Minolta X-570 acting weird

[fort_wendy]

I have a Minolta X-570 that's showing symptoms of a blown capacitor. Works for a couple of shots but dies. Red "A" or "M" is blinking in the viewfinder. Beeping when sound is turned on. Sent it to Garry's to get it CLA and repaired. Sent it back and seems like it's still doing the same thing. Sent it back and they showed me a video of it working as it should. Shooting several shots, stopping, opening film door, still working. Now I have it back and it's still doing the same thing before I sent it. I have no idea what's I'm doing wrong for it to do the same thing. I don't want to send it back because I'm starting to look like an idiot.

Anyone have similar experience with this?

I use the Duracell 675 Zinc Air 1.45V btw which works on all my other Minoltas.

 

[ronnies]

Why are you using Zinc Air batteries when you should be using SR44 or LR44? That could be the problem.

Ronnie

 

[CMur12]

I'm surprised that you're using zinc-air batteries, also, though I don't know what that would do to the camera. Hopefully, they haven't done any damage. I, too, would recommend you try the batteries specified for the camera that Ronnie named above.

Do you know what kind of batteries the technician used when he tested the camera? If he was using the correct batteries, that may explain why he didn't find a problem.

Did the technician say that he replaced the shutter-release capacitor/s? If not, it may still need to be done, though I'm not sure I would trust this technician any further. (Try the correct batteries first, though. If that's the problem, the technician might not be at fault.)

A Minolta technician that I trust is John Titterington: JTCamera@aol.com .

I have a couple of X-570s, each with an Autowinder G, and I really like them. I think the X-570 was the best electronic manual-focus SLR that Minolta made. I bought one of mine new, in 1984, and I never had any reason to change to autofocus equipment. (An XD-11 would be nice, but it lacks AEL/auto-exposure lock, which makes it useless with either auto-exposure mode for me.)

I hope you get this resolved to your satisfaction, as you have a very good camera and I would hate to see it relegated to the trash.


- Murray

 

[fort_wendy]

Thank you for the responses. I guess the batteries may be the culprit which I also told them about. Will try to get the proper batteries. I actually sent it to get repaired for the blown capacitors and they did a CLA as well. I'm starting to think that wasn't necessary and should've used the proper batteries from the get go.


I was seriously thinking of selling it because it was such a pain in the ass but will reevaluate. I actually have the XD and an XE7. I do like the size and form factor of the XD out of all of them. Maybe I'll give it another chance.

 

[CMur12]

At this point, a CLA was probably not a bad thing to do. It would have been nice, however, if the technician had sent the camera back to you with a set of the correct batteries.

I have read that early X-570s and X-700s didn't have the release capacitor problem. I don't know this for sure, but the X-570 that I bought new in 1984 has not had this problem.

As far as I know, the XD-11 and the XE-7 should also use the same batteries as the X-570. A friend gave me an XE-7 with two Duracell 765/SR44/EPX76 silver oxide batteries for it. These batteries will last a long time, while zinc-air batteries have a short cycle. Minolta never specified zinc-air batteries for any of their cameras.

Zinc-air batteries, or Wein cells based on zinc-air batteries, are typically used in older cameras, such as the Minolta SR-T series, that required the no-longer-available mercury batteries.

Here's hoping for a simple solution to your problem.

- Murray

 

[twvancamp]

Sorry you're having the issue. Definitely try the different batteries. 570 is a great camera, but still fairly priced so you might just try a different copy rather than dive back into repairs. I went through a similar back and forth with a repair tech and a Minolta XD. Sometimes electronics are just goofy.

 

[gavinlg]

My super clean x570 that I used for about a year ended up doing the same thing. Sold for parts. The minoltas are nice to use but always seem to be finicky for me.

 

[fort_wendy]

The reason I used Zinc Air batteries is because they work with my other cameras. Konica Auto S2, Minolta XD and XE, Olympus 35SP.


Thanks for everyone's input, it really helps.

 

[CMur12]

The Olympus and probably the Konica would require a zinc-air battery as a replacement for the originally required mercury battery. Zinc-air batteries would not be correct for a Minolta XD or XE. I don't know if said batteries would damage these cameras in any way, but, at the very least, the normal silver oxide batteries would cost a lost less because they last way longer.

I really looking forward to hearing back from you after you have tried the 765/SR44/EPX76 silver oxide or LR44 batteries in your X-570.

- Murray

 

[fort_wendy]

The Olympus and probably the Konica would require a zinc-air battery as a replacement for the originally required mercury battery. Zinc-air batteries would not be correct for a Minolta XD or XE. I don't know if said batteries would damage these cameras in any way, but, at the very least, the normal silver oxide batteries would cost a lost less because they last way longer.

I really looking forward to hearing back from you after you have tried the 765/SR44/EPX76 silver oxide or LR44 batteries in your X-570.

- Murray

Hi, just wanted to update. I asked Garry which batteries he used and sent me this link to purchase https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/battery/film-camera/minolta/x=700/evr2l76bp . Picked it up today and they didn't have the Energizer but had it in Duracell. I actually bought 8 and didn't realize that one battery was thick/tall that you only needed to use one. Tested it on my X-570 and it works flawlessly. So yeah, you asked for an update and it was a happy update. I'm now curious if I should stop using the Air Zinc and start using these?

 

[CMur12]

Thanks for the update! I'm very pleased to hear the problem is solved.

Yes, the 3v lithium cell works in place of two silver oxide button cells. This is stated in the owner's manual. So, it sounds like you're set.

I would recommend continuing with zinc-air cells in your older cameras that once used mercury cells. For your Minolta XE- and XD-series SLRs, I would use the silver oxide cells specified by Minolta. I don't have the owner's manual for either of these cameras, so I don't know if the lithium battery would work. But it very well might.

I wouldn't use zinc-air cells in your XE- and XD-series SLRs. They're not specified for these cameras by the manufacturer and they are more expensive, as they last a very short period of time.

Thanks again for the good news!

- Murray

 

[fort_wendy]

Thank you and I appreciate all the tips!