Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!jim From: jim@uw-beaver.UUCP Newsgroups: net.rec.photo Subject: Re: Leaving the shutter cocked Message-ID: <686@uw-beave.UUCP> Date: Mon, 27-Jun-83 17:08:44 EDT Article-I.D.: uw-beave.686 Posted: Mon Jun 27 17:08:44 1983 Date-Received: Tue, 28-Jun-83 09:01:53 EDT Lines: 17 As I understand metals and fatigue, leaving a spring under tension ... *does not* cause the metal to fatigue. I think you are wrong. It has been a number of years since I took a materials class, but as I remember it the molecules of iron in the spring will tend to realign themsleves to relieve the tension, so that a spring under tension will not last as long as one not under tension. This is not what a metalurgist would call fatigue, but it does result in a less springy spring. If anyone is really interested I will dig up a reference. I don't know whether this has a practical effect. I've had a Minolta for about 12 years with the shutter cocked the whole time, and it still works. But my 30 year old Leica, which has also been cocked the whole time, has lost its slow shutter speeds. I don't know if this is because the springs are week or not.