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Zenzaman
Tinkerer
Username: Zenzaman
Post Number: 13
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 - 01:47 am: | 
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Hello everyone!
I just picked up me new toy, an XE, from the postal office. Everything seems to work nicely except for the exposure meter needle that reacts to light and seems accurate but is moving rather slowly when the light changes. I'd say I have to give it about 1 second time to settle to a value.
I did a little test last night... pointed the camera to a bright light source (enough for a 1/1000 shutter speed) with the cap on, then removed the cap and timed the needle movement from bottom to top of the scale. It took it just a bit over 2 seconds. It's not really ok, is it?
Any ideas if this is fixable and if so, how?
Thanks!
This aside, the camera is so smooth that makes me wonder if I should keep my XD-7 too or not 
[and one more thing... I see the shutter speed indication in the viewfinder somewhat tilted and partially outside the boundaries of its little window. It's like either one of the mirrors has moved or the disc with the numbers out of alignment. Is this possible?] |
Gez
Tinkerer
Username: Gez
Post Number: 254
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 - 04:47 am: |
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There is a thread in the archive from 2009 relating to metering problems, but is not particularly informative. I have an XE-1 with a similar problem where the meter needle won't reach 1/1000 even in very bright light. The service manual gives some detailed procedures for calibrating the response and replacing a resistor to achieve full scale deflection, but it didn't work. I suspect there is a partial short somewhere in the circuit board.
The tilted speed indication could be due to a past 'service'. Set the speed to 1000 and remove the plastic top cover and the wind-side cover. The pulley cord terminates on a collar around the speed setting shaft. Loosen the grub screw on the side and rotate the collar either CW or CCW to straighten the display. If you have to move the collar beyond its normal range of travel the screw holding a star shaped washer, near the front of the pentaprism, will need adjustment, but that shouldn't be necessary. |
Zenzaman
Tinkerer
Username: Zenzaman
Post Number: 14
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 - 05:22 am: |
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thanks a lot for the input (especially the second part). as for the first part, in my case the needle goes all across its range but it does it in a troubling slow manner. when shooting in auto mode, if the light changes dramatically very very fast, the slow reaction of the meter leads to wrong exposures. i'll put the first test roll through the camera tomorrow and check all times and meter accuracy. and i'll get into the speed indication issue as soon as i get home from work.
best regards,
alin |
Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 19
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 - 05:52 am: |
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I have a similar issue on an XE-5. The needle doesn't sound quite as slow as yours, but it is certainly slower than other cameras. I haven't tried much to correct the problem other than working the aperture ring back and forth to clean the contacts. The camera is in mint condition, so I hesitate to pull it apart. I have put a couple of rolls of film through it and it's a great shooter. |
Teraforce88
Tinkerer
Username: Teraforce88
Post Number: 29
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2011 - 07:00 pm: |
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I just tested this with my XE-7, and it took about 0.5 seconds for the meter to travel to 1/1000 from the bottom (power off). Using your testing methodology, it also took 0.5 seconds to get to 1/1000, but it started at 1/2 second (ISO 1600 with the lens stopped down to f/8. For some reason, when I tried f/3.5 at ISO 125, the meter would not go below 1/8-1/15 second with the lens cap on)
The meter does seem slower than my X-700's, but I always figured that was because the XE-7 uses CdS cells for metering, not silicon photo diodes that newer cameras use.
That said, the fact that your XE takes 2 full seconds rather than just a half a second doesn't seem normal. My theory (which should be taken with a grain of salt) is that it could just be the age and resistance of the CdS cells, but what do I know?
@Gez: Regarding your XE-1: I had the same problem with my XE-7, only mine was much more severe (it wouldn't go above 1/30 in bright light at ISO 100). My suggestion would be to check ALL the solder connections on the meter board. The XEs seem to be *EXTREMELY* picky & sensitive regarding how well everything is soldered. In my case, the Rp resistor wasn't soldered in well enough. In fact, ever since I fixed it the first time, I had to re-solder the same joint two more times, each occurring a few months after the previous re-soldering job, because the meter would screw up again. |
Xowhiplock
Tinkerer
Username: Xowhiplock
Post Number: 17
Registered: 12-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2011 - 03:40 pm: |
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https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/messages/2/20948.html?1296945270
Just posted a message on my camera that may be on intrest for the bouncing meter needle.
Craig |
Zenzaman
Tinkerer
Username: Zenzaman
Post Number: 15
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 07, 2011 - 01:59 am: |
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given the fact that the meter works without interruptions and is still spot on practically eliminates any corrosion/bad soldering issues. therefore the problem probably is much more difficult to address. i guess i'll just live with it...
thank you for the answers and of course, any other hints and tips are more than welcome |
Xowhiplock
Tinkerer
Username: Xowhiplock
Post Number: 19
Registered: 12-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2011 - 03:33 am: |
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I don't have the manual to check out the circuit that controls the needle meter, but I suspect a capacitor is needed to bump current ahead of voltage and without the capacitor, the needle moves slower then it should.
Craig |
Zenzaman
Tinkerer
Username: Zenzaman
Post Number: 16
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2011 - 06:01 am: |
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i guess that's good news though. i'll go through the manual again and try figuring it out (i suck at electronics). thanks! |
Zenzaman
Tinkerer
Username: Zenzaman
Post Number: 17
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2011 - 07:35 am: |
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this is what the service manual says about "defective work of meter (the pointer does not move; unstable; slow in response; shaken off)"
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x228/alinCiortea/camera%20repair/minolta%20xe /defective_meter_minolta_xe.jpg
can anyone help me understand what it says? :D |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 52
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2011 - 09:02 am: |
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Zenzaman,
That is a troubleshooting flowchart. You start where it says 'Defective Meter'. Follow to the battery check 'BC'. If the BC is ok, then you go to 'Auto-Manual'. If not, then you check your batteries, such as low voltage, or leaking. Just follow the steps, and it will lead you to a solution.
Say the Auto-Manual check is not ok, so the next step is to 'Check on voltage at grounding unit'. If you get 0v at any of the three places to check, then the problem is one of two possibilities, a 'Defective Screw Fastening', or 'Disconnected Patterns'.
Different sections of the chart reference the drawings at the bottom of the page, such as 'Poor adjustment of R3'. You can assume figures 18 and 20 are on another page, but for illustrative purposes, Fig. 19 shows the meter connection for testing 'Loose screws, unsoldered lead wire'.
PF |
Zenzaman
Tinkerer
Username: Zenzaman
Post Number: 18
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2011 - 10:41 am: |
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thanks!
i've put the chart and drawings together from the manual as the chart made references to those two drawings. i'll give it a shot one of these days |
