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Shutter speed changes with shutter cocked

jdphoto

Well-known member
What's the correct procedure when changing shutter speeds if you've already cocked the shutter? My understanding is with my Leica M2r, you shouldn't change any of the higher speeds if camera is cocked (rewound, ready to shoot) because of a high tension (spring?) or string? Would this also apply to all film cameras? Thanks for any info.
 

4season

Well-known member
No, not true with more modern camera designs such as Leica M, okay to twirl dial at any time.
 

JoelM

Well-known member
I had always thought it was a problem with cameras that had two different mechanisms for shutter speeds as well as large format Compur/Sinchro/Ilex/Packard shutters (I think the Copal were fine). I believe that the Leica M2 came out after the M3 and there were no issues that I am aware of that would present a problem. I've owned them all and don't remember any problems in that area, but the older I, II, and III Leicas might be of more concern.

Joel
 

stngoldberg

Well-known member
Copal shutters on lenses for technical cameras are damaged if one changes the shutter setting after the shutter is cocked
Stanley
 

RLB

Member
With traditional Copla shutters it's best to change shutter speeds when they are uncocked. When cocked its ok to to change the speed up to +2 / -2 speeds, beyond that you could eventually damage the mechanism if you persist. This will be evident if you have the shutter cocked and try to shift +/- say 4 speeds...you will feel quite a bit of resistance in the shutter speed ring to this. Copals are ancient technology that works pretty well considering meaning they are fairly reliable and trouble free...if you are nice to them. And there are no more new ones, so repair is only option.

Robert B
 

pegelli

Well-known member
I believe that the Leica M2 came out after the M3 and there were no issues that I am aware of that would present a problem. I've owned them all and don't remember any problems in that area, but the older I, II, and III Leicas might be of more concern.
On my M2 (1958) I can set the times before or after advancing the film/cocking the shutter. Never experienced any issues with that and as far as I know the manual doesn't say anything about doing it before or after advancing the film.

However before I had a IIIf and there you could only set the shutter speed after advancing the film/cocking the shutter since the dial actually turned during the exposure and stopped somewhere in no-mans land and the shutter speeds didn't line up with anything to set them. It rotated to a position where you can set the speed to a mark when the film was advanced/shutter cocked. You had to actually lift the dial before you could turn it to set another speed.
 

4season

Well-known member
Would this also apply to a 1960's Leica M2?
Yes it's fine. Major innovation for cameras such as Leica M2 and M3 was that shutter speed dials did not spin as shutter was cocked, and you no longer had to lift shutter speed dial in order to turn it, and you could change speeds at any time. With older designs such as Leica 3A, 3C, 3F, you will want to cock the shutter before changing speeds.
 
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