front. Remove the screw near the rangefinder on the front. Remove the screw from the accessory shoe on the top and the one near the wind crank. These screws are all different so note which is which!
Loosen the two screws on the shutter dial and remove it - note what speed you had set for later re-assembly. Don't remove these screws, just undo them enough to remove the dial. It helps to set a speed of about 1/2 sec to access these. Likewise slacken the grub-screw on the flash-synch ring, don't remove it!
Now remove the frame counter screw and hence the dial, under which is a star-shaped washer. You will now see two holes in the plate underneath. Using something like circlip pliers, undo this - it's a LEFT-HAND thread so CLOCKWISE to unscrew! You'll have to get a large screwdriver in the bottom of the film spool to hold it still too.
The spool will drop out now. Now for the trickier part...
There are three screws holding a kind of drum and the rewind lever - DON'T be tempted to undo them yet! First, you will see a small hole in the bottom of the recess. Find a small drill or pin that will fit in it - if you use a pin it must be plain with no head. Wind the lever partway, until the hole you can see lines up just BEYOND the nearby top-case screw hole. Insert the pin as far as you can with no force. Now, if you release the wind lever it won't return fully. If it does you didn't do this step correctly so go back and try again, wind a little further before putting it in.
Now undo the three screws in the bottom of the drum, and lift it off, over the inserted pin, together with the lever - do it carefully so as not to disturb the pin.
Now you can lift the top cover off. It's prudent to remove the winder and spring at this point, with the pin still in place. Just prise the outer end of the spring off its post and set the whole thing aside gently - if you disturb the pin the sprig WILL FLY and it's got sharp edges! Take off the ratchet gear from under it too, noting the position it engages at first.
As all the best manuals say, re-assembly is the reverse of the above! Before you put all the cover screws back, check that the lever engages at the right point. If it doesn't, you have not put the ratchet gear back in the right position.
Now you can get at the viewfinder/rangefinder. Either the whole thing will be loose or just the rangefinder mirror - there are 2 small adjusting screws and one screw on the end that retain it - check them. It's unlikely the viewfinder prisms will be loose on their assembly.
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Last edited:
manfromh
I'm not there
Okay, thanks! I might try it in few days.
Jason Sprenger
Well-known
My Zorki 3M's viewfinder had the wobbles too.
After removing the top cover, I saw that rear lens of the viewfinder prevented me from seeing the cause of the wobble. The rear lens was mounted on a copper frame held by two screws which I then removed.
I could see that the diopter lens itself was mounted to a frame whose foot rides in a track that is adjusted by the diopter lever. In my case, the play between the foot of the diopter lens frame and its track was significant and the cause for the "wobble".
To address the issue, I placed a thin piece of material underneath the "foot" in its track to act as a shim. Now with everything put back together the viewfinder of my Zorki 3M is wobble free and the diopter is a bit stiffer as well, which I count as a good thing.
Perhaps the viewfinder/rangefinder of your Zorki 4k has a similar sort of arrangement internally and might benefit from a similar solution.
After removing the top cover, I saw that rear lens of the viewfinder prevented me from seeing the cause of the wobble. The rear lens was mounted on a copper frame held by two screws which I then removed.
I could see that the diopter lens itself was mounted to a frame whose foot rides in a track that is adjusted by the diopter lever. In my case, the play between the foot of the diopter lens frame and its track was significant and the cause for the "wobble".
To address the issue, I placed a thin piece of material underneath the "foot" in its track to act as a shim. Now with everything put back together the viewfinder of my Zorki 3M is wobble free and the diopter is a bit stiffer as well, which I count as a good thing.
Perhaps the viewfinder/rangefinder of your Zorki 4k has a similar sort of arrangement internally and might benefit from a similar solution.