OK Minoltians, advise me please b/c i just bought

[fmajor]

a Minolta XE-7 from that big auction site!!!! Total price was $35.35 and it looks to be, cosmetically, EXCELLENT!!! Add in the new seals and some very light surface (not through the paint) scratches on the bottom plate and NO BRASSING anywhere - for $35.35 - i think i got a deal!!!!

I've been blathering on about an XE-7 for some time and finally found a great deal on one.

The only reservation i have is that "the advance lever sticks forward most of the time when its cocked". This seems to me like a fairly small problem. The auction also mentioned "when you tap it forward several times it frees up & returns" so i'm hopeful it's only some small bits of broken film that need to be cleaned out, but any insight from fellow Minoltians would be super helpful....

I have a great stable of Minolta MC/MD Rokkor/Rokkor-X lenses to partner this camera with as well as *several* SRT and XD series cameras. This really is the last 35mm camera i'll buy and am hopeful the problem is easily sorted without having to send it off to John Titterington. Yes, said that before and then came several XD's in various models, but since i'm really only into SLR's and i've had an example from about every other Minolta SLR series, i'm pretty sure this is gonna be the last 35mm.

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[David Lyga]

Get a backup body, either an SRT or X series. Lenses are dirt cheap, in some cases cheaper than the M42 ones. You seem to have a deal here. - David Lyga

 

[pbromaghin]

You claim you can stop. But you know it's not true.

We all say it.

Some day you will end up living in a dumpster, surrounded by your mountain of non-working Minolta 35mm bodies.

Drinking fixer.

 

[mgb74]

You claim you can stop. But you know it's not true.

We all say it.

Some day you will end up living in a dumpster, surrounded by your mountain of non-working Minolta 35mm bodies.

Drinking fixer.

What rubbish! You'll be living in a dumpster, surrounding by your mountain of working Minolta 35mm bodies. Drinking fixer.

 

[pbromaghin]

What rubbish! You'll be living in a dumpster, surrounding by your mountain of working Minolta 35mm bodies. Drinking fixer.

Oh, no. They all started with working bodies. But they weren't enough. Pretty soon you start buying UG from KEH, thinking they'll be out of stock and you'll get bumped up to EX+. Then it's "I found it in my grandad's attic, I know nothing about cameras..." from craigslist. From there, it's a downward spiral... He'll have to hit bottom before he'll ask for help.

 

[fmajor]

Tooo funny!!! Yea, i've hit bottom before and my SPONSOR is regularly updated RE: any camera and/or photographic purchases i make

I currently have an XD-11, an XD-5 (needs to go see John Titterington), 2x SRT202's (1 i bought from John and the 2nd needs to visit him) and an SRT102.

I'm looking for tips specific to the XE-7 and anxious to read if anyone is willing to share their experience with an XE-7.

I've had a couple X-700's and a couple XG Series, but have sold/gave them away as i've walked this Minolta Journey.

 

[David Lyga]

I think that we have, collectively, discovered the new 'drunk', or 'high'. - David Lyga

 

[Mike Wilde]

No, you know you have a problem, when you pause, and think, now how many Minolta bodies do I presently have?
I think the answer for me is 6, at the moment, with all but one working completely.
I buy and swap and give them away, so the answer is always a moving target.

The most recent three arrived as part of an estate auction lot buy, where I attend in person to buy stuff I don't need while waiting for stuff I do have a legitimate use for to come onto the block.
6 cameras, 8 lenes and other bits for I think about $25.

 

[mgb74]

The XE-7 was the first camera I ever bought new. I still have vague memories of opening the package from B&H - at that was many years ago. A serious mechanical camera - big, heavy and robust. Basic by today's standards with one metering mode and (IIRC) manual and aperture priority exposure. I think I had it for about 10 years without a hiccup.

I believe same mechanical design as one of the Leica SLRs. I prefer the XDs to the XEs as they provide more flexibility and are a bit lighter. But always a sweet spot for the XE-7.

 

[upnorthcyclist]

The XE-7 is a great camera - I love mine - but this winder issue gives me pause for thought. The wind mechanism of the XE-7 is very solid and smooth, not prone to problems - one of the best ever on a 35mm camera. If the problem is not something simple (and it could very well be) a pristine XE-7 would, in my humble opinion, be worth a professional repair/CLA. Make sure the battery (CR1/3N Lithium) is in good shape and the battery contacts are clean and shiny, as this camera is battery-reliant and a weak battery could be hanging up the release mechanism. Good luck - you're really going to enjoy this camera.

Mike

 

[pbromaghin]

Somehow I've ended up with 4 X- bodies (3 working), maybe 8 lenses and 2 drives. They just seem to reproduce themselves. The latest is a new-in-box X-370 that is running through it's first roll, ever. For being the lower-end of the series, it has some nice features. The shutter speed change is the easiest I've ever used in a manual 35mm.

