Minolta XD-7 Shutter Not Releasing

[d_young]

About a year ago, I sent my minolta xd-7 to a repair shop for a complete

overall. It worked fine when I got it back and was in excellent condition. I

have not used it since. I recently tried to use it and the shutter will not

release? The winder will not turn? I have tried it with good batteries and on

manual with bulb... nothing? Everything else seems to work, timer, light meter,

etc.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[ken_jeanette1]

<p>Could it be the resistor/capacitor problem that plagues the XG series?</p>

[John Seaman]

<p>If it won't fire on the mechanical speeds "O" or "B" it sounds like more of a mechanical jam. It's often worth removing the base of an SLR and gently moving any levers, cams etc whilst trying to operate the shutter and move the advance lever. This way you can sometimes free them up. I've not done it with an XD7 however.</p>

[bonsignore_ezio]

<p>"The winder will not turn?"</p>

<p>Do you mean the winder lever, or you have a motor winder on? If the latter, then the first thing to do is to remove it and try again. If the former, clearly enough the shutter is cocked but cannot be released. Some sort of mechanical jam for sure. Rather surprising, though, in a freshly overhauled camera.</p>

[d_young]

<p>Thanks for the responses. There is no winder or motor drive on the camera, it is the winder lever, or film advance lever at the top. Neither it will advance nor will the shutter release? It does not operate in"O" or "B", which is odd.</p>

<p>I am disappointed that after the overhaul, it is jammed or stuck somehow. It is beyond the 60-day warranty they offered. I emailed the shop, who noted back to just send it back to them for repair. Before I do that, I may have to try John's advice to see if I can advance it by removing the base and see if I can gently move something to unjam it.</p>

<p>Everything else seems to work. The timer will time down to the release and clicks, but the shutter does not release? </p>

[bonsignore_ezio]

<p>Please do not take this as a personal offense, but: there perhaps is film in the camera? This sort of (apparent) jam might also happens when the film has reached its end and needs to be rewinded. </p>

[d_young]

No offence taken. No film. I haven't had a chance to take the bottom cover off yet however.

[jason_hopper]

<p>It sounds like your XD is mechanically hung up somewhere along its firing sequence. Assuming the shutter is fired off and the mirror has returned down, it may be as simple as the mirror return air damper not releasing (one of the last steps in the sequence).</p>

<p>With shutter speed set a 'O' try pressing in the film rewind release button on the bottom, to free up the advance lever to allow you to recharge and refire it. If this works, exercise the camera over and over, maybe this will free up whatever's stuck.</p>

[jason_hopper]

<p>Wanted to add that I induced a similar locked-up fault with my XD this morning (was curious & had to find out if this was possible, but dunno if this was for same reason). The diaphragm stop-down lever at the bottom of the mirror box did not fully move over and froze the camera. You might also want to check this: nudge it over to the left (left when facing the front of the camera). On mine, camera freed back up as soon as this lever released.</p>