Minolta X-700 problem

[nichols]

Hi...just recently my minolta's shutter won't release for whatever

reason...forgive my ignorance, but could this be a battery problem?

If not, about how much does it cost to get that type of thing fixed?

Do X-700s often have a problem with the shutter sticking?

[art_haykin]

I have two, and one is quite old, but nary a problem yet. All the Minolta X series require batteries to operate. If, with fresh batts, it still fails to fire, you MAY have a jamming problem.

[al_kaplan1]

Or it could be the circuit board that controls the shutter. The X-700 is a great camera but it can get expensive if it needs more than a battery.

[douglas_green1]

If the meter and other electronics seem to be working properly, but the shutter button itself just seems to do nothing when you press it, then you probably have an X-700 that is suffering from a bad shutter release Capacitor. This is a known achilles heel of these cameras, and it's a straightforward repair. I had one with the same problem that cost me $50 to get it repaired, including the cost of new light seals and mirror bumper.

[michael_moon]

Micro-tools sells those capacitors. The camera has 2 (I think) and Micro-tools recommends that you replace both at once. Don't have the catalog with me, but they are only a few dollars.

[orville_wright]

You can usually find the X-700 capacitors pre-packaged with installation instructions on Ebay. Sometimes the seller offers an explanation of this common problem so you can better understand what has happened. Caps fail over time and an X700 can be 20 years old. Everyone says you can do it yourself but it looks like you are working in tight quarters.

If you can get close to the $50 price that Doug got thats the way to go. If the caps are that old it's probably time for new seals.