Minolta Capacitors

What Was Up With Minolta and Capacitors?

2/5/2019

An X-700 with one of its temperamental release capacitors shown on the far right

In the manual focus (MF) era, the XD was arguably Minolta's biggest step forward technologically. It was the first 35mm SLR to feature both aperture- and shutter-priority auto exposure modes and all within the flanks of the first compact Minolta SLR body. The new form factor and added electronic sophistication necessitated the adoption of integrated circuits (ICs) by Minolta. The XD was thus far more complex electronically than its predecessor, the XE, which did have an electronically-controlled shutter and aperture-priority, but was still largely mechanical in its actual operation. The XD's basic electronic layout would prove to be the pattern for all subsequent manual focus Minoltas (including the XG and X-xxx series). And it was the XD that made capacitors front and central in the basic operation of the mirror and shutter assemblies of every succeeding Minolta MF SLR. Capacitor failures are few and far between with XDs and the majority of XGs, but became much more prevalent with the X-xxx series. My personal X-700 fell victim to "capacitor-itis" almost 20 years ago, but my XD 11 has never skipped a beat. That set me to wondering...

The Problem

Let's start with the problem, work back to its origins, and then look at the solution. Although there are anywhere from 8 to 22 capacitors in any Minolta MF SLR schematic from the XD onward, there is only one (or two at the most) that can be responsible for the most common (READ: not the only) malfunction, which is:

you advance the film or attempt to...
press the shutter release button part-way...
the viewfinder LEDs light up normally...and then...nothing.
The mirror doesn't rise and the shutter doesn't fire. The LEDs no longer light and the camera is locked up.
Cycling the power switch will cause the LEDs to light again with a touch of the shutter release button, but then the cycle repeats: no mirror, no shutter, and then the LEDs go out again. So what is happening?

Simply put, (which is the only way to put it, because I am no techie :-), there is not enough electrical power reaching the mirror release electromagnet to allow the camera to go through its entire sequence to fire the shutter. The reason for this? The capacitor responsible for storing sufficient electrical charge to release the mirror is no longer capable of doing so. On the bright side, the fix is simple (although not as easy on the X-700 as the other models, due to the location of its mirror-release capacitor as seen above): replace the failed component(s) and you are back in business. We will get into this procedure later. But, why did this issue become so much more common with the X-700, X-570/-500, X-370/-300, X-7A, X-370n/-300s, X-9, and X-370s models?

Basically, it comes down to the quality of the OEM components. The Minolta MF SLRs from the XD forward were all designed from the mid-'70s to the early-'80s. A perusal of the electrical schematics in the service manuals from the introduction of the XD (1977) to that of the X-370/-300 (1984) indicates that they were all designed to use solid tantalum electrolytic capacitors (STECs) for their electromagnetic release circuits. Such capacitors were well-regarded for their very long life and stability, and were in widespread use throughout the electronics industry. However, there was a problem: due to mismanagement of tantalum production in the mid-'70s and the greed of producers, prices for tantalum went through the roof from 1979 - 1980. To that point, STECs were already three to four times as expensive as their main competitors, aluminum liquid electrolytic capacitors (ALECs), but their superior lifespan and stability were worth it to Minolta and other electronics manufacturers. But with the quadrupling of the price of raw tantalum, STECs suddenly became eight to ten times more expensive than their ALEC counterparts. *NOTE* (We will come back to solid vs. liquid electrolytics a bit later :-))

Late-model (1982-83) Minolta XD7 with two blue 150uF 3V tantalum capacitors

Early (1984-85) Minolta X-370 w/ single blue tantalum 150uF 3V capacitor

Eventually, tantalum prices did come back down, but ALECs grabbed a pile of market share in the meantime, and the resin-coated radial-type (aka "pearl", referring to their shape) STECs that Minolta used were soon being displaced by the cheaper-to-manufacture chip-style tantalums that were not suitable for cameras. Coinciding with this was the most competitive price war between the Japanese SLR makers yet, as a global recession hit in 1980 and SLR sales began to plummet. With such cost pressures, around 1985 or so, Minolta began to make the switch to ALECs for their release circuits. The general demise of the manual focus SLR, post-1985, also contributed to Minolta's not wanting to invest any more in the quality of X-700 and X-370/-300 (the two remaining MF Minolta bodies) components as they would much rather sell you a shiny new auto focus (AF) SLR and a batch of Alpha/Maxxum lenses to go with it ;-). And there is where the real problem began. After roughly 1,000 hours of powered use owners of ALEC-equipped X-xxx series SLRs could have the dreaded lock-up scenario surface without warning. This could take place at any time from a couple of years to well over a decade, depending on the workload of the camera and whether the ALEC(s) developed a physical leak or not.

