Zorki 4k Shutter speed Dial

[dom]

Hi
I'm a proud new owner of a Zorki 4k, but have had a bit of trouble with the shutter speed dial. Every time I turn it to 1/125, it works fine. However when I wish to change it to another speed, the dial lifts up but fails to move round either way. I have fixed it once before just by 'fiddling' but it has happened again, and I can't seem to get to move away from 1/125....

😕

Any ideas?

Thanks

dom

 

[reagan]

You're winding the film first BEFORE changing shutter speeds, right?

 

[dom]

You're winding the film first BEFORE changing shutter speeds, right?

yes. definately

 

[cloclo15]

zorki 4 shutter speed dial: more of a question

zorki 4 shutter speed dial: more of a question

this lovely old lady gave me her zorki 4 as a gift (lucky me). good girl that i am, before using it i studiously read through the manual (no moving of the shutter speed dial before the film was wound). i'm just a bit nervous about the shutter speed dial. every time i wind on it moves (rotates) and when i hit the release button it resets. is this normal?

 

[rbiemer]

this lovely old lady gave me her zorki 4 as a gift (lucky me). good girl that i am, before using it i studiously read through the manual (no moving of the shutter speed dial before the film was wound). i'm just a bit nervous about the shutter speed dial. every time i wind on it moves (rotates) and when i hit the release button it resets. is this normal?

Yes. Keep your fingers away from it when you are taking pictures--if you impede the motion of the dial, the speeds will be incorrect.
And welcome aboard!
Rob

 

[rolleistef]

Yes, it's completely normal. Also : check whether the 30th works correctly : you might also need to clean the shutter mecanism as it's sometimes full of old grease, and it slows down the second shutter, occasioning blurry and overexposed pictures. See attachement : all the pictures were taken at 1/30, and the shutter only worked correctly once it was excercised and the grease was heated a bit...

 

[reagan]

dom ~ sorry for the delayed reply, but (a) I haven't had that problem and (b) I haven't had a 4K. However, to my several other Zorkis I have given each a fair looking over upon arrival, cleaning as best I can any old grease and general grime that may be visible among the shutter assembly's gears, etc.

Several RFFers here do a fair amount of DIY cleaning using lighter fluid to break the hardening grease. It works nicely, but should you go this route, take care that you only get it on parts you want it on and allow air to get to it afterwards so that it evaporates completely. I tell you this because it sounds like the shutter to your 4K hasn't had much action in some time. Stagnant parts = stagnant old FSU grease that gums things up pretty good and is a pain until it's just gotten rid of.

With film removed, I beleive I'd cock and fire the shutter several times, like LOTS of times, just to put the shutter through it's paces a little. See if it begins to loosen up, maybe sound better and then try changing speeds again. Let us know what you've tried and any changes.

cloclo15 ~ that's a great gift. Load some film in it take it for a test drive. I think you'll enjoy it. (And no worries - I've got clutzy fat fingers and hang my finger on the shutter speed dial whilst shooting all the time on my Zorkis and Leicas. 🙄 It makes funky pics sometimes, but hasn't hurt anything.)

 

[fidget]

Hi Dom, congratulations. As CVBLZ4 says, these can get packed with dried grease, a simple service would help here. I can't imagine why it moved once but not again. Please forgive a basic question, but are you lifting the speed selector far enough? It probably will move about 3mm. Try again, lift high and turn anti-clockwise, then clockwise. No force should be needed. I wonder if the selector has been screwed up tight whilst set a speed at the end of it's stops, so that it will move in one direction only.
When you say, every time you turn it to 125, do you mean that you fully cock the camera and it is at 125th when you've done this, or do you stop winding when it lines up? ....just a few ideas.........Dave

 

[dom]

Thanks for your reply. I've run the shutter through its paces and the mechanism itself seems fine. However, I have noticed that when changing the speed from 1/250 to 1/125, it makes a clicking noise, very similar to the noise made by the delay timer. After it has been changed the shutter speed is no longer alterable.

 

[dom]

I definately lift the dial high enough. The jammed dial can be released by lifting out of the 1/2sec hole when the shutter is released. On winding the shutter the dial can then be lifted reset to any speed between 1/30 and 1/250 with no jamming.

 

[fidget]

Dom, changing speeds (in the slow speed group 15th -1s) is not recommended. I've just dug my 4k out, never used it! So when cocked and in 125th position, the indicator on the disc is pointing to about 2 o'clock? Will the speed selector move clockwise? (lift and turn).

 

[wolves3012]

dom, I've had this happen a couple of times on mine. I'd pulled the camera apart completely for a thorough CLA prior to this. There's only one possibility that I can see - the shutter speed knob is jamming against the upper part of the case. I cannot see any other way this can happen.

I haven't yet proved this to work but you might try the following: Cock the shutter, as you do so, watch the speed knob turning and see if it rotates off-centre. If it does, try slackening one of the two retaining grub-screws and then tightening the other. You'll have to figure which to loosen and which to tighten and you'll possibly make things worse before better, so make a note of what you do so you can at least reverse it.

 

[fidget]

I think that there is a chance that it is caught in the middle of the slow speeds and that these are damaged, jamming and stopping movement.

 

[dom]

The speed dial won't move in either direction when it is jammed at 1/125. On closer inspection, it is not possible to lift the dial as high as normal when on 1/125. The shutter is now beginning to squeak/click all over the place now...

 

[wolves3012]

I think that there is a chance that it is caught in the middle of the slow speeds and that these are damaged, jamming and stopping movement.

Aha, hadn't thought of that one - if the slow-speed pin is sitting above the selector, having unwound too far, that is a possibilty. It could indeed block the lifting of the knob.

Dom, do the slow speeds work properly when selected? It's an intricate mechanism so unless you're familiar I don't recommend fiddling...

 

[fidget]

This is what happens when the slow speeds are selected, the selector knob doesn't drop as far as when 30th + speeds are engaged. What direction does the indicator point when cocked?

 

[dom]

I don't think they do...From what I remember, at 1s it make a noise for about 1s but I don't think the shutter stayed open for that long. When the dial is on a slow speed, it does sit higher than when it is on one of the faster settings. Am I right in thinking that the slow speed mechanism is new on the zorki 4 models?

Thanks again

 

[fidget]

Yes, selecting slow speeds causes the knob to sit higher, this is what catches the mechanism when the shutter is released. And as you change speeds in the slow speed section, you wind/unwind the clockwork mechanism, so any damage here and you might not be able to change speed.....Sorry, posted before reading responses. I wonder if (also) crap is filling the selector hole (or is it a slot on these?) so that the bit that engages the slow speed mechanism is hit when it shouldn't be. So should we check that the selector knob will drop far enough? But, anyway, it's looking like a strip is reqd. The slow speed mech may be damaged (but who needs it anyway???)

 

[dom]

The slow speed mech may be damaged (but who needs it anyway???)

Well I quite like my night photography...
Anyway, if it does need stripping that's a shame - it was a Christmas present from my parents who bought it from eBay (my Dad had a 4K when he was younger but has since lost it). It was one of the few listed cameras that was in full working order. Oh well

How much will a service cost? I have been quoted £20 for 2 screws on a previous camera(!), so will it be cheaper to buy another one?

 

[fidget]

Could you send this one back? Or, buy another and strip this one for fun. If you are dipping into FSU RF use you will need to know how to, or need to know a man who can (and have much more spare cash). There's plenty of info here on how to get started. Plus, what I was saying is only my best guess, it's difficult without seeing the camera. It may be much more simple.