Minolta "A" rangefinder

[MrRanger]

Postperson brought me a package again today - contained the Minolta A and Konica Auto S I've been waiting on. 😉

I'm really intrigued by the Minolta and would like to get it working again, the re-wind lever does not seem to cock the shutter. I have been hunting on the Internet trying to find some dis-assembly instructions for the Minolta "A" and haven't had much luck.

Anyone out there in RF land know where I might find such info?


Mike 😀

 

[Doug]

I'm really intrigued by the Minolta and would like to get it working again, the re-wind lever does not seem to cock the shutter.

Congratulations on receiving your new rig... Do you perhaps mean the wind lever doesn't cock the shutter? Rewind lever just rewinds the film... 🙂 Sorry that I don't have any other words of wisdom on this model....

 

[captainslack]

Good luck finding any info about the A-series Minolta's. I've got an A5 and had a helluva time finding any info on it. Luckily, I found a repair person here in Raleigh that fixed it up. But even he'd never run across one before and he's been fixing cameras since the '70's!

 

[MrRanger]

... Do you perhaps mean the wind lever doesn't cock the shutter? Rewind lever just rewinds the film... 🙂

Yes, that's what I meant - I don't know why I said re-wind lever...duh! 😛

...Good luck finding any info about the A-series Minolta's

Mmmm! Looks like I might be on my own with this one! 😱 Thanks guys!

Mike 😀

 

[Poptart]

I have a little Minolta something and the lens is great; all the money in that camera was spent on the lens.

 

[Kin Lau]

I have the "Minolta A" with the 45mm f3.5. Very neat camera. The shutter speed is on a "wheel". Mine is winds very lightly, almost no effort required. I'll take a peak at mine when I get home.

ps I'm having some ISP problems right now, so don't expect quick replies.

 

[MrRanger]

I have the "Minolta A" with the 45mm f3.5. Very neat camera. The shutter speed is on a "wheel"...

Sounds exactly like the one I've got. Tried to unscrew the top on the winder lever to remove it - it has a plate with two small holes in it (like the Yashica Electro) but it wouldn't loosen up - the entire shaft would rotate. The takeup spool is loose now, it looks like the bottom of the shaft is fractured where it goes into the bottom plate.

If you look at yours, could you tell me if there is supposed to be a rear element. Looks like this one might end up being a "shelf queen". 🙁

Mike 😀

 

[Kin Lau]

Good news.. I checked mine, and there's _NO_ rear element, the shutter blades are exposed. I have put film thru mine, so it's okay.

I'll likely be offline for the next few days.

 

[MrRanger]

Thanks for that! I wasn't sure - all of the RFs that I own have their shutters between a front and rear element.

The big problem is that the shaft that the wind lever rotates on is broken right at where it goes into the bottom plate. I need to get that plate off and see what's in there. Don't know if I could even find a replacement shaft or not! :bang:

Mike 😀

 

[Pherdinand]

That's interesting to hear.
I only knew about a Mamiya TLR lens that is a Tessar-type but with the leaf shutter behind the rear element, not between rear and middle.