Even without a heavy workload, just the passage of time has a negative impact on ALECs. The liquid electrolyte slowly degrades from the time of manufacture. So even if the casing of the capacitor remains intact and there are no physical leaks, such capacitors become "leaky" when it comes to their ability to store current. Imagine that the ALEC is like a bucket that you use to carry water from a well to fill a basin some distance away. The bucket has a tiny hole (a leak) in it and every time that you fill it with water, that hole grows slightly bigger. Eventually, it gets to the point where the bucket can no longer hold enough water for the period of time it takes to get from the well to the basin. So how "leaky" are ALECs versus STECs? Well, in the Minolta service manuals the required capacitance ranged from 100 to 150 microFarads (uF) at 3.15V (depending on the model) for the originally specified STECs. Yet, when you come across bodies with ALECs, you find 220uF 4V release capacitors installed from the factory. That was to compensate (somewhat) for the physical process of electrolyte degradation. The problem is that ALECs don't eventually level off, they just keep going to the point of death, whereas the STECs just keep on going (their capacitance loss is on a much smaller scale). This isn't to say that a tantalum capacitor will never fail (every electrical component has a finite lifespan :-)), but you very rarely, if ever, hear of an XD dying as a result of its solid tantalum electrolytic release capacitors. There was no liquid electrolyte to physically leak, evaporate, or otherwise degrade.

1990s Minolta X-700 bottom 220 uF 4V aluminum electrolytic capacitor

1990s Minolta X-700 top 220 uF 4V aluminum electrolytic capacitor

It must also be noted that, while the majority of problem bodies were made after 1985 and (the X-700 was produced until 1999 and the final iteration of the X-370, the X-370s, was on sale until early 2005), there is no way of conclusively saying that bodies made between 1980 - 85 as being invariably STEC-equipped. Particularly with the budget-priced XGs was there a greater chance of Minolta having (due to supplier issues or just plain cost, etc.) resorted to ALECs to cut costs. The only way to know for sure is to remove the bottom plate of the camera in question to get a look at the capacitor itself, which is easily done with the assistance of #0 JIS crosspoint (not Phillips) screwdriver. The oblong shape of the STEC vs. the squat cylindrical ALEC will be instantly apparent. Carefully examining the two solder tabs where the release capacitor leads are attached to the board can also give some indication of whether the capacitor has already been replaced at some point.

The Solution

Fortunately, all of the Minoltas afflicted with "capacitor-itis" can be cured with relative ease and minimal expense if you are reasonably capable with a soldering iron. If you are not comfortable with DIY, there are still independent repair personnel who are willing to do the job for quite reasonable rates often in concert with a general CLA (clean, lube, adjust). If you do decide to DIY, I highly recommend obtaining the specific service manual for the model you are working on (most can be had on PDF for less than $10 USD and some are floating around for free on the web). This is mostly for the troubleshooting section, schematics, and parts lists that will help you to isolate and identify the problem for sure, before you start slinging solder around ;-). A couple of quick tips: 1) the flexible PCBs in these cameras will not tolerate sustained heat, so don't linger with the soldering tip & 2) using a 60/40 or 63/37 Tin/Lead (Sn/Pb) solder (if available to you) will make doing so a lot easier.

Components

Although resin-coated STECs are quite rare nowadays, we fortunately have had three more decades of development as far as ALECs are concerned and new alternatives such as aluminum polymer capacitors to choose from. For the super-budget-constrained: Nichicon has a 2000-hour @ 85-degree C rated 220uF 4V ALEC (Part# UMA0G221MDD) that can be currently had for $0.35 CAD apiece + shipping from Digi-Key (I just ordered 10 for $0.25/each + shipping). While still an ALEC, it has double the rated lifetime of the standard capacitors in its category. For those who are willing to pay five times as much ($1.50 CAD each or $1.20 CAD each for 10 + shipping) Panasonic's aluminum polymer 150uF 4V capacitor is rated for 3000 hours @ 105 degrees Celsius (Part# 4SEP150M). There are other alternatives out there as far as components and suppliers (Mouser, Farnells, etc.) that may be more convenient for you, this is just FYI :-). Both of these capacitors have the same diameter (6.3mm) as the original 220uF 4V OEM caps with the Nichicon coming in at 5mm long (OEM length) and the Panasonic at 6mm long (still fits). If you somehow get your hands on some STECs, do take care not to install them with reversed polarity. One of the drawbacks of STECs is their inability to handle reversed polarity as well as other types of capacitors (they burn up in a hurry and can cook other components in close proximity). This is another benefit of the service manuals which show the proper polarity in the electrical schematics. Of course, taking a picture of the original cap layout and matching the new cap to it will work just as well (as long as it has not been tampered with before it ended up in your hands ;-).

Summary By Model

Here are a few details for affected models and recommendations:

