Broken Zenit-E

Hello, I'd like to ask for HUGE help. Recently I got interested in old Film cameras, and as my grandpa has an Zenit-E, (It was in our home anyways), i fiddled around with it trying to see how it works. I wanted to change ISO and accidentally broke it somehow. I got it working again (Again, somehow I have no idea how). And now its broken again, the curtain is INCREDIBLY stiff and doesn't want to move at all. When I turn the thing to get another picture, it turns but the ISO wheel doesn't, when I click nothing happens. Yes I've tried turning to screw under the camera but that didn't work.

No idea what exactly is wrong with it, but changing the ISO as a rule wouldn't do much good or bad. I wonder if the thing is just frozen up from disuse. Tiny (really tiny) drops of lighter fluid and simply repeatedly working the camera may loosen it up

 

I reported on using my related Zenit ET model to (as it happened) reshoot some old Soviet film at LINK:TsO 100 M Soviet slide film (re)shot in a Zenit ET.

No idea what exactly is wrong with it, but changing the ISO as a rule wouldn't do much good or bad. I wonder if the thing is just frozen up from disuse. Tiny (really tiny) drops of lighter fluid and simply repeatedly working the camera may loosen it up

 

I reported on using my related Zenit ET model to (as it happened) reshoot some old Soviet film at LINK:TsO 100 M Soviet slide film (re)shot in a Zenit ET.

The thing is that I wanted to change ISO but instead I didn't have it on the mode that you can change iso, i instead moved the curtain and now its broken from that

No idea what exactly is wrong with it, but changing the ISO as a rule wouldn't do much good or bad. I wonder if the thing is just frozen up from disuse. Tiny (really tiny) drops of lighter fluid and simply repeatedly working the camera may loosen it up

 

I reported on using my related Zenit ET model to (as it happened) reshoot some old Soviet film at LINK:TsO 100 M Soviet slide film (re)shot in a Zenit ET.

Oh, I also failed to mention before that it worked flawlessly a few hours ago until I fiddled with the ISO ring

The thing is that I wanted to change ISO but instead I didn't have it on the mode that you can change iso, i instead moved the curtain and now its broken from that

 

The ISO setting on the Zenit-E is changed on the exposure calculator dial, which isn't connected to the shutter in any way, so I think that's just a coincidence.

 

I'm also not clear what you are describing, but if you press the shutter release and nothing happens, then the camera may be misfiring, which occurs when the shutter is not properly cocked (film advance not fully wound). There could be some debris in the gears or other mechanisms, or as JDM mentioned, the camera may just be stiff from disuse.

 

Is the shutter partly open or fully closed? That may give some indication of what the issue is.

The meter on the Zenith is on the left IIRC and is only a visual aid to permit the selenium meter to correctly "read" or display the recommended exposure. The "aperture" ring would be on the lens. Typically on M42 lenses you can see you aperture with a button on the lens that will simulate the "stopping down" of the lens. This is also called the depth of field preview. The Zenith E IIRC has a shutter speed dial on the top plate with a only 5 or so speeds from B 30-1000. maybe only to 500 not sure.

Pictures might help us a bit. Show us what's not in your view working the way it used to??

The thing is that I wanted to change ISO but instead I didn't have it on the mode that you can change iso, i instead moved the curtain and now its broken from that

 

By 'ISO', do you mean the shutter speed dial, next to the winder and shutter release, on the right side of the camera, or the ISO/GOST settings on the left side, around the rewind crank.

 

If it is the speed dial, yep, that can cause problems, only change with shutter cocked.

 

There is a way to unstick them, but I can't remember it, sorry.

 

For reference, to change shutter speeds, with the camera wound, you lift the dial up and turn it, pretty sure you should avoid going between 500 and B too.

only change with shutter cocked

 

Actually, the Zenit-E instruction manual states that the shutter speed can be changed both with a cocked and released shutter, but as a general habit, I wind first. ;)

 

I changed the shutter speed accidentally once on my FED 5 rangefinder without cocking first and it fired erratically for a few frames, but didn't cause any damage.

Edited February 20, 2019 by m42dave

It was the general consensus on the Zenit mailing list when I was a member, I think the UK importer even put a sticker on the camera to that effect.

 

The later Zenits have a flat, non-rotating, shutter speed knob and speeds can be changed uncocked, I think even some late production E may have had it.