 

[Les Sarile]

I hope you get your XE-7 sorted out. As far as I know, the XE-7 has the smoothest film advance that I have experienced!

If you don't already have it -> Dead Link Removed

Also, Minolta glass is very underrated - great price + great performance!

 

[fmajor]

Thanks Les - what a great find!!

I'd like the paper version and a manual (have a .pdf manual already) as i have paper manuals and brochures for all my other Minolta cameras. I'm keeping a squeaky budget these days so i'll have to wait on the paper versions... Gotta love Rokkor glass!!!

 

[parkpy]

fantastic build quality. I bought one maybe 2 years ago from a local film camera swap for $25. It ended up needing its light meter checked out and underwent a $100 repair. I ended up selling it. Had too many other cameras.

The new owner was thrilled to have came across it on craigslist and did not haggle at all. Boyhood dream camera, I guess

 

[fmajor]

I hope you get your XE-7 sorted out. As far as I know, the XE-7 has the smoothest film advance that I have experienced!

If you don't already have it -> Dead Link Removed

Also, Minolta glass is very underrated - great price + great performance!

BTW Les, that's a *beautiful* Collection of the top Minolta manual-advance, manual focus cameras. Do you have a preference? Also, nice to see that MC Rokkor-X f1.2 where it rightfully belongs - that's also a superb collection of Rokkor glass as well!!! THanks so much for sharing.

 

[leicarfcam]

The XE-7 is a great camera - I love mine - but this winder issue gives me pause for thought. The wind mechanism of the XE-7 is very solid and smooth, not prone to problems - one of the best ever on a 35mm camera.

I had one with the same issue which was fixed with a service. Old lube usually in the clutch gums up which does not allow spring tension to return the lever to the rest position..

If the problem is not something simple (and it could very well be) a pristine XE-7 would, in my humble opinion, be worth a professional repair/CLA.

This model is in fact well worth getting serviced....

Make sure the battery (CR1/3N Lithium) is in good shape and the battery contacts are clean and shiny, as this camera is battery-reliant and a weak battery could be hanging up the release mechanism. Good luck - you're really going to enjoy this camera.

Mike

Weak or dead battery will not cause a hangup with the advance lever since it is mechanical...

 

[leicarfcam]

I saw this one on eBay and thought about getting it but decided not to since I have 2 bodies already.. The XE-7 is a fine camera and well worth investing in. Another favorite of mine is the XD-11. It is smaller and quieter but needs MD lens in order to be used in shutter preferred mode but works fine in manual or aperture preferred mode with MC lens....

 

[fmajor]

I saw this one on eBay and thought about getting it but decided not to since I have 2 bodies already.. The XE-7 is a fine camera and well worth investing in. Another favorite of mine is the XD-11. It is smaller and quieter but needs MD lens in order to be used in shutter preferred mode but works fine in manual or aperture preferred mode with MC lens....

Thanks leicarfcam! I'm glad you passed this one by as i now have a nearly new XE-7 for an excellent price!!

There were 11 auction visitors before me and you must have been one of those. I bought the camera pretty much right after i saw it. It arrived today is indeed immaculate - it looks new aside from some very light scratches on the bottom plate. Everything else looks essentially untouched - like it just came out of the box and plastic for the 1st time. For the $35 i paid (including shipping) i love it!!!

I've been able to get the film advance lever functioning about 85% of the time, but realize i'll need to add some lube to the works. Also, the shutter release isn't functioning accurately so i guessing i'll need to send it off for a CLA.

Comparing this XE-7 to my EXC+ condition XD-11 (which has been CLA'ed and a new GripTac leatherette), the XE-7 is a better fit for me. It has the same smoothness to the advance and shutter release as the XD-11 and a physical form factor like my SRT series cameras. I will definitely need to become better familiarized with the metering on the XE-7, but i vastly prefer the needle metering to the LED's on the XD series.

 

[summicron1]

Thanks leicarfcam! I'm glad you passed this one by as i now have a nearly new XE-7 for an excellent price!!

There were 11 auction visitors before me and you must have been one of those. I bought the camera pretty much right after i saw it. It arrived today is indeed immaculate - it looks new aside from some very light scratches on the bottom plate. Everything else looks essentially untouched - like it just came out of the box and plastic for the 1st time. For the $35 i paid (including shipping) i love it!!!

I've been able to get the film advance lever functioning about 85% of the time, but realize i'll need to add some lube to the works. Also, the shutter release isn't functioning accurately so i guessing i'll need to send it off for a CLA.

