Topic: Repairing a Minolta XG-A?

[Urban Hafner]

So I have this broken Minolta XG-A. The mirror is half way up when the lens is removed (compared to my X-300 where it's completely down) and probably liked to it the lens is always stopped down. This means that the finder is really dim and totally unusable.

As there's no use in having it repaired (that would probably cost more than the camera is worth) I was wondering if anybody knew of instructions on how to fix this myself. I know that I'll probably break the body, but as I don't have anything to loose I might as well take the opportunity to learn something.

Urban

[Pete_R]

I don't have any personal experience of the camera but might be able to give some pointers.

Can you cock and fire the camera? If not, first thing to try is to manually release the wind lock and recock the camera and fire it. This often sorts out problems where the shutter/mirror/wind mechanisms have got out of sync. The wind lock is most likely under the base plate and will consist of a lever engaged with the bottom of the wind shaft in a way that prevents the wind-on from operating.

If you can cock and fire the camera, then it sounds like the mirror mechanism itself and that would probably mean pulling the mirror cage to effect a repair. Not something I'd recommend.

Probably not of help but here's a picture of an XG-? where the coupling has come adrift under the base plate (arrowed). This lever which is normally engaged with the bottom of the wind shaft will (I think) cock the shutter. Could be something similar has happened on yours and it would certainly be worth looking under the base plate and seeing if anything like this has come adrift.



If you're really serious, you could buy a service manual from here. http://www.lensinc.net/minoltarepair.html

You could also ask the question over at kyphoto http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/forum/messages/2/2.html?1278744299. I did search the archives but couldn't come up with anything but someone may know the answer.

[Urban Hafner]

Awesome! Totally awesome! Firing the shutter once fixed the problem. You really saved my day here!

Now on to apologizing to the previous owner 

Urban

[Pete_R]

I wouldn't apologise too quickly, if it happend once, it will probably happen again.

[Urban Hafner]

I guess I'll just put a film through it and we'll see what happens. Maybe it just didn't like the journey across the ocean (let's hope so).

Urban