In May 2020 I received the following e-mail:

Q: “When not shooting with the P6, is it best to store the camera with the shutter cocked or un-cocked? What do you do with your cameras?”

A: Here is the reply I sent:

I generally store my Pentacon Six with the shutter uncocked.  It seems wise not to leave springs tensioned unnecessarily.  However, occasionally I cock the shutter and prepare to take a photo and suddenly the light changes or the subject moves (for instance, a bird) and so I don't take the photo.  On those occasions I put the camera away with the shutter cocked and the shutter-release button locked by rotating the collar round it, so that I don’t accidently press the shutter and waste a frame.

A couple of months ago was the last time that I put one of my Pentacon Sixes away with the shutter cocked, and it was about three weeks before I was able to use it again.  The camera suffered no damage in this time.

Best regards

“Mr Pentacon Six”

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Sometimes I write a detailed reply to someone, much longer than the above reply, and they never get back to me and say thank you.  However, on this occasion the person with the question was polite enough to reply, thanking me.  More than this, he also wrote the following:

“I also put the same question to Andrea from Photoservice Olbrich in Germany who serviced my P6 recently and she gave the same answer.

As far as I am concerned the case is closed now!”

Alexander, thank you very much for your politeness and for this helpful contribution to this website.  Many visitors will know (see, for instance, here, here and here) that I recommend Fotoservice Olbrich in Görlitz for repairs and servicing.  Peter Olbrich has repaired lenses for me, and so has his daughter Andrea Schönfelder.

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© TRA First published: May 2020