Minolta 7000i : camera or film problem?

I have a Minolta 7000i, it's about 14 years old. In the last couple

of years it occasionally chews up a roll of film. When I've used

Velvia or Astia, once in a while I can shoot about 10 frames with no

problem, then all of a sudden I hear this thwap! thwap! thwap! sound,

and the film will no longer advance, it gets stuck, and I have to

open the back and pull the film out. I've noticed that it never does

this to the cheaper Sensia films or the print films, only on the more

expensive slide films, especially when I've just caught a few good

shots of birds or something unusual. Highly frustrating. Has anyone

else had problems with specific types of films in their camera is

this a problem with the particular camera itself?

Sounds like a camera problem to me. The problem has to occur with expensive film or after you have taken some special shots, because - like all things - your camera is following Murphy's Law ;-)

 

http://www.murphys-laws.com/murphy/murphy-laws.html

 

If you want to continue using that particular 7000i, it probably needs a service, commonly refered to as CLA (clean, lube and adjust), but since you can now buy a new Maxxum 5 for under $100, one wonders if servicing a 7000i could possibly be economical.

Sounds to me like a film problem, since you're hearing the sound that the camera is trying to advance the film.

And the sprag "clutch" in your camera's autoadvance, which is what's going thwap as it rotates disengaged. Minolta's (and others)automatic advance "senses" the film tension as it works, and when this tension increases, or maximizes like at end-of-roll, the advance sprag mechanisms either disengage and the camera switches into rewind mode, or worst-case just stops advancing without switching.

 

If you've followed past discussions here and elsewhere on this problem, there seem to be some films that are either wound "too tight" or "bound up" in canister or canister itself creates too much drag, and when used in SOME (not all) Minolta cameras with autoadvance this extra film drag may cause the autoadvance to "flip" into rewind mode, or to just disengage like yours, before end-of-roll.

 

A camera shop should be able to adjust your camera's "clutch". Also try just loosening the film in its canister before putting film in camera: hold the canister upside down, hold the film tab to the canister body (so's not to lose it) and turn the center spool end clockwise just a little to loosen the film, try turning it back and forth just a little to break any film-to-film binding too. Don't turn the spool clockwise too much or you'll bind the film outward on the canister case, and don't turn spool counter-clockwise too much or you'll bind the film up on its spool and pre-tension film.

Hi Rose,

It's not a film problem. You've tried a few films through it and it does the same thing....not the film. I have a 7000i, an excellent camera, but it doesn't get too much use, so it's stil ok. I think it's time to buy a new camera. The one that I have been most impressed with is the Minolta 600si, an absolutely awesome camera. Very simple to operate, and you can pick up a used one in good condition on e-bay for around US$140.... After 14 years, I think you need a change. Good Luck,

Barry.

What...after ONLY 14 years? *grin* I have a Konica TC that is 22 years old, and works just as well as the day I bought it, and believe me, it's seen a LOT of use. Now there was a fine piece of camera engineering!<BR><BR>

If I do need a new camera body, I'd have to find something that would work with my lenses on the Minolta. (35-30 zoom, 100 - 300 zoom, and a Phoenix 100mm with macro adapter) I was looking forward to the 7d, but damn! Wasn't expecting that price tag! Quite frankly, if I could afford a new 35mm film camera system right now, I'd switch to Canon or Nikon. For digi I was looking at the Dimage a2, but for what I use it for, and at the rate technology changes, and considering my income...the Nikon Coolpix 5200 is moving to the top of the list.