X-370(n)(s)/-300(s), X-7A, X-9 & X-570/-500 - These are the easiest models (along with the XGs) to replace the capacitor on (C7 in the schematic). There is only one, in the bottom of the camera, which accessing simply requires the removal of four screws securing the bottom plate. The circuits in these cameras are nearly identical; with the X-570 (1983) differing from the X-370 (1984) and X-7A (1985; it's just a black X-370) and the later X-370 iterations only in its TTL (through-the-lens) flash circuitry. Match the polarity of the new capacitor to the old one, desolder the old one, trim the new cap's leads to match and solder it in. That's it :-) By the way, these bodies are my pick for the X-xxx series over the X-700. They offer a better manual mode, and the X-570 had slow sync. TTL flash to boot, and require way less work to remedy capacitor-itis. The X-570/-500 was only made for three years (1983-85) and so there were not nearly as many produced(roughly 350,000) compared to the X-700 (well over 2 million), and the X-370 (also well over 2 million) and it stands to reason that many (if not all) of them had STECs, if my early X-370 is any indication :-)
X-700 - Speak of the Devil ;-). Probably the most infamous of the X-series as far as toasted capacitors go. Along with the XD, it has two, that's right two, capacitors (C9 for the mirror & C10 for the aperture) involved in its release circuit. Along with the mirror electromagnet release capacitor of all the other models, the X-700 and XD also had a circuit to stop down the aperture in their Program (X-700) and Shutter-priority (XD) modes, which the other cameras didn't need. C10 (the aperture-control capacitor) is located in the familiar bottom-of-the-camera position and is just as easy to access as the other X-xxx models. C9 (the mirror-release capacitor) however, requires the removal of the top plate and it is mounted on the underside of the circuit board beneath the ISO/ASA dial, definitely making for a more involved repair. You are much more likely to run into ALECs with X-700s due to their impressive production lifespan of 19 years, the majority of which were post-1985. ***NOTE*** I strongly recommend replacing both capacitors at the same time on X-700s as failure of the aperture-control capacitor will also prevent the mirror-release circuit from working. Mirror-release can only happen on the X-700 after the aperture has been stopped down to taking aperture. So having a functioning mirror-release capacitor is of no use if the aperture-control capacitor is toast. If you do not already own one, but are thinking about it, I strongly recommend taking a long hard look at an X-570, X-9, X-7A, or X-370. They are nicer to use in manual mode, although the X-370 & X-7A lack the aperture display in the viewfinder and TTL flash (the X-9 has the aperture display, but no TTL flash). And the capacitor fix is much simpler on these models. For you zealous X-700 owners, here is a bit of help in getting off that top plate:

XG-7/XG-2/XG-E; XG-1; XG-A; XG-SE; XG-9; XG-M - All of the XGs shared the same basic circuit, with only slight modifications until the XG-M came along, but even then, the mirror-release capacitor (again, just one) is found in its familiar spot on all XG models, in the bottom of the camera. For all models, save the XG-M (1981-84), C6 is a 150uF 3.15V capacitor, which can be replaced by either of the 220uF 4V or 150uF 4V capacitors listed above. With the XG-M, Minolta shifted slightly, to a 100uF 6.3V capacitor specified on the parts list. Nichicon has a long-life 100uF 6.3V ALEC (Part# UMV0J101MFD) with a 5000 hour @ 105 degrees C rating of the same dimensions as the Panasonic 150uF 4V mentioned above. At Digi-Key the price is $0.65 CAD for a single or $0.45 CAD each for 10 + shipping. The XG-M is definitely the most desirable out of all the XGs as far as features go: DOF preview, aperture display in the viewfinder, and motor drive capability. Again, the odds are quite good that most XG's came with STECs, but it is best to verify by checking before buying. And it is worth noting that STECs are not infallible, either.
XD/XD 11/XD 7/XD-s/XD 5 - As noted above, there are two capacitors on the XDs. It appears that Minolta used STECs right to the end of XD production in 1984. This would make sense, as the XD remained the top model in the enthusiast lineup, even after the introduction of the X-700. So the chances of having to replace the capacitors in any XD version is quite low. Nevertheless, if you have to do it, the experience will be less painful than with an X-700. Both capacitors (C5 for aperture and C6 for mirror) are located in the bottom of the camera. Two screws for the bottom plate and two screws that attach the rigid PCB that hold the two capacitors are all that need to be removed to access both capacitors. Although specced as 100uF 3.15V in the manual, I have found 150uF 3V STECs in all of the mid-to-late production (1981-84) XDs I have encountered so far and thus I would use the 150uF 4V Panasonic polymer capacitors to replace them if I had to.

Wrap-Up

I must say that the whole "Minolta capacitor" story turned out to be more complex and interesting than I had anticipated. I also have hopefully learned a bit about capacitors in the process ;-). Before, I was convinced that it was simply a case of Minolta cheaping out to cut costs, but the whole tantalum saga of the 1970s & '80s opened my eyes a bit. There were some external forces at work, too. Now, I still wish Minolta would have held the line, but I can understand more clearly why they did what they did, especially during the from the mid-'80s onward, when production costs were being cut by everyone. And at least it's a problem that can be fixed quite easily and economically, which is not something you can say about electrical issues with many other vintage SLRs. This article is by no means exhaustive when it comes to electrical problems with these cameras, so I encourage anyone who is seriously looking to diagnose and repair their X-xxx or XG to grab a PDF service manual. It is a worthwhile investment in keeping these very usable and capable cameras going :-).

References:

Various Minolta Service Manuals for the XD, XG, and X-xxx series of SLRs
Multiple Issues of The Bulletin newsletter from 1975 - 94 published by TIC
Tantalum capacitor @ Wikipedia

67 Comments

Brenan

4/24/2019 07:15:25 pm

EXTREMELY helpful! Oh my god, this is exactly what I've been looking for, for years now. I appreciate the history and even more so, the technical information and link for the right caps. I am extremely grateful!

