Zorki 4

Zorki 4 & 4K
Zorki 4 - Type 3b image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights) Manufacturer: KMZ Date of Production: 1956-73 Type of Camera: Rangefinder Film Type: 35mm Lens: M39 Screw mount Shutter: Cloth focal plane Shutter speed range: 1s-1/1000th + B Weight: 687g

Zorki 4

The Zorki 4 is a 35mm rangefinder camera, manufactured by KMZ near Moscow in the former USSR. Produced between 1956 and 1973, there were 1715677 made in the time. ЗОРКИЙ = Zorki means 'sharp sight' in Russian. The Zorki-4 was possibly the most popular of all Zorki cameras and the first to be exported in large numbers to the west. Exported versions are easily identified as they have text in Latin script whereas those produced for the domestic market have Cyrillic text.

When the Zorki-4 rangefinder was introduced in 1956, its contemporaries included the Zorki 2S, FED 2b, Leica M3 (introduced two years before), Leica IIIg, Nikon S2, Canon VT. The Zorki 4's production run outlasted all of them. When it morphed into the Zorki 4K by 1973, its contemporaries included the FED 4b, Leica M5, Nikon F2, Canon F-1 and Canon Canonet QL 17 GIII.

The Zorki-4 is basically a Zorki 3S with a self-timer. It retained all of the features and strong points of the 3S. The early bodies have vulcanite body covering, engraved shutter speeds and strap lugs. Later bodies (post ~1965) have a fabric nylon covering and a more modern shutter speed progression; 1s, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000; which are silk-screened not engraved. By the mid-sixties, the strap lugs had disappeared.

There are at least 32 types/versions of the Zorki-4 or an alternative classification there are 4 versions and 13 types

Specifications

• Lens: Zorki-4 was supplied with either a Jupiter-8 (ЮПИТЕР) 50mm f/2, or a Industar-50 (ИНДУСТАР) 50mm f/3.5 lens; several other lenses were available.
• Focusing: Matching yellow rangefinder images in the finder using focus ring on the lens; can also do scale focusing with and distance markings and a depth of field scale on the lens.
• Shutter: Horizontal focal plane, rubberized silk double cloth curtain, speeds: 1s-1/1000 + Bulb, speed setting dial on the top plate, lift and turn after advancing the film!
• Viewfinder: Large and bright coupled viewfinder/rangefinder, 1:1 view with 50mm lenses.
• Diopter adjustment lever: beneath the re-wind knob
• Take-up spool: special, not captive, there is a small pin for attaching the film perforates on it. Later models don't have a removable spool.
• Serial number: first two digits correspond to the production year
• As with other Soviet-era rangefinders, the shutter speed selector rotates when the shutter is released, and should not be changed until after the shutter has been cocked. If you change the shutter speed without cocking the shutter first, the setting pin can be broken when you advance the film and cock the shutter.

Zorki 4K

The Zorki 4K was produced from 1972 to 1978. It usually came fitted with a black Jupiter-8 50mm f/2 or on earlier models an Industar-50 50mm f/3.5 lens. Domestic models were marked in Cyrillic: Зоркий-4K. The Zorki 4K is basically a later model Zorki 4 with the addition of an film advance lever instead of the knurled knob. One minor change was making the tripod mount 1/4" instead of 3/8". On the back of the camera the KMZ logo was moved to the left so it would not be covered by the advance lever and leave room for a rubber lever stop.

Gallery

Zorki 4

Zorki-4 - Type 3b with rigid Industar-50 Images by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)

Zorki 4K

Zorki-4K + black Jupiter-8 Images by AWCam (Image rights)

Zorki 4K + Jupiter-12 35mm f/2.8 image by Marcello Sokal (Image rights)

Links

General links

• in Fotoua by Alexandr Komarov
• in Sovietcams
• Zorki 4K from Roland Givan's site
• Zorki 4 in Matt Denton's photography site
• Zorki 4 and Zorki 4K in Alfred Klomp's Camera Page
• Zorki 4 in the Living Image Camera Museum
• Zorki 4K at Photoethnography by Karen Nakamura
• Zorki rangefinder cameras, a text only review at Buggrit Online
• Zorki 4, Zorki 4, Zorki 4K, Zorki 4, Zorki 4, Zorki 4 50ans, Zorki 4 Black on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
• Zorki 4 & 4K in Wayne Cornell's photography site

Repair notes

• FED/Zorki shutter mechanism and repair notes from Rick Oleson's website

Documentation and manuals

• There is a manual for the Zorki 4K in the Russian Camera Collection website.
• Another source for a manual is Mike Butkus' website.
• Russian Zorki 4a user manual at www.collection-appareils.fr
• French Zorki 4K user manual at www.collection-appareils.fr