Comparing this XE-7 to my EXC+ condition XD-11 (which has been CLA'ed and a new GripTac leatherette), the XE-7 is a better fit for me. It has the same smoothness to the advance and shutter release as the XD-11 and a physical form factor like my SRT series cameras. I will definitely need to become better familiarized with the metering on the XE-7, but i vastly prefer the needle metering to the LED's on the XD series.

if this camera is as prestine as you describe it then, yes, it needs a service -- send it to essex, they'll do you a fine job. A camera that is this prestine needs a service more than one that has been used because use keeps a camera loose longer -- it is the mint ones that don't work, but once they're service you have a lifetime of use ahead of you.

I just bought a leica M4 that is so used the chrome is worn shiny near the film advance, but it was service 5 years ago by Leica and is a thing of beauty, and still works flawlessly.

congrats.

 

[Les Sarile]

BTW Les, that's a *beautiful* Collection of the top Minolta manual-advance, manual focus cameras. Do you have a preference? Also, nice to see that MC Rokkor-X f1.2 where it rightfully belongs - that's also a superb collection of Rokkor glass as well!!! THanks so much for sharing.

I am still in the exploratory phase so as far as preferences are concerned I believe there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven

 

[leicarfcam]

As another poster said send it to Essex.

DO NOT send it to Gary's unless you want a damaged view screen and a meter reading 3+ stops off. I sent him a XE-7 that needed mechanical service and asked him not to make any adjustments to the meter since it was dead on accurate. He did it anyway and the meter would not work in auto at all. Plus in manual mode it was 3 stops off. He also scratched the view screen. It came back with circular scratches all over the screen. Had to send it to Essex to get the meter back where it was before and replace the screen..

That said: the XE-7 is one of the finest SLR cameras ever made. I love the absolute smoothness of the advance..

I bought another one on eBay that had a jumpy meter needle. Paid $29 for it. Cleaned the asa resister plate and now it works fine...

 

[upnorthcyclist]

Weak or dead battery will not cause a hangup with the advance lever since it is mechanical...

I agree that the problem described is way more than likely to be mechanical. When I first got my XE, however, it had intermittent problems due to dirty battery contacts. The shutter (electrically controlled) sometimes wouldn't quite complete it's cycle, the mirror wouldn't return and the winder would hang up. I really thought it was mechanical, but once I got the electrical issue solved, everything worked perfectly. Still does.

Thanks for the heads-up on Gary's Camera.

Mike

 

[fmajor]

Thanks guys! This really is a great Community!!! I need to get on the "subscription" roster at some point.

So yes, as others have mentioned, i have also had a conversation/service inquiry with Garry's regarding a service to one of my XD-11's. I was going to be near Chicago-Land for a few months so it would have been a "local" drop-off service. After that series of dialogue, I'll never send a camera (or anything else for that matter) to them for service. They just don't seem to be a "full-service" camera repair shop (and lack the professionalism that is uber important to me).

I have a Minolta Tech that i have used (and singularly recommend for all Minolta 35mm SLR service) for the last 7 years. His name is John Titterington and is located in Kansas. John has serviced my SRT202's, 102's and most recently my XD-11's and they all continue to work flawlessly. He is the absolute epitome of professionalism - excellent communication, great pricing and very fast turn-around times on repairs (i suppose seasonal back-log affects this). As an example, i had sent one of my 1st XD-11's in for a CLA which also had a very distracting scratch on the Fresnel lens (a very difficult replacement part to source). He not only replaced the Fresnel at no extra charge to the CLA quote, but only charged me $3 for the replacement part - i was utterly surprised. When i first started working with him, he charged $50 for a complete CLA. However, over the years his usual charge increased to $75 - still an excellent price. It's been a couple years since i've sent anything to him, but i'll be contacting him in the near future for a CLA on my new XE-7.

As mentioned, my XE-7 really is in beautiful condition (i'd post a speedy-pic with my digi cam, but i think that's a no no here....). As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm getting the film advance lever to return about 85-90% of the time. While the shutter sounds accurate in the 'in-between' speeds (say from 1/8th to 1/500th), the extremes aren't functioning as they shoul and evidencing a failure to actuate and/or a 'sticky' mirror return. I'm absolutely certain John can get this all sorted out, i just need to set aside the camera long enough to get it serviced.

I'm still getting used to the light metering system with the XE-7, but otherwise it's strongly vying for 1st place in my 35mm gear line-up. My XD-11's/5 are clearly nudged (albeit gently!!!) into 3rd place, but retain their #1 position for a compact 35mm SLR.

I really wish the XE-7 had the exact match-needle metering in my SRT series cameras, but there's no perfect thing under the sun

Thanks again for all the tips, suggestions and pointers!!!