New Zorki 4K

GeneW · 08-23-2004

Well, my Zorki 4K finally arrived today, but there is no joy in Mudville.

Having read the manual online, I was aware that you have to cock the shutter before setting the shutter speed, and I did. I was very careful about that. For the first few clicks all was well.

But after cocking the shutter and dropping the speed into the 1/60 slot, the shutter did not fire and I cannot lift up the shutter speed knob. It seems locked up. Can't advance the film either, natch.

Did I get a dud or is there an emergency exit from this condition?

Gene

[meant to add: this Zorki is from Yuri at Fedka]

GeneW · 08-23-2004

A followup: by gently lifting the shutter speed dial with a pair of plyers, I was once again able to turn it and drop it into various speed slots.

But the shutter will not fire ...

Gene

taffer · 08-23-2004

Gene, sorry to hear that on your first FSU 'experience'

I've searched a bit on the internet but so far no luck finding a problem like yours. However, here there are more experienced Zorki 4 users than myself who may have a solution. Meanwhile I'll keep googling.

And if there's definitely a problem don't hesitate to let Yuri know about it. It's always frustrating when that happens but don't give up, sure the solution is never too far !

Oscar

GeneW · 08-23-2004

Thanks Oscar. Yeah, it's a bit disappointing. I've had email back from Yuri and he says send it back and he'll send me a replacement and send this one out for repair.

Is it safe to send things to Fedcom via regular airmail, or do you recommend (expensive) courier?

Gene

taffer · 08-23-2004

Hmm, I never dealt with Fedka but if they're in the States I suppose the normal post office will be ok.

I've found a user with a stuck shutter on a 4k, only that his was stuck open. He was told to recock the shutter and fire it again and after that seemed ok, but you told us the advance lever won't move...

Have you tried firing it with a cable release, or checked if the selftimer was cocked ? I experienced exactly the same with my Canon 7 and until I realized the selftimer had been slighty cocked I almost had a heart attack ! I had to cock it completely and then the shutter button returned to life.

Firstly Joe has problems with his Fed and now your Zorki fails... sigh...

I'll have to stop praising Soviet rangefinders...

jdos2 · 08-23-2004

Oscar,

I've 4 dead Kiev 4 bodies (and one that only mostly works) I could bring into the conversation...

Happy with my Moskva, though...

:-)

taffer · 08-23-2004

Ok...

'Shall the one with a defective soviet rangefinder throw it now to me !'

Ouch !

GeneW · 08-23-2004

Thanks Oscar.

Tried a cable release and tried using the self timer, but da nada. The film advance is locked. There's some movement of parts inside the cam with the self timer, but no shutter sound at the end.

Gene

GeneW · 08-23-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Gene
Is it safe to send things to Fedka via regular airmail, or do you recommend (expensive) courier?

Sorry, I was having a senior's moment...

I thought Yuri lived in FSU, not in New York. I'm confident anything sent to New York is pretty safe, if it doesn't originate in Boston

(Good Red Sox / White Sox game last night)

Gene

taffer · 08-23-2004

Hehe, that was my impression

However, when I returned the Iskra to the seller I did it via regular airmail and had no problem at all.

More things to check are the rewind button / lever to see if it's in place and also the shutter button and collar may have two small black dots. On the Kievs, when both dots are aligned, the shutter operates as usual but if you move them to be in opposite sides the shutter acts as in the 'T' position. My Zorki 3M has those two dots...

Not sure about the 4K though, but just trying to find more ideas...

GeneW · 08-23-2004

I've been in touch with Yuri and he says ship it back and he'll replace it immediately. Says he checked it before shipping so this may have been a condition just waiting to happen.

He says that when the shutter was put on 1/60 (the sticking point), if it plunged down too far, it can create the same condition as setting the shutter without cocking it first. He's going to send this one out to repair and replace it with a different one right away. Can't ask more than that...

