Pentax K1000 mirror slap getting worse vs old Nikon FM that stayed smooth for decades - what causes the difference?

I've been shooting with my dad's old K1000 from 1979 and the mirror slap is noticeably louder and softer than my 1981 Nikon FM that still feels tight as a drum - is it just the foam degrading on the Pentax or is there something else (like the mirror damping mechanism wearing out) making the gap so wide, and has anyone fixed one without sending it to a shop?

2 comments

2 Comments

benc531mo ago

Had the same issue with a K1000 I picked up a few years back, that mirror slap was getting pretty brutal. I just replaced the foam strips myself, there's a few places online that sell pre-cut kits for like ten bucks. The old foam turns to sticky goo and the mirror just slams into the bumper instead of being caught gently. While you're in there, clean the old light seals too, that gunk can mess with the shutter timing if it drips onto the curtain. Fixed mine right up and now it's quiet as can be, no need to ship it off anywhere.

abby_black1mo ago

Actually the light seal gunk won't mess with shutter timing on a K1000. The shutter is mechanical and the curtain travels in tracks, so any drips just sit on the mirror box floor. Still good to clean it out though, keeps it from getting on the focusing screen.