interesting Minolta Autocord experience

[Dan Daniel]

I've fixed up some Autocords and sold them over the last few years. Someone contacted me about one she bought a couple of years, asking if I could check over why it wasn't working anymore.

Turns out that maybe half of the screws in the camera were loose. The whole focus system, the viewing lens, the tripod mount, strap lugs, door hinges. Even the shutter cocking arm cam needed some serious adjustment after everything was tightened down.

I'm pretty good at tightening screws, etc., and haven't seen this on any other camera I've worked on.

I contacted the owner to ask about the usual suspects- motorcycles and planes. Nope, but she said that she takes the camera to concerts all the time. All I can figure is that the sound systems are vibrating the camera so much that it is coming apart.

I put everything back together with clear acrylic nail polish on the threads and heads. Hopefully it'll stay in one piece. Well, thought I'd pass this along as something to keep an eye on as old technology spends time around new sound systems!

 

[newspaperguy]

Amazing! I'm a long-time Autocord fan who's banged them around in pick ups, small planes and even a tank or two, with n'er a problem. Do you suppose this is progress?

 

[Dan Daniel]

Amazing! I'm a long-time Autocord fan who's banged them around in pick ups, small planes and even a tank or two, with n'er a problem. Do you suppose this is progress?

Progress isn't the word I'd use, but I know some people think constantly massaging their liver with bass is wonderful.

I think part of this comes from 'progress' in sound systems. I think that distortion was a limiter in the past, but that they can generate clean music at louder and louder levels. So of course, because they can they do. And people can spend more time in such an audio field. Somehow that Autocord was resonating just right with whatever kind of music the owner listens to at concerts.