C.J. Odenbach

4/25/2019 12:10:45 pm

Good to hear. And thanks for taking the time to comment, Brenan. Hope you can enjoy your Minoltas for a long time yet :-).

Edie

7/31/2019 08:32:55 pm

Wow. Thanks for such an exhaustive run-down and research C.J.! This will doubtless be a hugely useful resource for those of us attempting to revive these cameras.

Any thoughts though on the where the CLE fits into all this? Personally, I am an aficionado of the CLE but it is somewhat susceptible to breakdowns in the electronics but like the Minolta SLRs of its era.

7/31/2019 11:43:55 pm

Thank you very much, Edie. That’s what I’m hoping for.

As far as the CLE goes, I haven’t been able to track down a service manual for one, nor have I ever gotten my hands on one physically, but I do know that it’s innards are mostly XG-based and it wouldn’t surprise me if the TTL flash circuitry was similar to the X-700’s. So, I would not be surprised to find a release capacitor somewhere in the bottom of the camera with the bottom plate removed. I have no idea what the capacitor specs would be, but I would think it would be in the same ballpark as the XG-M or X-700 as they all were introduced around 1981. Sorry I can’t shed any more light on the situation at this point.

If you haven’t found it already, you can Google “popular photography 1981” . Click on the first link and and you will be able browse 1980’s issues of the magazine. Scroll or swipe sideways to the Sept. 1981 issue and click on it. Next click on the Contents page and then click on the page 115 link Lab Report: Minolta CLE. There are Field Check, Stripdown Report, and Lens Performance sections that you might enjoy.

Dragos

9/27/2019 05:24:02 am

I do have this problem, at least this is what i think as the shutter wont fire and when the button is pressed lights are immediately off.
I replaced the bottom capacitor but the issue still is present, seems the top capacitor has to be replaced?

9/27/2019 09:06:22 am

Hello Dragos,

Yes, if it is an X-700. The mirror release capacitor is the one under the top plate, and once replaced should have you back up and running. It takes more time and effort to get to. Make sure you take a picture or otherwise record the ISO setting you have on the dial and then again note the position of the tabs and levers under the dial for ISO and exposure compensation before you remove them to access the capacitor. I will often take a picture as I remove each component, just as a memory aid for reassembly. I hope that helps. Take care.

9/27/2019 03:21:03 pm

Thanks, I just replaced the second capacitor...unfortunately still same issue, shutter does not fire. I did not mention that before doing the replacement, the aperture preview lever does not move when push the button on the left side of the mount; the lever is still tension, same for the button; lever can be moved by finger; when push the button, the lever cannot be moved anymore with finger; is this connected to the capacitor or something else is wrong?

9/27/2019 05:16:15 pm

Hi Dragos,

Sorry to hear that the problem is more serious than just a capacitor. With the improper function of the stop-down lever, it could very well be contributing to the problem. Here is a link to a PDF of the service manual.

http://www.suaudeau.eu/memo/manuels_rep/reflexes/minolta/minolta_X-700_repair_service_manual.pdf

You may be able to use the Troubleshooting section at the end of the manual to diagnose the problem. I am afraid I am not of much help without being able to lay my hands on the camera itself. If you have any further questions, please use the Contact Us page and I will do my best to help you.

Stephen link

11/1/2019 03:04:09 pm

Thank you for uploading this CJ. This DIY camera fix has become important to me recently when my previously flawless fully operational XG-M started to give me trouble. The shutter stopped firing in A mode. It still works with no issues in manual mode (meters properly, shutter fires normally, and film advance works). The meter works in both M and A. But when in A mode, the meter shows up red arrow over 1000s and goes blank when I press the shutter button and of course it will not fire. Since reading your blog I am wondering if you might know if it is only one of the e-caps (hopefully the bottom plate one) that would affect the A mode only function. Other bloggers have indicated the top ecaps could also be the culprit. Can you share any insight on this? I have never held a soldering iron before but the bottom plate one seems doable for me it's the e-caps under the top cover that intimidate me. Thanks for your feedback.

11/2/2019 08:11:01 am

Hi Stephen,

Sorry that it has taken a bit of time to reply. After checking the Service Manual for the XG-M, it looks like you are having a circuit or switch problem rather than a capacitor issue. The fact that it works in M mode rules out the release capacitor. The troubleshooting chart in the manual narrows it down to an opening in Circuit “O” or “SW8-3A” with the symptoms you are describing. The Service Manual is available in PDF (just Google it) if you want to take a look at it more closely. It could be caused by a loose bit of something that has managed to short out the circuit or switch, or an actual break in the flexible circuit board. Unfortunately, either way, it will require more disassembly (top plate removal) than accessing the release capacitor (bottom plate). Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. That’s about as good as I can do trying to diagnose over the ‘net :-).

stephen scibetta

11/2/2019 03:32:00 pm

Yes, I downloaded the service manual yesterday. I noticed my combination of problems in the troubleshooting guide however, I was not sure how to read the schematic (it did look like the issue was in the top section) I guess I will just keep shooting in M mode It's pretty easy to shoot just not as fast. I also own an XG-7 and an X-700, both earlier models manufactured in Japan work flawlessly, I already ordered 10 xg-m ecaps from digikey and a weller soldering iron kit so if you come across any ecap victims in Honolulu please send them my way. As far as I can tell no one is servicing film cameras here. Thank you for your advice. Aloha

11/2/2019 03:51:15 pm

Thanks Stephen for the update and offering cap services for any Honolulan Minolta users :-). I second your idea to just use M mode, seeing as you have a couple of other options for A mode shooting. Take care and happy shooting with your Minoltas.

