| Author |
Message |
    
Didge
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 09:13 am: | 
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Hi,
I've recently been given an old zenit b manual slr but am having some problems getting the shutter to work. When I first got it a couple of days ago the shutter would fire but the mirror would not return to its original position; it would just stay up in the air. I have no idea what I've done to it but the shutter now won't fire at all and the film advance won't cock the shutter. I have read somewhere (after the damage was already done) that setting the shutter speed before cocking the shutter can cause permanent damage; maybe that's what I've done. Or it might be that the damage was done before I got it (it was going to be thrown out)...I'm not sure.
I have tried some simple ways of fixing it but camera mechanics isn't something I know alot about. I have tried releasing it via the remote release and using the self timer to see if that releases it. I have also taken the bottom off and tried pulling gently on the black lever but that didn't work either. These are the only suggestions I could find and it said if they didn't work I would have to open the camera up but I am wary of doing that without knowing what I'm doing. So if anybody has any suggestions or has had similar problems please let me know. |
Mike
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 09:48 am: |
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I don't know the Zenit B at all. On all of the Leica Screwmount copies (originals too), you are correct. The speed adjustment must never be touched without cocking the shutter first.
If this is the same type shutter (cloth focal plane shutter) with the same style of shutter adjustment (lifting the adjustment knob to adjust after the shutter is fully cocked), then the shutter mechanism must be opened and reset manually before the camera will work again.
Does the shutter knob spin when cocking the camera? That's how you know that it's the Leica type mechanism. |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 08:37 pm: |
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Check the rewind release mechanism. If it gets stuck in the rewind mode, nothing will work. You can tell if this is the case by trying to rotate the tractor wheels backwards. If they move backwards, the release is stuck.
Best regards,
Jon |
John Farrell
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 02:35 pm: |
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The Zenit B is unusual, in that the mirror is driven by the same gear train that drives the shutter - a cam attached to one of the gears raises and lowers the mirror as the gear train revolves. There is a tension spring for the mirror in the drive train, as well. If none of the three springs (shutter shafts and mirror) have been tampered with, it is likely that the camera needs an overhaul, to clean out the old lubricant, and relube. You will find some information about these cameras here:http://www.xs4all.nl/~tomtiger/index.html? |
