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Cliffsecord
Tinkerer
Username: Cliffsecord
Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - 07:31 am: | 
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i own several Minoltas including an XE-7, an SRT-101, and an SRT-102. All were purchased new in the 70's and all of the light meters are broken. They work for a while and then stop. Each one has had its light meter professionally repaired, some more than once, and every time it works for a while and then stops. I've since switched to a Pentax K1000 which still works great after 30 years with no repairs, to my knowledge, ever required. The Minoltas belonged to my father and as a matter of course I would like for them to work. However, I'm reticent about pumping money into them given the track record. Is the unreliable light meter pretty indicative of the series or have I simply lucked into a bad batch? |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 61
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - 05:58 pm: |
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the srt's were good cameras and I have two. The main problem with the meter is that they had strings that relayed settings of f stop, shutter speed and asa to the main meter block on the top left around the rewind shaft. I don't know if you want to repair them yourself or send them out. sounds like the latter. If so there are some fine web sites on this site. Now if you want to use them as-is they could be used with a hand held light meter..Don |
Cliffsecord
Tinkerer
Username: Cliffsecord
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 07:53 am: |
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yeah, If I fixed them I would certainly send them out. I've been going the hand held meter route with them for a little while now but I'm hoping to reduce the number of "carry-ables" with regards to shooting with my 35mm's. So you would say that the string relays are the weak point in the design and likely the source of the failures? |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 63
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 11:36 am: |
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For sure! There is another point and that is the f stop follower gets gummed up, cleaning involves removing 4 screws on the lens mount and number one (anchor the string attached to the ring) then clean up the ring and track. If you let go of the string it goes into the camera. Most srt,s get dirty there. I believe you'll pay $100 plus for an over-haul. Did you check with Mack camera or Keh camera yet you can get a quote on line? The average turn around time is about 3 weeks. |
Nikos
Tinkerer
Username: Nikos
Post Number: 7
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 12:00 am: |
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I cannot speak of the SRTs but I have repaired quite a few XE-7s and in most instances of light meter malfunction the culprit was at the left corner of the camera, namely whatever lives under the rewind knob. In general I have found two kinds of problems.
a. Mechanical binding. The spring loaded mechanism connected to the diaphragm ring, through the above mentioned string, binds. This could be due to number of reasons including direct hit on the left corner of the camera, improper reassembly after repair, or some unidentified obscure reason.
b. Oxidation of the electrical contacts conveying information on f stop and ASA. Minolta has invented a glorified term for this phenomenon that escapes me right now. Maybe staining (?).
Curing mechanical binding calls for close observation, and trial and error, assembly. At times I had to use shims in order to eliminate binding. Not a perfect solutions but it kept the camera working.
Cleaning contacts, can range from easy to impossible. Electrical contact cleaners work but you have to be persistent. Keep cleaning, preferably under pressure using a piece from an old tee shirt until all “staining” is gone. If the stain is obstinate use a hard rubber eraser. Sometimes I had to desolder things so I could place the offending part on my bench. Once in a while after “repairing” the camera the problem would recur indicating that after cleaning, electrical contact was marginal.
I don’t know how correct my approach to the problem is but this is my experience. If you decide to tackle the problem yourself I have many pictures I can send you.
Nikos |
Krp
Tinkerer
Username: Krp
Post Number: 44
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 05:30 am: |
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The meter in a SRT 101 has a interesting problem. The foam used to cushion the mirror was also used in the meter itself. The meter needle has small cushions of similar foam at both ends of the needle movement to protect it.
Like the mirror pad, which gets sticky with age, the same is true in the meter. Since the needle rests at the top, it actually touches the little pad and gets stuck to the foam.
The repair I've made over the years to this problem was to remove the little pads in the needle movement and replace them with small strips of paper glued to the outside of the meter case. The pads are in the slit that the needle travels in.
The strings controls the 'Popsicle' not the meter needle itself.
I believe the 102 had the same. The 200 series of the SRT did not have the foam in the meter.
Kevin |
