Minolta srtsc ii mirror and shutter problems

[Jonah Polissar]

Hey all,
I just found an old Minolta SRTSC ii in our garage and I am having some problems getting it to work. I don't know if this is how its supposed to work but when I cock the shutter the mirror raises until you press the shutter and then it drops. This means you can't see through the viewfinder when the shutter is cocked which I guess isn't the biggest deal but it is a bit inconvenient. The main problem is that the shutter speed is not changing. It seems to be stuck at one setting and not moving. I know for sure it's not working because bulb doesn't work. Everything else on the camera seems to be working fine and in good condition so it would be great to get it working. I also put a battery in and it looks like the light meter is working great and all of the other mechanical features seem to work great. Again I'd love to get it working if anyone knows something to try. If you need more information or pictures/video to help just let me know.

 

[Jonah Polissar]

Hey all,
I just found an old Minolta SRTSC ii in our garage and I am having some problems getting it to work. I don't know if this is how its supposed to work but when I cock the shutter the mirror raises until you press the shutter and then it drops. This means you can't see through the viewfinder when the shutter is cocked which I guess isn't the biggest deal but it is a bit inconvenient. The main problem is that the shutter speed is not changing. It seems to be stuck at one setting and not moving. I know for sure it's not working because bulb doesn't work. Everything else on the camera seems to be working fine and in good condition so it would be great to get it working. I also put a battery in and it looks like the light meter is working great and all of the other mechanical features seem to work great. Again I'd love to get it working if anyone knows something to try. If you need more information or pictures/video to help just let me know.

Okay quick update after messing around further the shutter speed is working now but it can't do bulb. The mirror is still doing what I mentioned above and I looked through user manuals and I don't think it's supposed to do that but I don't totally know.

 

[CMur12]

The mirror shouldn't be stuck in the up-position, as you describe. It should behave like other modern SLRs, in which case the mirror only rises temporarily to clear the shutter during exposure.

Having sat unused for a long time, and with the malfunctions you describe, your camera should be treated to a CLA. The shutter and the meter would need recalibration to function to spec.

- Murray

 

[farlymac]

Old cameras stored in not very friendly environments will have many problems when reactivated, usually from dried-up lubricants and deteriorating light seals. Then there is the odd chance that something in the gear train of the camera is broken, worn out, knocked out of alignment, or missing a tensioner spring. It's been a looong time since I dug around inside a Minolta SLR, but my best guess is that the latch for keeping the mirror down after winding the film is not functioning correctly. This should be in the bottom of the camera body. If you fancy a peek, remove the bottom cover and observe the workings of all the levers, gears, and springs to see if you can 1) determine which one is the mirror latch, and 2) is it loose or stuck. If you don't want to chance making matters worse, then send it off to a reputable repair shop (there is a thread post listing a bunch of them and what they specialize in) for a proper cleaning and adjustment where they can also diagnose and rectify the mirror issue.

PF

 

[p.giannakis]

Sounds like there are a number of issues with your camera. It needs to be professionally serviced.

Regarding the first mirror issue: unscrew the bottom plate and locate a white plastic cog. Put a tiny drop of oil in the centre of it and on the metal pawl that sits in it. Advance the film a few times and see if that fixes it.