Author |
Message |
Tony
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 02:10 pm: |
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Hello everyone I’m a newbie on the forum. I have a Minolta X-370 camera that is about 10 years old possibly a little older. It has been in storage for some time. I got it out the other day to use it (used it probably two years ago) and the batteries were dead (no big surprise). I put new batteries in it and I can’t get it to work. When you first turn it on the lights light up in the viewfinder but as soon as I hit the expose button they go out and nothing happens. The lights then stay out like the camera isn’t on. Other thing is I can’t advance the film. The advance lever seems jammed. I took the bottom of the camera off and manually advanced it but I run into the same problem. I turn it on the lights light up in the view finder and soon as I push the button to take a picture they go out and nothing happens. Any thoughts? I hate to junk such a great camera that takes terrific pictures. -Tony |
clive
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 03:06 pm: |
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Hello Tony. Try replacing the small capacitor in the base of the camera it has two pins connecting it to the circuit board . Make sure you get the + / - correct. Best Regards Clive |
Tony
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 06:33 pm: |
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What if I were to use a 220 uF capacitor thats 16v instead of the standard 220 uF 4v? |
henry
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 06:45 pm: |
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Besides the capacitor, the release magnets armature can be stuck. The release magnet I'm talking about is under the bottom cover in the center of the camera. The lights go out because the camera shuts off the meters power once the shutter button is pushed. It does this before the mirror has risen so the meters reading won't change. Since this camera has no mechanical speeds the primary release magnet actually releases the mirror, not the first curtain. So, if it is stuck, nothing happens except the lights go out. Henry |
Tony
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 07:25 pm: |
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UPDATE: I found the same capacitor out of an old handheld tape recorder I had. I took it out soldered it into the Minolta and wahlah, it works!! Thanks so much. And to think this camera was about to be thrown in the trash. Another classic saved! |
jeffrey l Davis
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 09:39 am: |
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You can always use a capactor of a higher voltage rating if it will fit and the capactive value is the same just like you can always use a resistor of a higher watt rating if resistance is the same. |