Minolta 7s

[tripod]

I found this really nice (minty) Minolta 7s fixed lens RF camera at a thrift shop. 45mm f1.8 Rokkor lens. Both aperture and shutter speed dials have Auto settings, so it seems that if I wanted fully programed exposure settings, I'd set both rings to auto. If I wanted aperture priority, I'd set the shutter speed dial to auto, and if I wanted shutter speed priority, I'd set the aperture dial to auto. The camera works in full manual mode as well, with metering indicated in the viewfinder, though it is an EV scale so you have to check the lens barrel to change the speed and or aperture to the indicated EV.

Pretty impressive.

Problem: the shutter sticks if the camera sits for a while, but the speeds become accurate after a shot or two. Is it the shutter blades themselves that are sticky, or is in the mechanicals that control the shutter blades that is sticky? Is this fixable?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Okay- on this camera, you have to set both rings to automatic for "programmed" mode. Otherwise, it is on manual. I've used a Hi-Matic 9 for 40 years.

The shutter blades/mechanism would benefit from a flood cleaning. This involves removing the front lens group and squirting in alittle lighter fluid or 99% Isopropyl Alchohol.

I would dry-fire the camera for 30~40 shots, then let it sit for a few days. Check if the shutter "woke-up" from nappy time. If it sticks again, it needs the flood cleaning. If that does not work, it needsa full CLA.

 

[btgc]

I'd bet on blades. All my mechanical RF's have woken up after slightly touching blades, so far never needed excavate dirt from mechanicals. Well, another thing is putting point of naphta on end of shafts in mechanism after sitting in drawer for 35 years. But once started to use, I think mostly blades are guilty for misfires.

And what Brian said - dry-firing helps a lot, I guess I read it here on RFF, maybe even Brian ar bmattock wrote about "after releasing hundred times, sitting in front of TV, mechanicals become buttersmooth".

 

[tripod]

Brian, okay so no aperture or shutter priority, just full program or metered manual. (Sounded too good to be true.)
I guess that meter cell will cause some problems in the disassembly of the front end to reach the shutter blades.

 

[FallisPhoto]

You probably just need to clean the shutter blades. A word of warning though about the 7S: The weak point is the self-timer. Unless you have had a full CLA, don't use it. They tend to stick and once that happens, the whole camera locks solid. You have to take the whole front of the camera apart to reach the self-timer then. I've had three 7S cameras and all three jammed that way. I only managed to get one apart to fix the problem and get it back together again so it works. They are the only thing I know of that is more difficult to fix than a Canonet shutter.