Chosen Solution
Hi! I have a Zenit 11 SLR camera and my problem is that when I take a picture the camera’s mirror is not moving at all. The curtain shutter seems working, but when I change the shutter speed it is not changing. Any idea how to fix it? Update (06/18/2022) So I was able to fix the problem, but I am not sure what happened. It turned out that just rotating clockwise the following screw (and I think by that I tension the spring) solved the problem.
Mechanical SLR’s like the Russian Zenit 11 use a geartrain to time the shutter as well as the activation of the mirror. Often the lubricants dry-out and get gummy. The rubber mirror cushions either dry hard or also get gummy and lastly the curtains rubber coating can get hard and/or crack letting light to hit the film. when you don’t want it to. This will take a bit of effort to bring back. I would look for a repair manual (might be in Russian) to help guide you.
