How long can one leave a K1000 cocked for?

[paul_quirk]

I've owned an all-metal Pentax K1000 for nearly 2 decades now, and

it's always served me well without any problems. However, one thing

that's always concerned me is leaving it cocked and ready to fire for

extended periods of time. I believe that the camera stores energy to

fire the shutter in a spring of sorts. Always being cautious, I've

always fired a "Blank" if the camera's been cocked for more than a

couple of days. Sometimes it takes care of this itself when I fish

around in my camera bag for something.

 

My question today is, does it do any harm to leave the K1000 cocked

and ready to fire for long periods of time? Or am I being too over-

cautious for my longtime friend and wasting film?

[alan_gage]

Well, you know Judge Roy Bean was supposed to carry a couple six shooters that he always left cocked....just in case. I don't remember if it was a movie or book that I read where the time came when he needed those 6 shooters to save his life...unfortunately they had jammed up from non-use and wouldn't fire....he died. :)

 

Not that it necessarily applies to cameras.

 

Alan

[richard_oleson]

Hi Paul:

 

I think you're being over cautious. I don't leave shutters cocked for extended periods of time, and I think it's a good practice... but I think unless you're talking about months, there's no benefit in wasting a frame of film over it. If it's convenient, I would leave the shutter uncocked at the end of a session, and when the camera is not loaded with film i'd keep it uncocked, but I don't think the shutter springs are so highly stressed that there's any point to wasting film over a few days with the springs wound.

 

:)=

[jeffpolaski]

Film's cheap. Release the shutter and save a potential problem. Basic risk management/mitigation.

[claudia__]

Oddly, the only way my Rollei 35SE can be stored is with the shutter cocked. The pop out lens can only be retracted if the shutter is cocked first.

[stephen hazelton]

Generally, it shouldn't do any harm one way or the other. I usually cock mine right after I shoot, so it sits that way all the time. For maybe 12 years now?

 

Soft metals, or metals at very high temperatures will "creep" when held under pressure. This shouldn't happen to a spring.

 

Metals flexed back and forth can eventually fail from fatique. But the number of extra cycles you're putting on that spring are pretty negligible compared to it's use.

 

A more practical issue is, do you remember to cock it before firing? Or are you forever pushing the shutter release button and nothing happens?

[paul_quirk]

Actually, I've gotten into the habit of checking the advance lever before taking a picture (comes naturally after so many years of using the K1000). A problem I have these days is with my newer P3n...I go to take a picture and nothing happens because I forgot to turn the camera on. Since it's electronic and the winder really only serves to advance the frame, I have no misgivings about leaving that cocked and ready to fire.

[jorge_oliveira2]

I do not know for how long, but know for sure that a looong time cocked (years?) will make the spring loose it's force.

 

So, in my 3 old Pentaxes (1 SP, 2 ESII) I always fire before storing the camera (storing, not just resting it for a couple of days).

[kelly_flanigan1]

Music wire springs are used sometimes in highly stressed springs. Creep is little at room temperature; but radically increases at hot temperatures. Creep results in a loss of tension. Hydraulic,hot engines; hot printers; hot printing press areas dont use music wire springs; the tension drops with time. They use other materials. If one has a cocked shutter; the spring tension drop might be nil at normal temperatures. Place the camera in a hot car; truck; glove box; hot industrial; or military environment; and the music wire springs will creep alot. I have seen cocked leaf shutter springs replaced because of being left cocked in hot cars. <BR><BR>Since you dont know the spring material your camera uses; just avoid high temperatures with a cocked shutter. Camaras need to be used; not stored.

[kelly_flanigan1]

Most all camera shutters are slighty slow when first fired; after being cocked; and stored. The grease on the pivots of focal plane shutter rollers; and leaf shutter petals needs a few cycles to get "Into the groove" . An old camera placed on a shutter tester is almost always slow at the top speeds; and "gets into the groove" after so many shutter clicks. New shutters require almost no cycling; there is decent lubrication; and little dirt. Older shutters are often sluggish; and need exercise to "get into the groove". Here the Focal plane shutter maybe only 1/600 sec when set to 1/1000; and then be say 1/700 and later 1/850 sec; when in the groove....