Minolta Hi-Matic S

[Harlee]

I have a couple of Hi-Matic S Minolta cameras which I like, but unfortunately both have problems. One was dropped by a security agent in Frankfurt, Germany, and while the flash works the shutter is locked up. I tried to release the shutter through the bottom of the camera, but to no avail.

My other Hi-Matic S has a non working flash, but will fire. I therefore took the capacitor out of one and put it in the non flash working camera but the flash still doesn't work. But the flash on the camera without the capacitor still works off of it's two AA batteries.

Just what does the capacitor do? I thought it charged the flash but apparently it doesn't, the two AA batteries do.

Hummmmmmmm, very strange! The flash on the once non flash working camera still won't fire the flash with the other capacitor in it and two new AA batteries.

Any ideas?

 

[Landshark]

The cap only holds a voltage it doesn't create it.
There's an oscillator in there that takes your 3V and steps it up to ~250V.
If the cap measures a high V, that means the charging bit is OK.

A couple of things to check are the flash tube itself and the ......sorry, brain fart, can't remember.

I want to say release cap, but it's not in my mind right now.

 

[Harlee]

Thank you Landshark. I thought about possibly taking the flash off and putting in the other one with a non working flash. But quite frankly, it's too much trouble. I still have a nice working Hi_matic S and another Hi-Matic S2. Yesterday I took some used cameras to sell to a used camera shop that specializes in mostly RFs, and swapped one even up for a like new Chinon Bellimi with attached flash in a presentation case with instructions. I had one years ago and really liked it. I'll try it out and download some pics ASAP.