Minolta 7s Rangefinder Clean

[benmanson]

Hi All,

I have managed to pick a Minolta 7s in quite nice condition but the rangefinder window could do with a clean. Considering I haven't done any repair work on a camera before - should I do it? Am I likely to mess things up? I don't want to get it CLA'ed because I am not sure if I will keep it.

If I do clean it - how do I get the rewind lever undone - is there a special tool I need to fit the two holes?

I also grabbed a Konica C35 Auto when I got the minolta and even though it is a 2.8 lens, it seems to be happier shooting in lower light than the minolta. I have run test rolls through both and the metering seems to be good - so I am a bit confused by this - any thoughts?

Thanks
Ben

 

[mooge]

you just need to get the top cover off. not so difficult.

remove the screws
remove the wind lever stuff- you're gonna have to improvise here. I used a pair of wire-cutter esque pliers, you can find one of those or find something else that works. or you can also grind down the tips of some small pliers... be careful here- you can damage the screw.
remove the rew. lever- stick a screwdriver in the fork (where the film goes) and turn the rewind lever in the OPPOSITE direction that the arrow points (to rewind your film). also be careful here- the fork is made of plastic. some people prefer to do this step with a wood or plastic tool...

are you likely to mess things up? well-
find suitable tools
be patient! take you time!
be careful!

and what do you mean by 'happier' in low light? the Hi-matic 7s has a not-so-impressive metering range for low light, and that stiff and long shutter release could blur your photos.

good luck!

 

[climbing_vine]

One tip: be careful once all the fasteners are off and you lift the plate up. It's easy to break the flash/meter wiring--the leads are VERY short.

 

[benmanson]

thanks guys, if I can work out a good tool to get that rewind level off without scratching it, i'll have a go.

as for metering - I didn't think about the EV range of the meter. I was keen on the 7s because it is a relatively cheap intro into rangefinders with a fast lens for low light but am a bit disappointed that the C35 appears more useful in low light even though it has a 2.8 lens.

the viewfinder is also a bit nicer on the C35 - although smaller.

If anyone has any other good tool suggestions to get that rewind lever off feel free to pass it on...

thanks
Ben