Mel Jones

2/25/2020 01:30:20 pm

Like any addict I was sure just one more hit would cure me but it now seems as if I have hung around with addicts too much (thanks CJ) because on top of th SRT and the XD I now have a second XD and along with it an X700 with blown caps. I couldnt resist having a go to get an unloved X700 working. Its sat here right now looking forlorn and waiting for some TLC.
Heres a question though, if I could get some STECS, though back in the day when I was into home brew electronics I always thought of them as tantalum bead type, would you reccomend using this instead of the horror electrolytic types ? Reason I ask is I had a Nikon digital melt down after just 2 years due to an electrolytic blow up and am anxious not to see an X700 go the same way so would like to make it better than it was rather than just perpetuate the misery possibly to someone else.

2/25/2020 02:11:46 pm

Hi Mel,

Nice to hear from you and good on you for tackling an X-700 and wanting to improve on the OEM situation. If you can get your hands on some tantalum bead or “pearl” capacitors, I definitely would not discourage you from using them, but they are very scarce nowadays. If you do manage to get some, be super careful about installing them with the correct polarity, as they do not deal with reversed polarity well at all. Personally, I have gone in the middle between electrolytics and tantalums...with aluminum polymers. The Panasonic 4SEP150M gives you 3000 hrs @ 105 Celsius versus the 2000 hrs @ 85 Celsius of the electrolytic Nichicon UMA0G221MDD (which is still double the standard 220 uF 4V of 1000hrs) for roughly five times the cost as noted above. You would still be providing a substantial upgrade over OEM and the polymers have less leakage and stability issues than electrolytics, and are easily obtained from any of the large online suppliers.

As for the addiction, until you have an XE, you don’t have to admit it... yet ;-).

Best regards,

CJ

2/28/2020 05:14:39 pm

Thanks CJ.

Tonite I set to work on the X700, posh Panasonic caps in hand and, oh wait a minute, took the bottom plate off and lo and behold a tantalum cap. Weird....turns out the X700 can suffer from a different ill. If the batteries fail while its cycling it can get itself in a knot. Shutter release and mirror cycle had jammed. Really simple fix. Lift the mirror out the way (carefully) put your finger inside the camera and very, very gently press the shutter curtain. Naturally wear latex gloves for this. At the same time with the back off the camera use your other hand with just a finger and trap the curtain between both fingers ie your finger from the front of the camera and a finger at the back so the curtain is pinched between the fingers and and very gently push the curtain, left and right. Just a fraction you dont need to go mad just a very gentle agitation. Snap....shutter completes its cycle.... remove finger from under mirror carefully and hola....problem solved and X700 now running sweet. I cant stress enough you have to be very gentle with this procedure and its not for the faint hearted :)
It seems as if the batteries must have gotten too low to energise the entire shutter cycle and the camera got caught between two stools so locked up. Still have to fix a few things to bring this one fully back to life but they are all easy to do.

Will

5/24/2020 10:57:56 pm

Hi CJ,

I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what to do with my XG-M. It's been sitting for probably around 20 years. The symptoms are that the film advance lever will not advance, and/or the shutter won't release. The light meter LED's do turn on, and 80% of the time they shut off when I fully depress the shutter.

The shutter curtain is all the way to the left.. so, the shutter curtain has released, but maybe "electronically" the shutter is still engaged?
I replaced the capacitor under the bottom cover but this did not change anything. Should I try replacing the capacitors under the top cover?
I had messed with some things and got the mirror to stay down, and I could wind the lever back slightly farther than I could initially.. to the point that the shutter curtain would travel almost halfway.

The main thing I ask is your advice on if I should continue trying to repair this camera or if I should let this one go. I'm not sure what my next steps should be.

5/25/2020 12:57:46 am

Hi Will,

Sorry to hear about your predicament with your XG-M. While I cannot be 100% sure, from the symptoms you are describing, it sounds like a mechanical rather than an electrical issue. The shutter and film winder might be out of synchronization. The plastic gears used in the XG and X-series Minoltas can become jammed or stripped occasionally. There is a short video on the Fix Old Cameras channel on Youtube that might help you to check out your Minolta’s film winding mechanism and how to reset its timing. You might also check out other instances of jammed shutters and/or film winders online. If that still does not solve your problem, you might be better off to just keep this one for parts and look for another in working condition. Replacing the other capacitors without having the problem diagnosed completely would not be worth it, in my mind. I could not find anything in the XG-M Service Manual’s troubleshooting chart that would match up with the problem you are describing, and it almost entirely deals with the electronics of the camera. I wish I could help you more, but diagnosis over the net is an extremely difficult endeavour, at least for me.

