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Classic Camera Repair » Maintenance & Repair » Minolta XG-7 shutter, film advancer, and metering problems! HELP! « Previous Next »

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Noel3213
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Username: Noel3213

Post Number: 2
Registered: 04-2013

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Posted on Friday, May 03, 2013 - 07:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Today I bought a Minolta XG-7 from a thrift store, thinking it was in decent working condition. Every other camera I've bought from there have worked great, minus this. The shutter will not realese, even with two brand new LR44 batteries, and the metering system, film advancer, and battery check light do not work at all. ANY help? Please? I'd really love to get this camera working. I got it with a film advancer motor, it'd be a great piece in my collection.

One thing I did get working though, was the shutter, manually by hand. I opened up the button plate, played around a little with some of the gears, and BOOM, I got the shutter to release. I thought I have might fixed it, but turns out, it was the only way I could physically release the shutter. I turned the film advancer level, and moved the same gear, it worked again. But nothing else works.
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Br1078lum
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Username: Br1078lum

Post Number: 546
Registered: 11-2010

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Posted on Friday, May 03, 2013 - 08:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Make sure you clean the contacts in the battery well. Also, none of the indicator lights will work while the shutter is in mid-run.

I picked up an X-370 yesterday that had the mirror locked up due to dead batteries. Took the bottom off to release the shutter and mirror, then cleaned the battery contacts, and the new cells too. Works fine now. You do have to have the batteries in the camera for it to work. If you wound the shutter without the batteries inside, then you need to release it from the bottom again, then put the batteries in the camera before you wind the shutter. But first test the meter. If it doesn't come on, you could have a wiring problem.

Only other thing I can think of is the tantalum capacitors that go in the shutter control circuit. They have a reputation for failing. I have an X-700 that would only work for one minute, then quit. Once the caps die, the camera is inoperable until they are replaced. BTW, no one makes tantalum capacitors anymore. I bought a set of "replacement" caps from Microtools, but they are can type caps, and will not fit in the space where the originals came from. Word is that you have to find a spot they will go in, then run wires back to the PC board. It was easier to get another X-700.

PF

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