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Chaykak
Tinkerer
Username: Chaykak
Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 08:13 pm: | 
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Hi, film camera noobie here. I've been using my father's old minolta x-370, and after a roll of film successfully shot, it failed. While trying to load a new roll, the advance lever stopped working. It's not that it sticks, it just has no resistance at all: it goes through the entire rotation easily, but without doing anything. The batteries are fine, the lights are fine inside the camera, they don't flash, so I'm not sure that the capacitors are the problem. The shutter won't trigger either. I figure I'll try replacing the batteries, but any other suggestions?
I tried to read up as much as I can, my dad suggested there might be a lock lever somewhere that's freezing it? the shutter button can be pushed down, it's just that nothing happens.
Thanks,
Kyle |
Chaykak
Tinkerer
Username: Chaykak
Post Number: 2
Registered: 08-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 08:36 pm: |
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I forgot to mention that the rewind release is stuck on engaged, I'm not sure how to get that back out again. |
Markus
Tinkerer
Username: Markus
Post Number: 70
Registered: 08-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 09:58 pm: |
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The symptom that indicates a dried out capacitor is that with fresh batteries when you just half depress the shutter button the leds will display the shutter speed that the meter suggests (in A mode). When you depress the shutter button all the way the leds go out and the shutter does not fire. It sounds to me that you do have a dried out capacitor indeed. This is pretty easy to fix if you know how to solder. You should search the archives for instructions. I think I still have a bag of capacitors for the X370 around, I can mail you one or two, let me know. |
Chaykak
Tinkerer
Username: Chaykak
Post Number: 3
Registered: 08-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 09:46 am: |
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The problem is that the lights don't go off when I push the shutter button, in M or A mode. does that mean it's definitely not an issue with the capacitors? |
Markus
Tinkerer
Username: Markus
Post Number: 71
Registered: 08-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 10:44 am: |
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Yes, I believe if the lights don't go off there should be nothing wrong with the capacitor. I guess that the wind mechanism is jammed. I would start by opening the bottom and taking a look. |
Chaykak
Tinkerer
Username: Chaykak
Post Number: 4
Registered: 08-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 12:16 pm: |
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Thanks for your help, I'll take a look. It's not that the advance lever jams though, it's that the advance lever doesn't wind the advance reel in the back of the camera, like the two have become unconnected. Is there anything to look for in particular in the bottom of the camera? |
Don
Tinkerer
Username: Don
Post Number: 39
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 03:29 pm: |
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Remove the bottom cover & find the blue gear near the front on the wind side. Theres a smaller white gear mtd. on a plate. Sometimes the plate loosens & the 2 gears lose their mesh. If thats the case, turn the blue gear cw until you feel resistance. Engage the the white gear & try winding the shutter. If if feels stiff, dont force, just disengage the 2 gears & let off a tooth or 2 (ccw) of the blue gear. Engage the white gear again. If the action seems smooth, then tighten the screw that holds the plate w/the white gear. |
Chaykak
Tinkerer
Username: Chaykak
Post Number: 5
Registered: 08-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 05:12 pm: |
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Turns out it was just a problem with how the film was being fed in. Thanks for all the help though! I'll definitely keep this on hand for future problems. |
