Minolta A5

captainslack

captainslack

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I bought a Minolta A5 at the flea market yesterday for $20. Still seems to be in fairly decent condition, but needs some servicing and a MAJOR cleaning. The major problem with it is the shutter is jammed.

I'm having a helluva time finding any info about this camera. Can anyone tell me anything about it? Also, would it be worth my time and money to get it fixed? I've already got a Canonet, so I'm covered on the rangefinder front, but if it's worth it, i'd really to get this one fixed up as well.

Thanks in advance
 
Yeah, I saw it! Thanks!!!

I'd found it yesterday on my own, in fact. so far, it's been one of the few pages that has any info at all about this model. From what I've been able to gather, Minolta didn't make the A5 for very long. They decided to go with rangefinders with built in light meters from that point out.

Edit: Cute cat, BTW. :p
 
Ended up taking the A5 to a local camera store for a repair estimate. The tech said that he'd been servicing cameras since 1974 and this was the first time he'd seen one of these! Guess they're rarer than I'd thought. Luckily, it looks like the camera is in pretty good shape and it just needs to be cleaned and have the shutter unjammed. He's looking at a repair bill around $75-100. Not bad considering the quotes I'd gotten online ranged from $90-150. Can't wait to get this thing back! :D
 
Got the A5 back from the shop yesterday. Surprisingly, nothing was broken inside, but it was really, really dirty and gummed up from sitting unused for a long, long time. Everything is in working or now, though. Can't wait to try it out once I get over this cold. :(

One odd thing I found about it: the film speed dial has a separate set of numbers for color film. I've never seen this on a camera before. There's a range from 32-1600 and then a second range marked "color" that goes from 10-200. Is this something I can ignore or does it mean I can only run color film up to 200 speed?
 
I've the same camera :p

I've the same camera :p

Hi There... i've the same camera. it belongs to my grandparent. I've got the original manual and the origial box... sadly is everything in spanish.. and i'm not good enough with english to translate it...

but as a good news i've foun it in the web and in eng.

http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/manuals/pages/minoltaa5.html
(user: free - password: manuals)

About the ASA/DIN selector: is just for information... this camera is fully manual and have not photometer... so is just an indicator, nothing else..

I hope it have been useful for you... and i hope you enjoy your new Minolta A5... i promisse you'll get exelent photos.

if there is something else i can help u... please just write me to: herrero_olivari at yahoo.com.ar


C'ya

Ignatius
 
Thanks for that link, Ignatius. I have one of these cameras too. Bought it at a camera show for $30 or $35. It is in super shape, but after a few shutter firings, the shutter begins to fire only after the shutter button is released (after being depressed). The speeds all sound good. It has a Rokkor lens on it so I'd like to get it CLAed sometime.
 
I eventually had to make mine into a shelf queen. :(

It had a light leak through the shutter that, despite two trips to the repairman, never went away. Also, after it's second trip, the shutter started firing after the rewind lever reached the end of it's throw.

Pity, too. It was one of my favorite cameras.
 
Hey, it's Christmas, not Easter! (Obscure reference to resurrecting old threads.)

I remember we discussed these before - http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5690&highlight=minolta .

My A5 is still going; the AL-F is ok except I can't get the metering to work (might need to fiddle with a better); and I've also found an AL-E (really nice, built-in meter, manual and aperture priority options, Rokkor 40/1.8, strap lugs) but it's stripped a gear in the film transport mechanism.

And a big welcome to Ignatius!
 
I too have an A-5 in working order. It is a nice little camera. Still have to run a film through it though.

Heath
 
I bought one in 2004 (as a gift for my former girlfriend) for USD 15. It needed no CLA, but iris ring was loose turning freely either direction. Fortunately it was easy to fix it, and same week I shoot a roll with it. The results were really good. The lens is very good at 2.8 and gets better around 5.6 to 8.
AFAIK there were two models, one with shutter up to 1/500 and the other one to 1/1000, besides AFAICR there were two lens option too, but never seen them.
Funny thing: the Bewi Quick meter I´d bought together with a40.5 mm UV filter and a Hoya vented hood went for USD 55!!!

Good luck!! It´s an excellent camera!
Ernesto
 
I was able to find a good one but the iris/aperture ring was also loose and free-turning. How do you fix this? Thanks!
 
Fixed!!

Fixed!!

Thanks for the bump. I sent a PM to ErnestoJL and he replied by indicating that in his case, it was just a missing(tiny) screw in the aperture ring. He simply used a needle to find the location of the hole on the internal ring to match with the external ring and then put a screw there to secure it.

The A5 I saw yesterday had the screw in there so I suspected that there may be more damage so I didn't buy it yesterday. The counter person at the SA also quoted a questionably high price of $30 for this(no tag so she just blurted a price off the top of her head). Without the aperture ring functional, this camera is useless.

Having got some information from ErnestoJL(thanks so much), I went to have another look today and today someone had put at tag of $8.99 on it. Immediatly took a quick look and bought it. I have now fixed this as it was only a case where the screw came loose and probably the previous owner didn't know how to do it and screwed it back in at the wrong spot. The condition of this is very nice(not many scratches at all) and the case is also in very good shape ... just missing the large bolt that secures the case bottom to the tripod screwmoount.

Some questions:

Anyone have a some samples images from this camera?

I know that this lens is not as fast as my GIII-QL19 but would the image quality at F5.6 or F8 be comparable/better/worse?

Inside the camera where you can see the back of the lens, there is a perimeter of foam coming loose. Most of it is still there just some came loose. It hasn't turned gummy yet(still flexible) Has anyone had this replaced or noticed it will leak light? I believe mine will be ok but I just need to clean off the lens back due to some dust getting on it.

Side note: I have been using a digital camera and an older EOS Rebel XS for some time and just discovered these new RF cameras. It's hard to say why I like them but the auto-everything cameras just seem to take away the emotion and creativity. I like the battery-less operation and the simplicity. On a trip, I may still use a digital camera due to it's speed and simplicity and have a RF as a backup.... still learning
 
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I too have one of these. £2 from a junk shop, with shutter and aperture stuck. Had to fix aperture ring (like ErnestoJL) to get iris to work, but aperture markings are misaligned--f22 reads f16...f2.8 is beyond the marked range. Any suggestions appreciated. Nice solid camera, btw.
Mike
 
I recently scooped up a 1/500 version on ebay for under $8, just ran a roll of Superia 400 through it and sent it off to the lab. Fingers crossed :)

 
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