Minolta Hi-Matic Aperature and Meter Issue

[Swells0401]

Hi all. New guy here. I just purchased a "working" Hi-Matic 9 from a seller in a (kinda) distant land. Well, it wasn't working. The seller would accept returns but return shipping is on the buyer and was cost prohibitive so I am stuck with a half working camera. Issues include the aperature blades were stuck (I removed the lens and freed them up with light solvent), the light seals shot (replaced those), light meter responds to battery check but not to light (unfixed), and at slow shutter speeds the aperature opens wide open regardless of aperature chosen (issue at the heart of this post). I could almost live without the light meter but the incorrect aperature opening makes this camera unusable. Has anyone experience with solving any or all of these issues, most urgently aperature firing incorrectly? Thanks

 

[Paul Howell]

Need to clean, (I know you cleaned the blades once) the aperture blades and oil the blades with a good light machine oil. Some folks use sewing machine oil, others use gun oil, but if hunt on line you might find which oil is recommended for the Minolta Hi Matic. If the build in battery tester is working then you likely have a broken wire, my guess is soldered connection has come lose. Means you to tear down the camera to find the break.

 

[John Koehrer]

Aperture or shutter blades ALWAYS run dry, never oiled. Oil is used for timing mechanisms and pivots,
grease for things that slide like cams.

 

[Paul Howell]

How about graphite?

 

[wiltw]

I would not think it wise to have graphite particles insde, that can break loose and then get into places where it does more harm than good!

 

[eli griggs]

I have a Minolta Hi-Matic 9, that came to me with a non-working meter.

I found some basic instructions online, and removed the front of the lens to find a small, red wire, had worked itself in between the rings that run past each other, when focusing, etc, which pinched the line and put it out of action.

A little effort at reassembling the 'patched' and soldered wire, to make sure it would run true, and I was done.

As I recall, Hi-Matic lenses were know as a bit loose and prone to this sort of error, so look about for more info where you can, and make sure you have a Japanese (Camera) Industrial Screwdriver or JIS set on hand before exploring and unscrewing things.

I recommend the Vessel Brand set No.TD-56S, which has 0, 00, 000, 0000, sized cross-point JIS precision screwdrivers, plus to fine slotted drivers at 0.7, 0.9mm.

Amazon has this set, and others, but the important thing is this set, has all four "Naught" sizes, so unless you want a longer shafted set of these small screwdrivers, this is, IMO, the one to always start with.

If you have a good set of precision slotted screwdrivers, that will help, but do no put a Philips Screwdriver on any screws in/on that camera, or any other Japanese camera, as they can be easily be mangled and destroyed by doing so.

I do no have a link but that is where I'd start, AFTER checking the battery compartment for any hint of an issue.

By-the-way, if you do no have a soldering Iron, Harbor Freight sells a inexpensive hobby level on for just a few dollars, and their shrink tubing is good, but do buy quality fluxed-solder somewhere else and watch three videos on how to prepare the iron and the pieces to be joined together, the right way.

Cheers,
Eli

 

[Swells0401]

Thanks @eli griggs. Great information! Any chance you have a suggestion on fixing a focusing ring that doesn’t want to focus on the Hi-Matic 9? At least not focus much. This is a different camera than the above mentioned camera. I was able to fix stuck aperature blades and an aperature ring that was not “engaging”. Not sure what to do about the non-working focus ring though.

 

[eli griggs]

No, I'm afraid I can no help you there, but there are many good videos on servicing them I Minolta Hi-Matic 7, 7s and 9 online and that may be covered by one of them.

I only have the one '9' and only needed to make that one repair, so my limited experience is all I can offer.

Good Luck.