Best regards,

C.J. Odenbach

5/25/2020 08:48:47 am

Thanks for the quick reply.
After many web searches I think I am giving up on this one. There seems to be too much going wrong and I don’t have a strong desire to become an expert in minolta film camera repair haha.
Thanks for all the info though!

David

6/2/2020 03:34:42 pm

Thank you ever so much for posting this incredibly thorough guide! I wanted to report my results in the hopes of further clarifying for others.

Both my parents purchased Minolta cameras in the early 80's (before they met, funny enough) - my Mom an X-570, and my Dad an XG-M. I acquired both these cameras after getting bitten by the film photography bug. They both had sat unused, likely for decades, and both cameras were DOA. The X-570's mirror was even stuck in the up position so that one could not see anything from the viewfinder. After replacing the capacitor on the X-570, the camera's function returned to 100% and it has been taking great photographs. The old capacitor, by the way, appeared to be the tantalum type - so these can still absolutely go bad!

As for the XG-M, I replaced the capacitor using the one recommended in this article (this is the proper replacement). After swapping over the batteries from the X-570, the camera still appeared to be dead. Luckily, I had ordered some new batteries as well - Energizer A76 types. For some reason, these batteries are thicker than the Energizer 357/304 types I was using in the X-570. The A76 batteries did the trick - they make contact with the terminals, whereas the other ones don't. My XG-M now works beautifully.

Moral of the story - use A76 type batteries for the XG-M. Otherwise, you might mistakenly assume your camera is dead, when it really isn't. It may have even worked without having to replace the capacitor, but I'm glad I have a new one in there :)

6/2/2020 05:49:32 pm

Thanks for sharing your experience, David. It proves the point that even though tantalums are generally very rugged and long-lived, like any electrical component, they are not infallible ;-).

Interesting observation too on the thickness of A76s versus 357s. I have found that by gently bending up the contacts in the camera that I could restore proper contact on many a “dead” SLR. If that doesn’t work, the A76 option is there, even though I personally prefer the silver oxides to the alkalines, just for their more consistent power drain profile. But if it works for you, that’s great :-).

Thanks again for providing such a detailed report, and best wishes on a long life for both of your Minoltas.

Mindundi

6/4/2020 10:28:57 am

In my case, Minolta XD: with the shutter armed (after advancing one frame) the LEDs do not light up. When taking the photo and before advancing the film they work normally. Do you know what could be due?
Thank you.

12/12/2020 09:17:03 am

Sorry for the late reply, Mindundi. Your comment was misfiled. I am sorry I cannot diagnose the problem directly, but there is a free OEM service manual for the XD available at learncamerarepair.com with a Troubleshooting section that may be of assistance. Thanks for reaching out and I apologize again for the delay.

Christian

10/14/2020 04:51:30 pm

Thank you for this comprehensive overview. Unfortunately after Shooting two films this summer with a x700 that was not in use the last 25 years, the exposure times seems to get bad (News batteries and checked with external light meter). While having the third film almost completed, suddenly the camera always shows times far too long. After developing (caffenol - wonderful) I also noticed, that the corresponding Pictures were over-exposed. I opened the upper and lower parts of the body and only found tantal caps. Do you have any suggestions?

10/14/2020 05:32:58 pm

Thanks for commenting and reaching out, Christian. Unfortunately, the symptoms you are describing are not connected to the release capacitors. It sounds like some other component(s) involved in the meter and/or shutter circuits have failed or are in the process of failing. Sorry that I can’t offer much help other than sending you a PDF copy of the Service Manual, if you would like. Just use the Contact Us page to request it. There is a Troubleshooting section at the end which might help to identify more specifically the cause(s) of the problems you are encountering. Best regards.

10/15/2020 05:04:50 am

Yes, thank you for the reply. I found the service manual and also a nice page with some additional technical documents (learncamerarepair.com). The condensators (all tantal) in my X700 all look perfect. I'm a bit afraid of the flexibel PCB concerning heat and my soldering iron. The service manual suggests there may be some cold soldering or resistor problems. I guess this will take some time. Good luck I still have a working XD7 that I can use with my Minolta optics.

Best, Christian

Hatem Horchani

10/30/2020 03:50:48 am

Very helpful article for even beginners with a clear methodology to explain the problem and providing solutions.
Well done.

10/30/2020 07:54:02 am

Thank you for the kind comment, Hatem. I’m a beginner when it comes to electronics so if it’s clear for me hopefully it will be for others, too :-).

C. J. Field

11/6/2020 03:26:57 am

Hi I'm having a problem with my X-700 where both shutter curtains close immediately when the fire button is pressed. If lens is removed and the back taken off when looking at a light I sometimes may or may not see the light through the curtain for a fraction of a second.
All other functions of the camera seem to work as they should. All LED's work in all modes properly.

11/6/2020 03:40:42 am

I must also say thank you very much for the super in depth article you have shared.

