| Author | Message | ||
     Chenard Tinkerer Username: Chenard Post Number: 29 Registered: 11-2006 Rating: N/A |
Hi Matt, The metering system in the Minolta XE-7 is fairly complicated compared to many cameras. As you've noticed, there are several pots and switches. Cleaning these might address the intermittency you're seeing. I would suggest carefully noting the exact position of the wipers, and then cleaning them and restoring their original postions as closely as possible. If this helps, then it will simply be a matter of calibrating the meter after that. The service manual for the XE-7 goes through how to do this. As I remember, it was a fairly involved procedure involving adjusting a constant current source using a dvm. On two of my cameras (one being the meter housing of an XK which is a simlar circuit to the XE-y), it required measuring the resistance of the cds cells under different lighting conditions, and replacing two fixed resistors based on the values, as the cells in my two cameras had aged to the point where a linear calibration using just the pots was no longer possible. There is a table that tells you what resistor values to use based on the readings you get, but for at least on of my cameras, the cds cells had drifted by way too much, and I had to use the equation they gave to arrive at the values. I remember it being somewhat involved, but I got through it for both cameras, and they now give very consistent slides and negatives under all conditions. So, why not give the pots a tweak with some cleaner and a toothpick, and let us know if the camera becomes more consistent in its behaviour? Paul |