Zorki 4

[franciscojhh]

Hi to all. I recently bought a Zorki 4. It works OK, except that the slow speed mechanism does not work well. When I put any slow speed, the clockwork works fine, but the second curtain is released before it finishes. As a result, every speed works as 1/30s!

I would like to try repairing it. What do you recommend me to try?

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

First of all welcome aboard. The Zorki 4 is a great camera to have.

Having said that I ought to add that if you have to ask about repairing it yourself, then you shouldn't attempt it. My advice is to either get it repaired by a camera technician or else accept that the slow speeds are seldom needed and live with it. I'm sorry I can't be more encouraging.

Regards, David

 

[batterytypehah!]

Ah, David, ever the skeptic 🙂

Welcome, and I say go for it. The Zorki is built like a tractor. Getting the advance knob off is the only tricky part because the setscrew is easily messed up.

We have excellent instructions as "stickies" in this sub-forum, and there's always the intrepid Rick Oleson:

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-131.html and http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-58.html

 

[franciscojhh]

I accept that trying to repair it myself can be not the best option, but this Zorki 4 in particular is a bit ugly (it even has a dent) and got it cheap so I really wont cry if I destroy it. As it seems I will be into Zorkis for some time I though it could be a nice excuse to open it.

I have studied the stickies and Rick Oleson page, but still I don't know which parts should I take a look first to try to solve this particular problem.

Coincidentally, one of my friends gave me as a present a completely messed up Zorki-4K, that maybe I could open first to acquire the skills not to damage my Zorki 4. The shutter of the 4K does not work at all. If you disengage it, when you turn the advance knob, the curtains does not move and neither the speed dial. I think it may be completely beyond repair, but I could also be wrong. Any ideas about this one?

 

[batterytypehah!]

You mean the rewind lock? The collar around the shutter release button. It's supposed to do that so you can rewind your film. My Z-4, which I gave away to someone here, used to get stuck in the disengaged position. Try a cable release, that always worked for me.

By the way, you can also (carefully) rotate the shutter dial to see if the curtains will move. Sounds like a gorilla method, but it's not, it's what the mechanism does anyway as you advance. Just be careful because the shutter dial and shaft are not designed for this load.

 

[franciscojhh]

Yeah, I mean in the disengaged position, because in the engaged one it is impossible to do anything! Nothing moves at all when I try to rewind the fim...

 

[franciscojhh]

Opening the Zorki-4K gave me a good idea of what I am able to do and what not. Do you think that the problem of the low speed mechanism in the Zorki-4 can be solved by taking away the low speed mechanism? I don't really know where to look for the low speed escapement...

 

[ray*j*gun]

Repairing a camera (even an FSU), is not intuitive and without some skill and knowledge your going to have box cameras (cameras in parts in a box). Ah where is Eddie Smolov these days.

 

[batterytypehah!]

Well sorry to be blunt but if you already looked through the stickies and Rick's drawings, and you still don't know, then maybe camera repair is just not for you. I'm not aware of any better and clearer source for the beginner.

The standard textbook is "All You Need to Know About Design and Repair of Russian Cameras" by Isaak Maizenberg. Not sure where you can find it; I have a PDF copy from somewhere, probably pirated, that I don't wish to share. It's quite a bit more scholarly (for lack of a better word).

 

[fanshaw]

Opening the Zorki-4K gave me a good idea of what I am able to do and what not. Do you think that the problem of the low speed mechanism in the Zorki-4 can be solved by taking away the low speed mechanism? I don't really know where to look for the low speed escapement...

I'm no expert but I seem to remember that the shutter won't work at all if you remove the slow speed mechanism. As someone who has tried and failed to fix this part of a Zorki-4 I can advise you that it is not easy to put it back together so that it works.

 

[wolves3012]

Opening the Zorki-4K gave me a good idea of what I am able to do and what not. Do you think that the problem of the low speed mechanism in the Zorki-4 can be solved by taking away the low speed mechanism? I don't really know where to look for the low speed escapement...

Fanshaw is right, you can't just take out the slow-speed mechanism. If you do, the shutter won't fire at all. There is a small spring and very small lever under it that must be removed as well, quite fiddly. In fact, it sounds as though your actual problem may be connected to that lever - although it's not the only possibility.

Unless you are fairly confident with small mechanical things, you would be better advised to give it to someone who is competent and not fiddle yourself. There are plenty of kitchen-knife-repaired cameras out there already!

 

[David Hughes]

Hi again,

You see the problem is that you need a small stock of spare parts before you start and tools that fit. Just removing a few screws (the obvious ones) can snap the heads in half and the screw heads can be damaged easily if the screwdrivers don't fit. Grinding a screwdriver down won't work as the heat will draw the temper and so that means an oil-stone, a steady hand and boredom. And you can drop a tiny screw and never see it again...

And then there's the lubricants; I've seen people seriously recommend spraying on WD40 as a lubricant and silicone oil for metal parts and so on.

It's not that I'm a skeptic but I've seen a lot of thing wrecked by people who should have known better. And vice-versa, f'instance a lot of people would think it obvious to check that a rifle wasn't loaded before working on it but, well, words fail me at times...

And have you read the other thread near here entitled "Is my Zorki 4 a brick" which gives some idea of what might have happened and what can happen?

Regards, David

 

[franciscojhh]

OK, you guys convinced me: not trying to fix the low speeds.

I did clean the body and the viewfinder of the Zorki-4 (I think it had fungus in it) and the camera looks much better now. The range-finder image is still much dimmer than in my other Zorki (it looks like it can be a bit dirty) and it is also a bit off vertically... Do you know if that is easy to fix? I tried rotating the rangefinder window as in the Zorki-C, but it does not rotate...

 

[wolves3012]

I tried rotating the rangefinder window as in the Zorki-C, but it does not rotate...

The window does rotate. However, they were locked at the factory with shellac after they'd been set. Use a cotton bud or a small piece of tissue and soak the periphery of the window with meths or surgical spirit. That will soften the shellac and allow you to turn it. You may have to soak it for a few minutes or more. Don't use acetone, lighter-petrol etc, it won't soften it.