Minolta 7s; film jamming the camera

D4rius · Feb 15, 2017

Hello,

I am having a problem with my Minolta 7s Hi Matic, this is the first time I am using it.
It seems to work fine, shutter ok, lightmter ok.
After a few shots (8) I cant press the shutter anymore, I can't advance the film or wind it back (and i didnt forget to depress the little button under it ).
So I had to open it to take this film back and see what's wrong.
And I noticed that the film is halfly around the " film take-up spool" and halfy around the other one on the left , the "sprocket".
I guess it is not supposed to do that right? This has happened to me twice , maybe I am not placing the film properly on the film take-up spool for it to roll around the right spool ONLY?
Here is a picture of the crime scene;

https://flic.kr/p/RVgHb9

kb244 · Feb 15, 2017

Was the orientation of the cartridge like that when you put it in? (if so, the opening needs to be facing to the right, with the flat surface being flush with the film plane).

It shouldn't be woven into anything, should just go straight across.

Sort of like shown here, since it has a slit in the spool at the end which you can use one of the sprocket holes in the leader to 'catch' onto it, giving it a rotation. (not the same camera here, but didn't see any pics online showing actual film loading into a Himatic 7, so I just found the closest style of take-up).

Dead Link Removed

But yea the flat side of the cartridge needs to be flush with the film plane.

Dead Link Removed

kb244 · Feb 15, 2017

Here's the user manual if you need details.

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/minolta/minolta_hi-matic_7s/minolta_hi-matic_7s.htm

D4rius · Feb 15, 2017

Hey,
thank you very much for these details. I found out what the probleme was:
i wasnt inserting the film THROUGH the take up spool, it was inserted in between the take up spool itself and the other cylinder inside of it, in this little space of 2mm....

Thank again for you help!

best regards

LAG · Feb 16, 2017

D4rius said:
maybe I am not placing the film properly on the film take-up spool for it to roll around the right spool ONLY?

If I have to be guided by the image that you've attached, you are not placing the cassette and film properly of course ...

Minolta Hi-Matic 7s

Harry Stevens · Feb 17, 2017

Well post 2 pic looks right to me and Post 3 pic looks wrong.

Theo Sulphate · Feb 17, 2017

< EDIT: to avoid confusion, I have removed my remarks since they have been found to be incorrect >

LAG · Feb 18, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
In the last photo shown above, I see the film crossing over the take-up spool which I think is incorrect ...

It is correct Theo

Harry Stevens · Feb 18, 2017

He is right it's correct just looked in the manual .......Most of my cameras do it different .

LAG · Feb 18, 2017

Harry Stevens said:
He is right it's correct just looked in the manual .......Most of my cameras do it different .

I cannot imagine how D4rius ended up with that mess, even without looking at the manual both axes turn into the same direction ... Since I have the camera and I opened it to show the system I know I am right.

Everyone is free to doubt of course

Best

kb244 · Feb 19, 2017

LAG said:
I cannot imagine how D4rius ended up with that mess, even without looking at the manual both axes turn into the same direction ... Since I have the camera and I opened it to show the system I know I am right.

Everyone is free to doubt of course

Best

If I had to take a wild guess in the original post, I guess for someone thinking the film wouldn't be secure enough, thought that it had to go under and around the sprocket holes which isn't entirely unreasonable if it is the person's first encounter with film outside of an auto-winder.

But yea the take-up spool's slit is pretty much the only thing needed to secure the leader into it, letting it grab one of the sprocket holes, and advancing it a couple times once closed up noting the rotation of the rewind knob, or frame counter (if it's reliant on film actually passing thru the gears). I personally probably would have dug up a manual after the first mishap rather than encountering it with two identical attempts.

LAG · Feb 19, 2017

kb244 said:
If I had to take a wild guess in the original post, I guess for someone thinking the film wouldn't be secure enough, thought that it had to go under and around the sprocket holes which isn't entirely unreasonable if it is the person's first encounter with film outside of an auto-winder.

Yes, you're right and I fully understand your reasoning. However, sometimes we complicate things more than they really are. I do not say that is the case for anyone here, but many times the (previous) knowledge of other mechanisms can condition us. My first encounter with this camera was when I was very (very) young and I had no problem then even with the first loading film (and I had never had the manual, thank you very much for the link by the way (I forgot to say)).

Best

D4rius · Mar 14, 2017

Hello everyone,
well I found out what the problem was/is , the thing is that the film loading spool (further right one) is not SYNCHING with the middle one , the so called "sprocket" according to the manual.
So i guess you can imagine the mess it becomes when one spool is pulling the film from the canister and the other one not receiving the film properly on the sprockets at the same time... I am really disappointed , i wanted to start using rangefinder cameras with approx 35mm lens , just to compose differently than with a 50mm lens (which I do all the time)
again forgive my english if it is not correct.

regards,
Darius

D4rius · Mar 14, 2017

do you guys have any suggestions for another retro rangefinder camera please? that is available in silver and around 30 -80 dollars? I really liked this one from the 60s and the fact that i could use it in full manual mode or in aperture priority.
Or maybe should I consider opening my Minolta and check what's wrong with this film spool?

M Carter · Mar 16, 2017

D4rius said:
that is available in silver...

Do you have some shoes or a belt the camera needs to match? Is the color of the camera more important than how well it functions? This could come in handy...

D4rius · Mar 16, 2017

ahah nice one!
I don't really care about how I look with it, it's just how I feel about it

Minolta 7s; film jamming the camera

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