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Peidave
Tinkerer
Username: Peidave
Post Number: 11
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 03:40 am: | 
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Hi All:
I am curious about what is the problem which causes so many Minolta Maxxums to fail, the notorious Aperture Base Plate problem. What exactly on the base plate fails, and is there a repair falling short of complete replacement of the part.
It seems to me that this problem is so prevalent in these cameras, that Minolta should have performed a recall or offered free repairs to correct the problem.
Any information on this problem? |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 73
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 06:47 am: |
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I've wondered this myself. When my wife's Maxxum 7000 developed a problem, we were warned by the repair guy that if it was the base plate, it would be the end of it, because no spares are available new or used. It turned out to be something else. You can get a nice Maxxum with a bad base plate from places like KEH for nearly nothing. I've been tempted to buy one just to find out what it really is. As I understand, what fails is a little pivoting part, either the pin or the bushing. It certainly sounds as if a creative machinist or tinkerer might be able to fabricate or repair it. There are a couple of people who hang out here who I bet could do it, if the camera were classic enough!
You should hit it with a hammer, and then leave it out in the rain for a couple of months, and then send it to Pablo Martinez (http://www.rusted.free.fr/home.html). He'll have it working in no time! |
Peidave
Tinkerer
Username: Peidave
Post Number: 12
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 08:56 am: |
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It is funny (or not so - ) I bought a 3xi for my wife, and shortly after bought her another for a spare - shortly afterwards the spare died. I bought another 3xi for parts - it, too had the dread problem. Now out of all of these we have only one good one. All beautiful mint bodies, but two are useless and hardly worth sending away....
Now have ordered her another working body, and am keeping my fingers crossed that it, too doesn't have the problem, as she loves these cameras.
Dave
Now, I have ordered her a
Dave |
Peidave
Tinkerer
Username: Peidave
Post Number: 13
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 08:59 am: |
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Arrrgh - that editing didn't wotk out :-) I meant to say at the end I have now ordered her another one which I hope will last more than a year, because she loves those cameras! Wish I could get her to use a manual camera instead!
Dave |
Peidave
Tinkerer
Username: Peidave
Post Number: 14
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 09:44 am: |
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Oops, guys, I am sorry. I just read in the rules that we aren't supposed to discuss more modern cameras. My apologies. I can be reached direct by email, though...
Dave |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 190
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 12:06 pm: |
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Peidave wrote: "Minolta should have performed a recall or offered free repairs to correct the problem".
If all this was not so very sad it would make me laugh. Instead, tears are running down my cheeks, really!
Answers why are short and easy:
#1: Minolta (the photo section) no longer exists, and I guess anyone knows why.
#2: right after customers had bought their plastic 80's & 90's crap Minolta lost interest in them, as more newly produced shxt was being advertised for and waiting to be bought, there was of course no time or money for recalls or regrets.
#3: sudden end of story.
#4: no curtain call, no applause either. |
605er
Tinkerer
Username: 605er
Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 01:30 pm: |
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Does a Maxxum 9000 qualify as classic? It has AF but manual advance. ;-)
I just got a 9000 and may have this problem. Can you give me a description or a test to diagnose the problem?
The camera shows -- for aperture and the aperture adjust does not seem to be working or the AF for that matter.
Otherwise near mint.
Thanks,
Steve |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 74
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 06:40 pm: |
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I suppose that properly speaking any Maxxum is too new for classic status, but on the other hand, they're discontinued, they used film, and they're unsupported, though they only go back about 20 years.
It's really too bad. The original Maxxums were pretty nice cameras - well made and well finished, and Minolta had some pretty good lenses too.
One of the things I liked about Minolta was that until recently they at least had the courtesy to put their manuals on line at no cost. Now what do you suppose it would have cost Sony to leave that little archive available? |
Peidave
Tinkerer
Username: Peidave
Post Number: 15
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 07:23 pm: |
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Sure would have been nice. Fortunately, I downloaded all of the manuals for the various Minoltas I own before they dissappeared. It is a shame.
Dave |
Peidave
Tinkerer
Username: Peidave
Post Number: 16
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 10:22 am: |
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Getting slightly off topic now, but I have just discovered that Konica-Minolta Canada still has their manuals on-line at least for now. I don't suspect they will be on much longer, as Minolta has announced their closure in Canada... I went in today, and downloaded all the manuals I could conceivably need in the future:
http://ca.konicaminolta.com/support/manuals/index.html
Dave |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 17
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 01:29 pm: |
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I have a Minolta Maxxam 7000 also the Pro version the Maxxam 9000. Both cameras are in very good condition except the AF is not working on the 9000 (motor dead).
I would also like to know about this notorious Aperture Base Plate problem. What exactly is it and can it be fixed? The reason I ask is that I am about to buy a 200mm zoom lens to fit these camera's.
Any help is appreciated - Alf |
Mikel
Tinkerer
Username: Mikel
Post Number: 49
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 05:38 pm: |
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Before the prices of used Maxxum cameras started to drop several years ago, I purchased a 5000 on ebay for $18 and it has worked fine since. I later bought another working example for somewhat less. I think that the baseplate is the same as the 7000, but cannot verify it.
The point I would make is this: if Sony/Minolta/Konica still had parts, they would have to sell them at a loss or give them away as one could by an entire working camera for less.
Mine still work when I occasionally take them out but the best part for me (and completely OT I admit) is that they had some fine lenses which work well with the new Sony Alpha. They are great bargains currently. |
605er
Tinkerer
Username: 605er
Post Number: 11
Registered: 08-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 04:52 pm: |
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Does anyone know where the aperture base plate is in the camera? |
