Zorki-3

[angusW]

I've just recently purchased a Zorki-3. it's not the "M" or "C" version. I'm very new to rangefinders so I'm not too familiar with them. I did have a Fed-3b. I was wondering if there is a good cla guide for the Zorki-3. Also, any manuals that could be downloaded.

The rangefinder seems to be in working order as I focused on an object 1M away and also an object that was approx. 1/4km away. Both were in focus. I'm assuming that the film has to be wound before the shutter speed is changed. I took the back off to see if the slower shutter speeds are working correctly, but I do not think that they are. I'm also assuming the shutter speed dial on top has to be on "25" for the slower speeds to work and visa versa for the faster speeds.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I read somewhere that if you can CLA a leica III (c,d,e,f) you can also CLA this boy; it should have the same slowspeed escapement at the same place. I have two of them, but haven't got time yet to CLA them properly (one of them has a loose rewind knob, not sure yet whether something is missing).

Btw, there are lots of manuals to help you to CLA a Leica III....

some repairnotes for the zorki: http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/info/2.htm
and another one: http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-58.html

 

[Fabrice2]

you have to totally dismount the camera to give it a cla.
I did it on mine and i had a lot of work, if you can read russian there's the maizenberg book ustrojstvo i remont fotoapparatov, that's the one i used and it has really helped me.You can find it for cheap on ebay or on this russian website as a pdf.

http://rangefinder.ru/articles/18/1/Ustrojstvo_i_remont_fotoapparatov
you can copy/paste the text you need in google translator i think it translate russian now.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Thanks, a friend of my son is Russian, I will ask whether he can translate it, or is it another language?

In the meantime I had a chance to look into the pdf, and from what I see in the pictures, the slow speed escapement works the same and is located at the same place as the one of the Leica III (located at the bottom)

Here you can find a pdf for CLA of a screwmount Leica:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kpmg0072/Cameras/CLA%20Screw_mount_Leicas.pdf

 

[yangyangyyy]

what a coincidence!

I also bought a Zorki 3 recently (the pure version, without sync, and with the abominable leica IIIf-style slow dial). I'm currently CLA'ing it.

I have a hard time figuring out how the slow speed works,

the dial and dial-cam level is the same as Leica IIIf, but the bottom slow governor seems different, since on Leica there is a "pallet control gear" connected with the second curtain rod, but on Zorki 3, the rod doesn't connect with anything.


anybody knows how this works?

thanks

I read somewhere that if you can CLA a leica III (c,d,e,f) you can also CLA this boy; it should have the same slowspeed escapement at the same place. I have two of them, but haven't got time yet to CLA them properly (one of them has a loose rewind knob, not sure yet whether something is missing).

Btw, there are lots of manuals to help you to CLA a Leica III....

some repairnotes for the zorki: http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/info/2.htm
and another one: http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-58.html

 

[angusW]

Wow, thank you for all the replies. Unfortunately I don't read any Russian, but that's ok. I'll eventually get the information together, with the help you have given me, to give this beauty a good cla as it needs it.

That brings me to another question. Where is a good place to get a good set of tools to disassemble the Zorki? I have a garage full of tools but none are intended for this purpose. Any place online? I live in Canada near Toronto, so perhaps a store near by?

 

[yangyangyyy]

the job of disassembling it is painful yet very rewarding after u put it back together 🙂

but I suggest trying it out on a cheaper one first --- Zorki 3 is a hard-to-find model, you can try the Fed2 or Zork 1 or Fed 2, those are Leica IIIa copies, without the slow dial and self-timer. I failed on my Zorki 1 but got invaluable experience there.

when you take it apart, it's good to take the opportunity to give it a new shutter. you can buy it from a Japanese guy on ebay, he sells shutter cloth and ribbons, as well as custom skins, very nice.

I'd say the tools are quite simple, most grocery stores have the simple jewelery screw drivers, then you need a plier, 2 tweezers, one sharp utility knife. better yet, buy the spanner wrench (for screwing out lens rings) from the indian guy on ebay. ----- most importantly, a bottle of acetone! dump the dirty stuff in there, then it comes out clean! you will need a large plastic sheet (I use household plastic wrap) to put on table to make the cleaning easier, especially you don't want the acetone to be left on table.


would u please let me know how the slow dial works once you crack it out?
thanks 🙂

Wow, thank you for all the replies. Unfortunately I don't read any Russian, but that's ok. I'll eventually get the information together, with the help you have given me, to give this beauty a good cla as it needs it.

That brings me to another question. Where is a good place to get a good set of tools to disassemble the Zorki? I have a garage full of tools but none are intended for this purpose. Any place online? I live in Canada near Toronto, so perhaps a store near by?