35mm camera questions (won't take pictures)

[debian0001]

Hello,

I have a old USSR camera called the Zenit TTL. I bought some 35mm film to give it a try but to my surprise, it didn't seem to take any pictures when I got the roll checked... is there any general way to see if the camera is working? My dad gave me the camera and I wanted to play with it but this is a bit frustrating..

 

[sdifox]

Do you know if the shutter is working? Usually you can keep the camera back open and activate the shutter

 

[ElFenix]

probably didn't have the film engaged on the advancing sprockets.

as sdifox said, open the back, set the shutter speed to 1 second, and fire the camera. you should see the shutter open and close through the back. then set to 1/2 second, take a listen, and try to figure if it sounds like 1/2 of what you just heard.

or maybe this was an issue:

The only really unconventional feature of the Zenit TTL is its rewind. Most contemporary SLRS had a button on the bottom of the camera; press this down and you can rewind the film using the crank handle. While the TTL has a crank handle, there’s no magic button on the underside. The shutter button has a collar around it. If you turn this anti-clockwise until it can’t turn anymore, this allows you to rewind the film. Make sure you turn it back, clockwise, when it’s time to shoot a new roll.

https://petapixel.com/2016/07/06/review-zenit-ttl-solid-slr-price-roll-fuji-slide-film/