MAMIYA SHUTTER LEFT COCKED

[haclil]

OMG, the shutter of my C330 has been left cocked. Maybe for as many as five years or even more :-( It's been mostly on the shelf for years.

I've released the shutter and it sounds fine. Tripping it at different speeds, my eye and ear tell me it's working properly.

My question: should I not "fool around" and straight-away replace the spring? Or is it most likely undamaged even after such prolonged tension?

 

[Steve Smith]

If it works, I would just leave it alone. Not sure what Mamiya suggest for the TLRs but the RB67 lenses have to be cocked to remove and refit them to the body so cocked is their state when not in use.


Steve.

 

[Dave Pritchard]

A well-designed spring will not be weakened if it is stored under tension. The reason so many people advise storing gear with springs not tensioned, is that some old gear wasn't designed well, or had poor metal in the springs.

 

[MattKing]

I would consider testing the shutter speeds, but otherwise I wouldn't be too concerned.

Matt

 

[DanielStone]

so is it better to store lenses(I have an RZ) uncocked, like a gun? just a little less dangerous of course

even though the RZ has electronic leaf shutters, there is still the lever on the lenses, just like the rb. I've been storing them de-cocked, and I haven't had any problems....

same with the camera body, leave the mirror up..

-Dan

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hasselblad wants the lenses and camera bodies stored cocked.

Stee

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Springs should not weaken under tension in general.

I think the issue with older shutters is that the high speeds often depended on a booster spring that put more stress on the other mechanisms in the shutter, so maybe you wouldn't want to leave them cocked and set at the top two speeds.

 

[ic-racer]

I agree with David. The main spring in most leaf shutters is under tension even in the un-cocked state.