11/7/2020 05:55:59 am

Thank you, C.J., for the kind words. Sorry to hear that you’re having an issue with your X-700. It sounds like a problem with the shutter curtain timing rather than a capacitor. If you are feeling like digging into it, I can send you a PDF copy of the Service Manual as it does go into some detail, but shutter repair is not something within my experience so I would recommend taking it to a qualified repair technician. Hope that helps. Best regards.

11/7/2020 07:34:03 am

Sorry I cannot reply to your comment for some reason.
I have the service manual and in the troubleshooting section 3 "shutter operation failure", subsection 2 "shutter curtain travels at high-speed with or withoutslit" then on point F "Shutter curtains travel at high speed in A, P and M modes, vue finder leds are normal"
It says to replace C6 but I have no idea where C6 is and the problem sounds exactly like my issue.

12/12/2020 09:37:56 am

Hi C.J., and sorry for the late reply. For some reason I couldn’t reply to you, either. C6 is on the same panel as C4 & C5 that folds over the pentaprism. It is considerably smaller and is at roughly the 7-o’clock position and towards the bottom of the FPC as rendered on the circuit diagram. There are some pointing lines for other components running almost overtop of it that partially obscure it. If you need further help, please use the Contact Us page and I can email you a picture.

Brett Rogers

1/5/2021 07:44:46 am

No questions needing answers, I simply wanted to compliment you on a well written and documented history and repair process, it's excellent work.

Whilst an ardent fan of Rokkor lenses I have always leaned towards the SRT101 and it is still a favourite. But my 54 yo old eyes are not as good as when I was younger so, whilst I will not retire the 101s any time soon from general and landscape imaging—the far brighter finders of the 700 and XD7 have won me over for low light photography Eg at concerts. That I paid AUD $30 & nil for those last two types did not hurt. The 700 has a very early serial number. Touch wood it is working very well as is the XD.

Congratulations again on such a thorough, and thoroughly helpful, article.
Cheers
Brett

1/5/2021 04:23:05 pm

Thank you very much for the kind words, Brett. And it’s great that you are still enjoying your Minoltas. You made quite the score on the -700 and XD7 :-). Those Acute Matte focusing screens are a boon for aging eyes but you can’t have a complete fleet of Minoltas without at least one SRT ;-). Best regards.

Thomas

1/28/2021 06:54:13 am

Thanks for this guide to capacitorisitis :) , helped to cure my XGM after read through. By chance do you know whether symptoms and cures work too for an X-600. Got one with a dark viewfinder sitting on a desk.
Cheers
Thomas

1/28/2021 08:14:45 am

Hi Thomas,

Glad to hear that your XG-M is up and running. As for the X-600, my suggestion would be to remove the bottom plate and have a look. It's tough to say for sure, but I would suspect that the layout would be similar to the X-570/-500 & X-370/-300, seeing as it was introduced at the same time as the -570 and there is very little difference between the -570 & -370. A service manual would be a great help, but it would be a rare find indeed and likely only in Japanese. I'm not sure if the switch to AAA power from SR44/357 would have necessitated any change in components to deal with the higher amperage. Please let me know what you find and I might be able to update the article. Feel free to use the Contact Us page to do so. Best regards.

Alwyn Jones

2/6/2021 08:58:18 am

Wow...great explanation. I'm trying to understand the concept of capacitors and lucky enough to land here. Thanks for sharing the detailed information. Before this I was going through this article https://www.derf.com/how-tantalum-capacitors-work/ but didn't understand much.

Thanks
Alwyn

3/18/2021 05:50:44 pm

Thanks, Alwyn. Glad you enjoyed it.

David Simon

2/7/2021 09:09:29 am

Thanks you so much for the above write-up, this is excellent info for the amateur enthusiast. I have a couple of X-700 bodies and one has most certainly suffered a leaked capacitor under the base plate. I have some replacements on order now, hopefully they will get it back up and running again. As for the second body, I have a problem which is most visible in bulb mode, where the second curtain is released at the same time as the first. The second curtain then stops half way and stays there until the shutter button is released, at which point it completes its journey. The issue also seems to be present at any shutter speed. I cant see this specific problem mentioned in the troubleshooting section of the manual, so I wondered of you might be able to point me in the right direction?

2/7/2021 11:05:54 pm

Thanks, David, for the detailed description of your problem. It is a tough thing to diagnose over the Interwebs and the X-700 Service Manual is not always that helpful. One place you might want to check out is the section on Shutter Charge Adjustment on about p. 96 on a PDF reader. It deals with the amount of shutter overcharge which partially involves the second-curtain stop lever operation. It is possible that the gears may have slipped a tooth or two and that MIGHT be the problem (no guarantees ;-)). If you feel uncomfortable going that deep into the camera, I would recommend taking it to a repair tech. I hope that gives you a place to start, at least, and that you can get both bodies up and running. Best regards.

Ben Upton

3/5/2021 10:28:52 am

Hi C.J.!
I just replaced the capacitors on my XD5 with panasonic 150uf 4v polymer capacitors like you stated, but unfortunately my LEDs in the viewfinder aren't lighting up and my shutter isn't firing.
I decided to replace my capacitors because I was having the same problems like you mentioned. The LEDs in the viewfinder and the shutter were very temperamental.
Do you have any tips?
I'm now 90% sure I've put the capacitors in the right polarity!

