Minolta Dynax 5 trouble

[pentaxpete]

I wanted to give my 'Gift ' Minolta Dynax 5 an outing again but I could not get the back door open to load the film this time.
I pressed the Release button and pulled but it would not open -- I tried with and without batteries -- I ended up loading my Dynax 40 instead which does not have that dreadful back lock device .
Minolta Dynax 5 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr

 

[pentaxpete]

Done it !! I had to press release hard at same time lever back gently with small screwdriver in a slot in the polycarbonate back and it opened! i have now lubricated the catch with minute amount of Vaseline and it opens much easier now !

 

[R.Gould]

I had a similer problem with a contessa folder, also with my contina folder, the film winding would grt tighter and tighter until I almost needed piers to turn the film wind knob, and the rewind was difficult,the only way I could keep the film wind usable was to turn the rewind knob to free the film in the cassette every 3 or 4 exposures, I tried turning the rewind knob with no film in the camera and it was not smooth and easy, I put just 2 or 3 tiny drops of good old 3 in 1 oil on the rewind spindle and now it both winds on and rewinds easily, and no more torn film sprockets or to widely spaced frames on both cameras
Richard