Zorki 2S issue

[Dewexdewex]

I have recently acquired a Zorki 2S. I note that there are shutter curtain transport issues with it. There is a lot of drag on the curtains, which is slowing them significantly. There is not enough spring tension to oppose the drag and close the curtains on the B setting, for example.

I can see some debris under one of the curtains (shown in photograph attached). If anyone could guess what it is and how it seems to be adhered to the curtain, I would like to know before I attempt to get hold of it with tweezers.

To get better access, and hopefully loosen the curtain on the spindle, so I can have a look at the debris, I would like to remove the main shell of the camera to expose the shutter crate.

Can someone tell me if I can do this without having to interfere with any of the camera top and just remove all screws indicated with red circles in the other attached images, please? All disassembly instructions seem to indicate that removal of the winding knob, shutter speed button and rangefinder/viewfinder eyepieces is necessary to facilitate this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dewexdewex]

The debris was a fragment of film, which I managed to pull out without disassembly.

I will attempt to clean and lubricate the bits of the shutter and winding mechanism I can get to without taking the crate to bits.

 

[Coldkennels]

You shouldn't have to remove anything on the top plate to remove the body shell itself.

Remove the self timer winding lever (but not the mechanism itself!), the body screws you circled, and just push in the rangefinder arm slightly so it'll clear the lens mount.

Be sure to make a note of which way the lens mount was orientated, and if there's any shims behind it, where they were. Also, use a business card inserted into the film path to hold down the pressure plate as you remove the shell.

According to the Maizenburg book, there's two variations of the self-timer. Early ones require you to remove the button that trips the mechanism to remove the body shell; later ones allow you to leave the button in place. I honestly have no idea how you tell which version is which; I did a skim-read of the whole section for the 2C and couldn't see any diagrams or description of visible indicators for the change in design. Sorry about that!

 

[Dewexdewex]

You shouldn't have to remove anything on the top plate to remove the body shell itself.

Remove the self timer winding lever (but not the mechanism itself!), the body screws you circled, and just push in the rangefinder arm slightly so it'll clear the lens mount.

Be sure to make a note of which way the lens mount was orientated, and if there's any shims behind it, where they were. Also, use a business card inserted into the film path to hold down the pressure plate as you remove the shell.

According to the Maizenburg book, there's two variations of the self-timer. Early ones require you to remove the button that trips the mechanism to remove the body shell; later ones allow you to leave the button in place. I honestly have no idea how you tell which version is which; I did a skim-read of the whole section for the 2C and couldn't see any diagrams or description of visible indicators for the change in design. Sorry about that!

Many thanks for your advice, and prompt reply.

I am now confident that I can remove the body shell with this information. I may look into first adjusting the roller tension spring for the top curtain to see if this has an impact on its closure.

Given its general cleanliness, part of me wondered if it did need cleaning/lubrication, but I read that the factory lubrication in these cameras dries up and leaves a gummy residue, so I will disassemble, I think.

If I notice any resistance around the timer trip when I disassemble, I'll attempt to remove the button. I've seen some disassembly videos of Zorki 4 bodies which all leave this trip in place. The exterior button merely bears on the actual trip on the timer mechanism as it it attached to the crate. On the basis of your warning, I'll do some research.

Regards.

 

[Coldkennels]

I am now confident that I can remove the body shell with this information. I may look into first adjusting the roller tension spring for the top curtain to see if this has an impact on its closure.

I would recommend against this idea, personally.

I've seen a few "repair jobs" that used this technique to power through dried up grease. It usually causes other problems - from something as basic and non-essential as making the shutter more noisy to putting so much strain on the mechanism that something wears out or breaks. Besides, it is usually a temporary fix - as the original lubricant dries out further, the tension just has to be cranked higher and higher to deal with it.

I think the best solution is to totally clean out old lubricant, relubricate with something suitable, and have the curtain tension as low as you can physically manage while still getting even exposures and the correct shutter speeds.... but I'm not sure how many people are willing to do that.

 

[Dewexdewex]

I would recommend against this idea, personally.

I've seen a few "repair jobs" that used this technique to power through dried up grease. It usually causes other problems - from something as basic and non-essential as making the shutter more noisy to putting so much strain on the mechanism that something wears out or breaks. Besides, it is usually a temporary fix - as the original lubricant dries out further, the tension just has to be cranked higher and higher to deal with it.

I think the best solution is to totally clean out old lubricant, relubricate with something suitable, and have the curtain tension as low as you can physically manage while still getting even exposures and the correct shutter speeds.... but I'm not sure how many people are willing to do that.

Thanks once again. I'll take this advice, too.

Regards.

 

[Dewexdewex]

Having read around a little, I discovered that the earlier Z2S had a timer where the trigger was below the cocking lever. The later one, like mine, which is 1959, has a timer with a shorter lever and exposed trigger above the lever.

Soviet and Russian Cameras

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I will work on the basis that the cover should be removable without the trigger having to be taken out.