Should the shutter be tensioned when not used

[pauledell]

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I have had M6's for years and have heard, at times, that the shutter should be cocked or

tensioned when not in use. I don't recall seeing this on the camera manual or in the Leica

books, Is there any truth to that advice and why should it be done?

Paul

[Photoskeptic]

Paul, I've also heard of this, but like you, have never seen it in print. BTW, I don't subscribe to this line of thought even if it is true:)

[Guest hagen]

Doesn't matter. Leave it like you want.

[k_g_wolf ✝]

A LEICA technician recently told me, that it is to the advantage of the shuttercloth if you put the camera away COCKED.

 

I did it the opposite way for 30 years and I still wonder why it is better that way.

 

From what I can recall: the shutter cloth is in a far more tense position when the filmtransport has been executed. The springs of the shutter are so well designed (=oversized), that they do not mind if they are so or so ...

 

But the cloth seems to last longer that wa y.

 

 

 

Best

[brunom]

Also it would mean the camera is ready to take that once in a lifetime shot [ or waste a shot accidentally! ] Is anything ever straightforward ?

 

Bruno

[Shootist]

I have also heard you are supposed to store it with the shutter cocked. No I have never read that in a Leica manual.

Now a days I shoot maybe 2 rolls of film through my M3 about once every month or two, and that is dropping since I have the M8, and always try to leave the camera cocked whether there is film in it or not.

My thinking is that when there is film in the camera the normal position of the shutter halfs are the leading shutter is nearly fully unwound off the roller and straight and the trailing shutter is mostly wound around the roller. So if you leave it stored with the shutter fired/actuated the leading shutter is now wound around the roller and the trailing shutter is mostly straight.

[rob_x2004]

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yea you should. That way the light meter comes on when you depress the shutter and you dont have to load the next frame to get an exposure and make the shot.

[HetDraakje]

I believe I have read somewhere that the tension on the springs cocked or not cocked was well below the maximal limits, and therefore did it not matter how you store it.

 

I have it: Leica FAQ - How accurate is the M's mechanical shutter?

 

75% Cocked, and 50 if not

[Stan Yoder]

With the M6, some have reported that, if the shutter is cocked and the camera is returned to a bag, sometimes something else in the bag will bear against the release just enough to activate the meter and run down the battery. Which I guess is why a battery-chamber cap with on-off switch was invented.

[ron110n]

Stan,

 

Put your M6 shutter speed on B to disable the meter.

Also keep it on B if you're not using it to lengthen the battery life.

As though I follow that rule...

 

-Ron

[Guest Metroman]

I noted that when my CL and recently my MP were returned from Leica they both had the shutter cocked.

[xjr]

makes no difference

[Shootist]

I think for short term storage it doesn't matter. But for long term, like months, I think it is best to cock the shutter.

 

Look at it this way. If you are using the camera what is the first thing you do after taking a shot? For me that is to cock the shutter. That is whether I am actively shooting or after taking the last shot of the day and packing up. So the shutter is at rest most of the time in the cocked position. The only time it is in the uncocked position is briefly after a shot.

That mean that the leading edge shutter curtain is extended and fairly flat most of the time and the trailinig edge curtain is wound around the spool most of the time.

That is the way to store the camera long term. Shutter cocked.

[Adrian Bastin]

One difference is that when the shutter is cocked a blind is wrapped around the large drum; when fired, one is around the small spindle and I suppose that might be detrimental if the camera is stored for years.

[gyoung]

One difference is that when the shutter is cocked a blind is wrapped around the large drum; when fired, one is around the small spindle and I suppose that might be detrimental if the camera is stored for years.

 

For years I kept my M3 cocked all the time, then I started to have problems, when the shutter was fired the first time after it had not been used for a while, the shot ould be overexposed, and you could hear that the shutter was travelling more slowly than it should, next shots would be OK but problem would recur when the camera was left for a while again. Eventual diagnosis was that the shutter blind had got sticky (thirty + years old), and was sticking to the drum as it unwound, replacement of the blind cured the problem.

I very soon discovered with the M6ttl that if you leave the shutter cocked and dont't turn the speed dial to 'off'' when you put the camera in the bag you get through a lot of batteries...

So I leave them both uncocked now.

 

Gerry