Zorki Shutter Speeds too slow

[Robert Vote]

Hi everyone,

today came a very rugged zorki 6 to my door.
First thing I did was checking the shutter speeds. What can I say
they seem to be too slow to me! I would like to repair it on my own.
I read that there is often a lot of dirt in the shutter mechanism which can slow
the shutter down. Is this the only possibility?

How can I open it, there are no screws on the front of the camera.

Thanks
Robert

[Robert Vote]

Well, i noticed the different sound. But when i look from behind thru it - i can see something at 1/500 that is strange to me. Thru my other FSU cameras I cant see anything at 1/500.

But maybe I should really first try a roll of film.

Thanks

[laptoprob]

lubrication might be a problem. Use it, excercise it, maybe it will work out for you. If all that fails you can always try taking it apart.
I destroyed my Zorki 6, being one of my very first rangefinders and the first to open up, trying to align the rangefinder vertically. I could not find the info on the net back then and RFF did not yet exist. (Or I did not know about this place).
Later I found it can be done without opening...

Welcome!

Rob

[je2a3]

Here's a shutter tester that has served me well and should work with the Zorki 6 since it has a hinged back.
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-135.html

Sometimes you might see "double slits" which is fine, the most improtant thing is to observe the width and how it gets wider or narrower as you move up or down the shutter speeds.

If you determine the second curtain is slow [usually evident at "B"]. You'll have to remove the top, here's a good URL that illustrates how to do it: http://muj.proit.cz/roman/z6disass/

Scroll down to the second to the last picture, observe the shutter speed disk area and if it is dirty clean it up with lighter fluid and blow excess liquid and grime with compressed air. Try working the shutter again at "B" if there's some improvement but still not "snappy enough" add a few drops of watch maker's oil underneath the shutter speed disk particularly the pin that rotates to the right as the second curtain closes. Assuming the curtain rollers are not corroded, this minor CLA will restore the camera back to shoot print film with reasonable accuracy.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Joseph