Minolta Maxxum 7 problem

Chan Tran · Oct 22, 2020

I haven't used this camera for a long time. Yesterday checking it out I turn the power switch to on and hear some whirring noise for a couple of seconds then stopped. Pushing the shutter release button the backlight for the LCD in the viewfinder light up but the LCD itself doesn't display anything. That's it. It doesn't do anything more.
I did put in new batteries and checked an make sure the batteries are good.
Anyone has any idea?

Wallendo · Oct 22, 2020

Maybe this thread will help

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/minolta-maxxum-7-problem.160942/

neilt3 · Oct 23, 2020

Wallendo said:
Maybe this thread will help

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/minolta-maxxum-7-problem.160942/

That's the OP's thread from two years ago .
I guessing it didn't help as he's still got the same problem !

If it is the aperture controls the problem , lack of parts at a repair shop is the issue .
Glueing the cog on the shaft might work , but seems a temporary ( if that ) solution .

Chan Tran · Oct 27, 2020

neilt3 said:
That's the OP's thread from two years ago .
I guessing it didn't help as he's still got the same problem !

If it is the aperture controls the problem , lack of parts at a repair shop is the issue .
Glueing the cog on the shaft might work , but seems a temporary ( if that ) solution .

Yup! I still have the same problem. I have several Maxxum cameras but the 7 is the only one I like. I have working Maxxum 9xi, 800si, and 5.

neilt3 · Oct 27, 2020

I've got pretty much all the Minolta SLR's , AF & MF , out of all them the Dynax 7 is my favourite as well .
I've got two of them loaded now in use ( 1 x colour , 1 x B&W ) and I've got another waiting for me to make two backs into one good one .
I recently bought another camera with a broken catch , and I already have a back with a good latch but a faulty screen .
So when I get chance I'll be putting the good LCD into the unbroken back .
Others AF ones I like using are the Dynax 60 ( Maxxum 70 ) , the Dynax 5 & 9 , then the Dynax 600si .

I think my parts camera had the same fault as yours with the aperture , I remember someone trying to fix theirs by gluing the cog back on the shaft with superglue , but it didn't last long .

baybora · Feb 16, 2021

I just bought a used one on eBay and guess what I have the same problem as what Chan Tran described. It worked fine without film. I put the first roll, shot 2 frames and turned it off. When turned back on again, no LCD display, and a wheezing sound, tried with new batteries but no luck. All terminals are very clean. I will try with a vertical grip next..cross my fingers.

gordotuomi · Feb 11, 2025

baybora said:
I just bought a used one on eBay and guess what I have the same problem as what Chan Tran described. It worked fine without film. I put the first roll, shot 2 frames and turned it off. When turned back on again, no LCD display, and a wheezing sound, tried with new batteries but no luck. All terminals are very clean. I will try with a vertical grip next..cross my fingers.

hey, I'm having the exact same issue. shot a roll of film, rewinded fine, turned it off, came back 30 minutes later and no sign of life. tried new batteries, cleaned all the contacts, nothing. did the vertical grip end up working?

xkaes · Feb 11, 2025

I've had a similar problem with the Maxxum 5 (NUMEROUS cameras, not just one), and I addressed it in a similar fashion as mentioned in Post #2 -- a battery pack.

While the Maxxum 5 does not use the same lithium battery as the Maxxum 7, the problem appears to be the electrical "sensitivity" (for lack of a better term) and the Minolta cameras.

As mentioned in Post #2, the problem is solved by using a battery pack. The Maxxum 5 also has a battery pack for four ALKALINE ONLY batteries -- which produces slightly less voltage than the two 3v lithium batteries.

This told me that the cameras were OK, but they would not function correctly with the lithium batteries that I had. They were new batteries, and tested as fully charged -- 3.3v. But they were a cheap brand. When I switched to a much more expensive 3.3v batteries (Panasonic, in this case) all the cameras worked fine.

I still have no explanation for it, but I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Anyone want some fully charged, cheap batteries cheap???

Andreas Thaler · Feb 12, 2025

Send me such a problem Maxxum, I'd like to take a look at it, it fits my current projects!

Andreas Thaler · Feb 12, 2025

xkaes said:
I've had a similar problem with the Maxxum 5 (NUMEROUS cameras, not just one), and I addressed it in a similar fashion as mentioned in Post #2 -- a battery pack.

While the Maxxum 5 does not use the same lithium battery as the Maxxum 7, the problem appears to be the electrical "sensitivity" (for lack of a better term) and the Minolta cameras.

As mentioned in Post #2, the problem is solved by using a battery pack. The Maxxum 5 also has a battery pack for four ALKALINE ONLY batteries -- which produces slightly less voltage than the two 3v lithium batteries.

This told me that the cameras were OK, but they would not function correctly with the lithium batteries that I had. They were new batteries, and tested as fully charged -- 3.3v. But they were a cheap brand. When I switched to a much more expensive 3.3v batteries (Panasonic, in this case) all the cameras worked fine.

I still have no explanation for it, but I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Anyone want some fully charged, cheap batteries cheap???

Yesterday I measured an open circuit voltage of 5.7 volts on the BH-70L battery holder (4 x AA), which is 0.3 volts less than the nominal voltage of 6.0 volts even without a load. The Minolta 7000 AF still worked, but the motor was not as lively.

xkaes · Feb 12, 2025

How does that relate to the Maxxum 5 & 7 which are much newer, lithium-based, models?

Andreas Thaler · Feb 12, 2025

xkaes said:
How does that relate to the Maxxum 5 & 7 which are much newer, lithium-based, models?

Not at all, I missed the 0 three times

Minolta Maxxum 7 problem

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