[Eyewanders]

Well I'll be gosh darned. I never bothered to try this little trick in my years with my MXs and just tried it on a whim. That little finger-flick lock-up trick works almost *reliably*. I do believe this will get some use from me time-to-time. I'd really (obviously) only use it for lowlight or landscapes, in which case I'm usually shooting with a different camera if that's what I'm doing intentionally, but an MX is what is with me most often, so this is great. I've known about this for years but never bothered or paid much attention - it always sounded like a zen ninja move of some sort requiring practice and finesse. I have neither of those as far as trying it this morning but it works great!
Just wanted to share! Captain Late-to-the-Party at your service.

[pathdoc]

Link to the how-to for those who've never heard?

[Eyewanders]

Link to the how-to for those who've never heard?

I've never read a "how-to" as it were... just described here and there. You simply "flick" or "tap" the shutter button lightly with your finger after you've wound on. Sometimes it takes a couple tries, but it'll lock up the mirror without actuating the shutter. Then you can just depress the button normally to finish the shot. Imagine "flicking" a dog's nose very lightly when he puts it somewhere it doesn't belong. About like that.

---------- Post added 09-26-16 at 11:15 AM ----------

Ooooh - say here's a video! This is with a K1000 but the trick is identical.

You Tube

You Tube

[pete-tarmigan]

I bought my first SLR in 1977 (K1000) and I've never heard of it.

[TomB_tx]

I never found much reason to lock up the MX meter. When it was introduced Pentax made a big deal about the pneumatic damper on the mirror raise, and how the vibration occurred on the mirror return, after the exposure. The product brochure shows an oscilloscope travel of a vibration sensor to prove the point. I see no mention of such a damper on the LX. I think it was put on the MX because the light weight of the camera would be affected more by mirror shock.

[ChrisPlatt]

This anomaly is often billed as some kind of undocumented feature.
The problem is it requires a different "touch" depending on the individual camera.
In fact it doesn't seem to work at all on some examples.

Chris

[Eyewanders]

This anomaly is often billed as some kind of undocumented feature.
The problem is it requires a different "touch" depending on the individual camera.
In fact it doesn't seem to work at all on some examples.

Chris

Works great on the two I have from very different years, as well on the late-model I just received back from Eric that is headed to my sister shortly.

[ChrisPlatt]

Once in a while I inadvertently activate mirror lockup on one of my KX bodies.
I'm always startled and have to think for a moment to figure out what happened.

Chris

[nickthetasmaniac]

Works great on the two I have from very different years, as well on the late-model I just received back from Eric that is headed to my sister shortly.

Likewise, it's worked easily on the two MX's I've had...

[arnold]

Yes it woks OK, but I can't help but feel that one is making the camera bypass its normal sequence of operation. It strikes me as abusive of design or maybe even equipment.

Works great on the two I have from very different years, as well on the late-model I just received back from Eric that is headed to my sister shortly.

[nickthetasmaniac]

It strikes me as abusive of design or maybe even equipment.

Does it matter? It is, after all, just a tool...

[arnold]

Does it matter? It is, after all, just a tool...

A chisel for a screwdriver?

[nickthetasmaniac]

A chisel for a screwdriver?

A camera that does MLU if needed?

[g026r]

Once in a while I inadvertently activate mirror lockup on one of my KX bodies.
I'm always startled and have to think for a moment to figure out what happened.

Same thing happens with my Spotmatic. I'm often left wondering if I accidentally flipped the speed dial to 2 seconds or something.

[Eyewanders]

Yes it woks OK, but I can't help but feel that one is making the camera bypass its normal sequence of operation. It strikes me as abusive of design or maybe even equipment.

I've heard this concern mentioned here and there and again. Have there been any reports of this causing issue? It seems to me that the sequence isn't being bypassed - the flick is enough of the depress to flip the mirror but not trip the shutter, no? So the subsequent one finishes the action. How many MX shutter have we heard of? I genuinely don't know of any. The fear might be founded mechanically - I think Eric H. may be a good person to ask. At any rate though - i'd use it so infrequently as to not be bothered by worry - my MX bodies have weathered far worse storms and acted like nothing happened.