Zorki 5 or Zorki 6?

[theotse]

Hey, I have a Zorki 4 right now and im planning to replace it with either a Zorki 5 or Zorki 6. Which one should i get?

 

[rxmd]

The Zorki 5 is rarer, more expensive, considered more beautiful by some, is a bottom loader with all the initial trickiness that that brings, some Zorki 5s have an issue where firing the shutter with no lens mounted may lead to shutter damage.

The Zorki 6 is usually cheaper, considerably more ubiquitous, loads from the back like your Zorki 4, has a self timer which the Zorki-5 lacks, has a more robust shutter/rangefinder mechanism without the flaw outlined above, and its design is a little less clean due to things like the self timer lever and the hinges for the back.

 

[wolves3012]

The choice is between bottom-load or hinged back, apart from that they are functionally pretty much the same. The 5 suffers from incorrectly-set winder gears which can be very rough. Luckily, that's (usually) easily fixed. The 6 can suffer light leaks from a badly-fitting door. Whichever you get, check these points out if possible. As rxmd says, do NOT fire or wind the shutter on a 5 unless you have a lens attached, you risk damaging the mechanism.

Both of them have a wide-base RF and a bright VF that's really nice to use. Unless you're going to treat it with great care, I'd avoid the early version of the 5 (square RF window and the logo painted in red on the front). These are more delicate mechanically, I believe.

 

[fidget]

I find them to both be great users!
There are two models of the Zorki 5. The earlier model has a square RF window whilst the later model (apparently less were made of the later model) looks very like the Zorki 6.

Zorki 5a

 

[wolves3012]

I find them to both be great users!
There are two models of the Zorki 5. The earlier model has a square RF window whilst the later model (apparently less were made of the later model) looks very like the Zorki 6.

Zorki 5a

I thought fewer *early* cameras were made? The early model seems to turn up less often and goes for a higher price anyway! What do you think of the "fragility" of the early model, fidget?

 

[fanshaw]

Fewer of the early red logo type were made. I have two which are unusable because the winding mechanism jams. I also have two of the later type which work perfectly. Hence I am inclined to think that the suggestion that the early type was discontinued because of design faults is probably true.

 

[t6un]

I have read in somewhere in soviet repair books that Zorki 5 wind mechanism is often irrepairable because it's wind mechanism, while otherwise similar to that of Zorki 6, is stamped together and can only be replaced as a whole.

 

[fidget]

I thought fewer *early* cameras were made? The early model seems to turn up less often and goes for a higher price anyway! What do you think of the "fragility" of the early model, fidget?

Ah! I must confess that my Z5a is more a Shelf Queen than a user. The few films that I put through it showed the usual shutter fade on the fastest speed and the wind-on felt slightly "toothy" as if the gears weren't quite in mesh. I haven't got round to servicing this one yet as a 5b is my FSU user of choice at the moment. It's a beauty though! I look forward to some use from this when I have time (Retire: If film will be available/affordable in ~8-10years time).

I too would have thought that the 5a was more rare, but Princelle quotes the 5a at 125,000 units over 1958/9 whilst the 5b is at c11,500 (59 only?).

I'm sure that the Zorki 5a is more sought after.

EDIT: According to Princelle there is also a variant with black lettering.

 

[fidget]

Maybe less 5a variants are in circulation because they long since jammed up and were discarded, if the experiences here are representative of that model.
I serviced my 5b without problem, this felt and sounded (it has a ratchet whereas my Z6 doesn't) very similar to my 5a.
Isn't there an old thread on the winder differences of the 5 & 6? I recall that between us here, we have 5b models which appear to have wind mechs from the 5a and from the 6. Perhaps the production models started to use better parts of the 6 as this was introduced in 1959, which may also be why the 5b model had such low numbers being made.

 

[wolves3012]

Ah! I must confess that my Z5a is more a Shelf Queen than a user. The few films that I put through it showed the usual shutter fade on the fastest speed and the wind-on felt slightly "toothy" as if the gears weren't quite in mesh. I haven't got round to servicing this one yet as a 5b is my FSU user of choice at the moment. It's a beauty though! I look forward to some use from this when I have time (Retire: If film will be available/affordable in ~8-10years time).

I too would have thought that the 5a was more rare, but Princelle quotes the 5a at 125,000 units over 1958/9 whilst the 5b is at c11,500 (59 only?).

I'm sure that the Zorki 5a is more sought after.

EDIT: According to Princelle there is also a variant with black lettering.

I suspect that the figure of 11,500 is missing a "0", which would bring the two years into similar figures and make more sense. The 5b was definitely not made in '59 only - mine has a '58 serial number and I've seen at least one other '58-serial on Ebay. Although neither turns up that often on there, the 5b is seen far more often.

 

[julio1fer]

Get a 6 if you are a user - if you are a collector, get both.

 

[fanshaw]

I suspect that the figure of 11,500 is missing a "0", which would bring the two years into similar figures and make more sense. The 5b was definitely not made in '59 only - mine has a '58 serial number and I've seen at least one other '58-serial on Ebay. Although neither turns up that often on there, the 5b is seen far more often.

Both my 5a's and both my 5b's have a 1958 serial number.

 

[fidget]

Seems that at least the year of production of the Zorki 5b is incorrect in Princelle's book.

Apologies to the OP, hope you make a good choice.

Please let us know how you go on....

 

[theotse]

Thanks Everyone! i've decided on a zorki 5 . with industar 50 collapsible. 🙂