Ah well... I'll console myself this evening by developing my first roll of Fuji Neopan 400, taken with the GIII...

Gene

back alley · 08-23-2004

bummer, don't you just hate it when something like that happens?!

you seem to be handling it better than i would. here's hoping the next one is in primo shape and ready to rock & roll out of the box.

joe

RML · 08-23-2004

Ya, big bummer. But aren't you glad you bought from a respectable dealer? I wouldn't even want to imagine the agrrevation you could have had with a not so respectable dealer.
Anyway, I hope you'll have a working 4k soon. When it works the 4k is a very nice camera.

vladhed · 08-23-2004

I start with the obvious: make sure the rewind collar (around the shutter release) is all the way up (turn counter-clockwise).

Having had my Zorki apart just to "check it out", if you have a set of jeweler's screw drivers, I would encorage you to have a go at it:
1) work on a cookie tray
2) read http://members.tripod.com/rick_oleson/index-58.html

While adjusting my slow-speed escapement, I managed to get it into the state you described. Backing off the gear a bit allowed it to trip and wind on properly. Maybe you have something stuck in there.

cheers!

GeneW · 08-24-2004

Thanks for the sympathy cards, and Vladhed, thanks for the detailed instructions. It wasn't the film rewind ring. I think the problem goes deeper than my skills to fix, so I've got the cam packaged up and ready to send back to Yuri this morning.

Sigh... It sure is one nice looking cam ...

Gene

GeneW · 09-15-2004

Joy has returned to Mudville !!

Yuri shipped me a replacement Zorki 4K and it arrived today, and the shutter works.

Sounds relatively accurate at all the shutter speeds. Now I just need to run a test roll (probably this weekend).

Thanks for your support everyone!

Gene

back alley · 09-15-2004

yeah! didn't seem very long from here

joe

GeneW · 09-16-2004

Here's my pride-of-ownership shot. Haven't had a chance to take it on a Starbucks excursion yet for the ritual camera and coffee shot

Rich Silfver · 09-16-2004

Beautiful!

KirkT · 09-16-2004

Typical. After reading this thread I was patting myself on the back about how I picked a "good" 4K when, yes, it broke. I wound the film and it just kept winding and winding and winding without cocking the shutter. I noticed, after I opened it, that the whole curtain is gone.

Oh well, at least my black Jupiter 8 is working great. Damn, did I just say that????

GeneW · 09-16-2004

Kirk -- total bummer! It's probably cheaper to get a new one than get the shutter curtain fixed.

I'm glad you can make use of the Jupiter 8!

Gene

vladhed · 09-16-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by KirkT
Typical. After reading this thread I was patting myself on the back about how I picked a "good" 4K when, yes, it broke. I wound the film and it just kept winding and winding and winding without cocking the shutter. I noticed, after I opened it, that the whole curtain is gone.

Did you check the rewind collar was all the way up? I can make my Zorki 4 do what you describe by turning the rewind collar to "rewind" and then try to cock the shutter. For winding, the first curtain seems to be coupled to the sprocket transport, which is dis-engaged.

vladhed · 09-16-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Gene
Here's my pride-of-ownership shot. Haven't had a chance to take it on a Starbucks excursion yet for the ritual camera and coffee shot

Very nice! I wonder if I can convince my wife I need one of those (*ROTFLOL*)

KirkT · 09-16-2004

Well, I've tried playing with the rewind collar, but it appears to be jammed/stuck. I can't get it to budge. It'd be nice to get it working again; I miss that "tank" feel. If not, I'll turn it into a very heavy pinhole or something.

vladhed · 09-16-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by KirkT
Well, I've tried playing with the rewind collar, but it appears to be jammed/stuck.

Hmm, I wonder what could be stuck. It's not hard to take the top off following Rick Olsen's instructions.

BTW, here's a photo showing (top) the collar in rewind and (bottom) wind-on position. Maybe the pegs are stuck one on top of the other?