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Message |
    
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 19
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 12:33 pm: | 
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Greetings all,
I have been given a Minolta Hi-Matic 7s (1966) that is in fairly good condition. After cleaning up the range-finder it is extremely clear and the focus is spot on. Also the light meter is working and seems accurate enough.
My problem is with the door light seals, there are the remains of a seal that is located on the door next to the hinge but I can't tell if it was foam or velvet. There appears to be some sticky substance in the top and bottom body grooves but again I am unable to tell if it originally had a foam or string light-seal. Is there anybody with a Hi-Matic in good condition that could advise me please?
Another thing I have noticed with this camera is that the lens is rather wobbly where it is attached to the body. Is this normal or can it be fixed?
The front lens is clean but the rear lens has a few bits of debris inside including a very small flying insect! I think I'll run a film through the camera before I tackle this problem.
Any help is appreciated - Alf |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 198
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 01:57 pm: |
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On all of my (older) Hi-Matics (7/7s/9) the light seals in the door grooves were deteriorated foam strips which I replaced with suitable cotton strings.
The light baffle next to the hinge was black velvet material and it was not necessary to replace any of them.
Removal of dust particles etc. from inside the lens is not so easy as it requires major dismantling work.
If you use the camera before the insect has been removed, are you sure the dead mite cannot enter the shutter? |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 21
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 03:03 pm: |
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Thanks Wernerjb,
Now I can go ahead with replacing the light seals. I know from experience that poking about inside a lens is not easy. The dead insect appears to be stuck to the edge of the rear lens but I will keep checking that it has not become detached.
I "Googled" my concerns about the wobbly lens and it seems that this is normal on a lot of the cameras and has no effect on picture quality. A Hi-Matic 7s cost £65 in 1966 so it was rather expensive. I always thought Minolta design and production to be 1st class but not always it seems.
Regards - Alf |
Dan_mitchell
Tinkerer
Username: Dan_mitchell
Post Number: 7
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 03:34 pm: |
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Almost all rangefinders from that era develop a wobble in the lens. There are several potential problems:
1-Shutter retaining nut can work loose.
2-Wear in the speed setting cam.
3-Front mounting plate screws loose.
4-Dried out grease and/or wear in the focus helical threads.
On the Hi-Matic there is an additional problem. The outer part of the focus helical is held to the focus ring with three screws and those can work loose.
To fix the wobble, you have to remove the lens-shutter from the camera, disassemble, clean and lube the helical. Just to get to those screws or the shutter retaining ring to check them can be a lot of work. If it's not too bad, I would just live with it. The Hi-matic is one of the more difficult cameras to tinker on.
On the other hand, I have fixed this problem on several Hi-matics and the result is a camera with a wonderful feel to it.  |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 199
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 01:44 am: |
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Of all the vintage RF cameras the older Hi-matics have the best viewfinder IMHO, but almost all suffer from the wobbly lens syndrome, with a bit of good luck and experience this can be cured. Have a look at this http://homepage1.nifty.com/fukucame/daisaku/d59.htm
and decide for yourself if you are courageous enough to give it a try. This forum's archives are also quite useful, e.g. https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/messages/2/8105.html
I once practised on a junker Hi-M. which had been a wreck before I got it and learned about hidden pitfalls and unexpected problems, then I bought more defective Hi-M.s because I wanted to find out about my tinkering capabilities and with the help of other forum users, all of those cameras are in good shape now and excellent picture takers, W. |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 22
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 03:01 am: |
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Thanks for that information guys, but I think I'll accept the wobbly lens and think of it as a feature!
The pictures on that Japanese website have convinced me not to strip the lens and shutter as the shutter speeds and self timer all seem to be working as they should and I would only make things worst.
Re. the fly in the lens, I thought I would try to remove the front lens only, select 1.8 aperture, select B bulb (held open with a shutter release cable) then wipe the inner lens with a cotton wool bud soaked in alcohol to get rid of the debris and insect.
Is this rout possible?
Regards - Alf |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 201
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 08:07 am: |
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Yes, that makes sense and I have done that myself, because also hard-core tinkerers are not always inclined towards knocking down a camera to the bone.
The first pic of that Japanese link shows how far you have to go before you can unscrew the front group of the lens. The interior coating of those lens elements is quite hard, so gently wiping should not do any harm to it. I would however suggest using a rubber dust blower first (the one I use was originally for the removal of earwax with warm water, it is quite big and soft and produces a considerable airflow) and then finish the job with lighter fluid on cotton swabs, W. |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 23
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 01:57 pm: |
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After cleaning out all the gunge from the light-seal grooves I examined the lens and to my horror saw that the dead fly has fallen off the glass and is now floating around inside the lens.
As the aperture blades are between the fly and the shutter I am keeping the aperture set to f22 so as to prevent it reaching the shutter blades.
I must now delay the replacing of the light-seals and make a key to remove the front lens ring. With the front lens out of the way I can then give the rear lens a good clean and get rid of that pesky fly!!
When the top cover is removed on the H-M 7s it is not necessary to unsolder the wire to the hot-shoe as the wire is connected to the shoe with a clip that is easily removed with pliers. I wish all cameras were like this.
Many thanks for your advice. Regards - Alf |
