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Al8719
Tinkerer
Username: Al8719
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 21, 2007 - 05:56 pm: | 
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Hey everybody. I've been reading some of the posts on the forums concerning the Minolta X-370N, but I still have a few problems...
The film advance lever gets stuck about 1/4 of the entire advance. I took apart the bottom of the camera and realize there is a mechanism (I believe the windlock) that I can trigger and the lever moves through the entire path. At first, I thought this was an issue with the battery, so I put a pair of fresh batteries in, however, this did not solve the problem.
Another issue is the shutter release. With the new batteries in the camera, as I look into the viewfinder, I see red LEDs light up on the right hand side (which, in and of itself is a good sign). However, when I press the shutter release button, I hear no click nor do I get any indication that the picture was taken.
Now, all of this has led me to thinking that there is a problem with the capacitor. I see a black capacitor on the bottom of the camera that looks like the leads are corroded. I really want to get a new capacitor, but I have no idea where to find it. I have been to radioshack and a hobbystore here in town (gainesville, fl) but I am unable to get my hands on this capacitor (Just to make sure, I am looking for a 4v 220uf capacitor, right??)
Any ideas on where to find it? Any ideas on what else could be the problem? (I hope to fix this camera myself)
I remember taking some nice photos back in the day so it would be fantastic to get this camera back running.
Thanks in advance for your help, everybody.
-ali |
Al8719
Tinkerer
Username: Al8719
Post Number: 2
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 22, 2007 - 05:23 pm: |
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does anyone have any experience with this camera?? |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 52
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 22, 2007 - 05:45 pm: |
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If it is the capacitor try Mouser Electronics. Other than this there may be a switch or emag switch that is bad , All I can say is good luck, most of my work is on mechanical machines..Don |
Mikel
Tinkerer
Username: Mikel
Post Number: 36
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 22, 2007 - 07:35 pm: |
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There are many posts in the archives about 370's and similar Minoltas. Sounds like you have a wind overtravel problem and a capacitor problem, already addressed here. Use the search function. |
Al8719
Tinkerer
Username: Al8719
Post Number: 3
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2007 - 08:19 am: |
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Dgillette4,
Thanks. I'll give Mouser Electronics a try.
-ali
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Mikel,
...yea too bad the posts are all antiquated: the links are dead and there aren't many solutions to HOW to solve the problem. Yea, they all post the same problem, but, again, no solutions. Feel free to use the search function yourself to observe this.
-ali |
Mikel
Tinkerer
Username: Mikel
Post Number: 37
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2007 - 10:09 am: |
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I used the search function. It took three minutes to find all of the "dead" links with detailed step by step instructions on diagnosing and fixing minolta capacitor problems. |
Al8719
Tinkerer
Username: Al8719
Post Number: 4
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2007 - 11:19 am: |
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i am talking about how the links IN the posts are dead. as for 'detailed step by step instructions', I would like to see that first hand provided you have the link. regardless, there is no mention on where to get the capacitor, and I believe that is what I asked in my post. |
Mikel
Tinkerer
Username: Mikel
Post Number: 38
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2007 - 10:12 pm: |
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Obviously we are not up to your level here. Please excuse our stupidity and go somewhere else. |
Docman
Tinkerer
Username: Docman
Post Number: 14
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 24, 2007 - 07:12 am: |
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http://www.rainbowhat.com/photography/manuals/x370service.pdf
service manual
and
http://www.micro-tools.com/Merchant2/d_parts.htm
scroll down the page for capacitors..
good luck |
Al8719
Tinkerer
Username: Al8719
Post Number: 5
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 24, 2007 - 08:38 am: |
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thanks, docman...
i'm glad you found the capacitor--but $8.00 shipping... |
Al8719
Tinkerer
Username: Al8719
Post Number: 6
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 09:38 pm: |
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hey everybody...so i got a capacitor, but when i went to fix it, i noticed the circuitry film where the leads attach to was slightly ripped around the two leads. Do I have to get a new circuitry film or is there some sort of fix for it?...any help would be greatly appreciated |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 62
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 08:03 pm: |
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I'm assuming this is a flexible circuit board with printed circuit traces leading to holes or pads onto which the capacitor is soldered. If the traces are slightly lifted from the underlying circuit board it might still be all right if you're very careful. You'll need to try to desolder the holes if there are any, and get the leads of the capacitor through both the board and the trace holes. If the capacitor is surface mounted without holes you can solder to the traces if they're complete, but may have to glue the capacitor down after it's done. You'd do well to test the circuit with an ohmmeter to be sure it's intact when you think it's fixed. If the traces are actually broken or cracked, it will depend on where they run and how much room you have to work. Sometimes you can find very fine wire and bypass the broken spot, or bridge it with solder. But at the scale you're usually working in on a camera, you must be very very careful to avoid melting anything or overlapping traces. It will probably require the tiniest possible soldering tip, very fine solder, and magnification. |
Jonasc
Tinkerer
Username: Jonasc
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 05:16 pm: |
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I'm glad to see that you got the capacitor A18719. I thought I would give an alternate source for future repairers. Go to eBay and do a search for username "minoltadoc". He/she presently has capacitors for all of the X series Minoltas. And no I am not "minoltadoc", just a newbie who has 2 Minoltas both with the same problems as A18719's. Unfortunately the capacitor didn't fix my problem with my X-370(n). Also I have to give a big, big thanks to Docman for the service manual. Any chance you have one for the XG-1(n)? |
Pink_kitty
Tinkerer
Username: Pink_kitty
Post Number: 1
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2008 - 12:35 pm: |
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I have 2 minoltas one is a X-370N and an x-700. I got them on e-bay... I got the 370 first, it worked for a while taking great pictures and then one day I couldn't get the film out no matter what I did. As I turned it to get it out, the film dislodged from the casing and I was forced to lose the pictures. I then went on ebay again getting the 700 and like the 370 after a few rolls of film, the same problem only this time I took it to wallgreens and they have a box and she was able to get it out with a lot of difficulty. Now I am sitting on two cameras that I can't use. I really like the idea of the manual camera and am not ready for the digital world (want to do it old school for a while). Do I throw them away or is there a fix?
thankx! |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 94
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2008 - 08:10 am: |
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It depends a little on what is actually happening. I'm assuming that the film is not rewinding into the cassette for some reason. My guess is that there's a problem with the rewind button fully disengaging the takeup spool, and if so, I am also guessing that it's not terribly hard to fix. But you might also make sure that the prongs on the rewind shaft are not breaking. And finally, make sure that you haven't just pulled too hard on the film on that last shot, and torn it off its spool. When that happens, it won't wind back.
I'd open up the camera (either one) to start with, and look inside. I see on my X370 that the prongs on the rewind shaft are metal, so I'm pretty sure they're no problem. Make sure that when you turn the crank on top, the shaft actually does turn, and that there's no slippage at all. It's a simple direct shaft, but the crank/knob on top can come loose. Now turn on the camera, cock the shutter and advance a couple of frames, and then try to turn the film sprocket (the one with the teeth, just to the left of the takeup spool) backwards. It should be impossible to turn backwards in the direction of rewinding, although it turns freely in the direction of winding. Now press the rewind button on the bottom. It should release the sprocket and allow it to turn freely. If the sprocket turns, the rewind fork turns, and the takeup spool turns, there's nothing wrong in the camera that would prevent proper rewinding. If that is the case, I'd try another roll.
The X-370 is designed to continue rewinding once you've tripped the rewind button. However, some cameras require that you keep your finger on the button all the time you're rewinding, and it's sometimes a good idea to assume that's the case, since it doesn't hurt. |
