Posted on 03/23/2011 12:24:07 AM PDT by SWAMPSNIPER
I finished another project tonight. This Minolta X9 has been sitting in a project drawer until I got time to mess with it. A capacitor triggers the shutter and also regulates shutter speed. Blown capacitors are common on the X9s, Minolta seems to havw bought a big batch of bad ones.. The new capacitor shouldn't have that problem.
It's a simple soldering job for young hands and young eyes, which I don't have! I finally figured out a workaround and got her done! The X9 is a later generation than my XG-M, lots more plastic but it has some nice features added.
I still have a Minolta rangefinder to get working, parts are harder to come by, they all tend to have the same problems.
That is one of the new nickles with the capacitor, they aren't very big. I even have a spare in case I messed one up.
pinglist
Bad capacitors are common in just about every piece of electronics these days. (thanks China)
Good job . I have an old camera packed away my deceased brother gave me. After seeing all your beautiful pics I think after I move I am going to unpack it & see just what it is. Maybe I can take some pics of the horses in the back yard.
They tend to go bad just sitting, it’s best to keep them shooting. When they sit corrosion starts, lubricants gum up, it just isn’t good for them.
‘The Mind of Minolta’
As soon as I unpack after I move I will check it out. I prolly will get it looked at since I know nothing about cameras. It is one of the last things I have from my brother so I want to make sure its fixed & used. I used to know the brand but its been years since I thought about it. Who knows maybe I will learn to use it or Sassy will. Thanks for the advice.
Well I finally got off my rear, and went to the closet to find the old camera. Reading your post made me curious again.
It’s a latter 1980’s Minolta 5000i that we pull out, and use occasionally. It still takes great pictures. We have several attachments for it, but right at this moment I am against the clock, and can’t dig through the camera bag to list what we have. Wide angle, telephoto, and another lens.
I’m surprised that it still works so well as it spends years in the closet coming out only at Christmas, and occasionally for the Spring flowers, and once in awhile the Orchid collection.
We also have a newer Kodak m550 digital camera, but I’m still learning about that thing.
very cool job
>> They tend to go bad just sitting, it’s best to keep them shooting.
Isn’t that true of all of us?! :-)
Reading that post and then seeing your nickname....well, never mind.
What was your workaround?
>> Reading that post and then seeing your nickname....well, never mind.
If you encounter one of me in the wild, move slowly and deliberately. And wear bright colored clothes. Orange is a good choice.
:-)
It does happen to be my favorite color....and btw, how did you hack my tagline? You certainly ARE dangerous!
>> how did you hack my tagline? You certainly ARE dangerous!
I has certain skillz I learned in the see eye ay.
The X9 was the last of the Minolta manual focus bodies, it probably used lead free solder. Lead free solder has a higher melting point, you really have to be careful.
It ain't lead free now, take that, Ralph Nader!
U iz vry vry bad.
>> U iz vry vry bad.
And U still hasn’t fixed ur tagline. Need help?
No, was just trying to figure out when it was deleted....must have been way back, I got tired....went on to something else...short attention span...
Sony lenses have 3 extra electrical contacts used for sending a flash controlling signal to the camera but they aren't needed for most functions, not by me anyway.
Go to KEH and Ebay, check out Maxxum lens values, you may be pleasantly surprised at the value of what you have. Lenses considered "kit" lenses in 1985 have become almost cult items today. Many have not depreciated much, a few have increased in value. My 50mm f1.4 is still worth almost as much as a new Sony 50mm f1.4, and although the Sony is an excellent lens the old Minolta is built better.
The even older MC/MD mount lenses are being used by 4/3 format shooters, even though they are manual focus. A simple adapter makes them fit and image quality is excellent. Many people enjoy manual focus.
You really could have several hundred bucks worth of a digital rig already in your hands.
I have 6 lenses for my Sony, 4 of them are mid 80s Minolta products.
A Minolta 50mm f1.4 or f1.7 for example will bring 200 to over 300 bucks today. A Minolta 70-210 f4 150 to 200 bucks. A 35-70 f4 doesn't bring much, they are too common, but they are one of the best "walk around" lenses you can get for every day use.
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