Many thanks,
Ben

3/5/2021 10:42:42 am

Hi Ben,

Thanks for reaching out. Did the LEDs light up at all before you did the capacitor replacement? If you could use the Contact Us page to answer, that would be great. I can't guarantee how many replies we can make back and forth in the Comments section.

Best regards,

C.J.

Mick Kemsley

3/21/2021 09:28:54 am

I like it but now I am much older the hans/ fingers not so steady

8/12/2021 07:27:04 am

Glad you liked it, Mick. Take care.

Anffray link

3/21/2021 02:01:37 pm

Hi all !

I have two Minolta : the X300s and the XG-M
Both had the same problem :
- The lever couldn't be pushed more than about 30° and the shutter release button couldn't be press to take a picture.
- The led inside the viewer could switch on and and the light measurement could be done by the cell until the shutter button is pushed and then nothing is enlighten in the viewer.

So everything indicated that it was the capacitor of the bottom that was burnt/too old and that the cameras were stuck because the shutter couldn't be released.

Living in France, I ordered my capacitor on Conrad (took 5 working days to arrive and costs less than 0,50 € for each capacitors).
I decided to respect exactly the capacitance and also as much as possible the voltage of the components.
For the XG-M I ordered a 100µF/6.3V which is exactly the same as the original one.
For the X300s I ordered a 220µF/6.3V which is also exactly the same as the original one.
(Apparently if you take a higher voltage it is not a problem but the capacitor could be too large for the space in the camera).

The replacement worked for the X300s but not for the XG-M so there might be other capacitors to change in that camera. (So I might have a look further one day (as we say in French "Quand j'aurai pas la flemme" and replace the other capacitors mentionned by StallBerger here : https://www.flickr.com/groups/1061226@N23/discuss/72157640473237815/72157640909097953 ).

It was so satisfying when I pushed the shutter release button on the X300s and that I heard the camera doing its job and firing and then the lever could be pushed as it should be.
This repair is easier on the X300s as the copper path is larger but with patience everything is achievable even for beginners ! You can use a piece of tape/blutack to hold the capacitor while soldering.

Take care !

Also here is a list of contents I read prior to identifying the issue and buying components :
https://www.paulbeesley.com/posts/2017/12/minolta-capacitor-replacement
https://www.678vintagecameras.ca/blog/what-was-up-with-minolta-and-capacitors (Thank you very much for your help and explanations !)
https://simonhawketts.co.uk/2016/05/04/minolta-xg-m-capacitor-replacement/
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/how-to-identify-a-dead-capacitor-on-a-minolta-x-300-370-500-570-600-700.149035/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/1061226@N23/discuss/72157640473237815/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0XjHPRLzhk
http://www.twid.de/x700/index.html#fixc
https://www.chassimages.com/forum/index.php?topic=66596.0 French.

3/21/2021 04:21:15 pm

Thanks for sharing your experience, Anffray. Salut!

jon laliberte

8/12/2021 12:34:11 am

thank you all for your contributions to this topic. I have been lucky enough to have many operational vintage minoltas over the years. I only have a japan x700 now.

8/12/2021 07:29:47 am

Thanks Jon. Hope you get many more years of enjoyment with your X-700.

Andy Carlson

8/16/2021 01:33:40 pm

Thanks for this article - it has been very helpful even though I think my X-700 had a different issue... which I will record here in case anyone else has the same problem.

My X-700 was completely dead - no LEDs, no beeps, nothing. It was nothing simple like dead batteries or a dirty battery holder.

Having read your article I decided to replace the capacitors because they would probably fail sooner or later even if they were not the cause. I bought some Panasonic 6SEPC220M (220 uF, 6.3V). The bottom one looked as expected and was easy to replace as most other folks have said. Getting the top cover off took several attempts because the nut on the winder lever was pretty firmly torqued down and none of my improvised prong tools were going to shift it without mangling the slots. I bought a 'spanner wrench' (what a meaningless name!) from eBay and tried again. That was no use either because it was too big to get into the recess. Finally I made my own hollow pegged tool out of brass and that got the job done... but only after I'd found something bigger to hold it so that I could apply enough torque.

Surprisingly once the top was off I saw wall to wall blue teardrop shaped capacitors - everything in the top of my camera seems to be tantalum so I left them alone, reassembled and... nothing.

Top off again and I went poking around with a voltmeter. I could find 3V where the red wire appears from below and attaches to the ASA dial PCB. Poking the probe onto the tracks inside the main power switch I found... no volts. As far as I can see from the repair manual, the 3V supply goes into the flexible PCB and thence to the other side of the camera. The power switch board is connected to the opposite side (this is not well shown in the diagram of PCBs and leads). Turning the power switch on and then jumpering a wire temporarily onto the beeper's red wire suddenly brought the camera to life.

My fix was to dismantle the power switch (making another brass tool first because that nut was well torqued down too) and solder an extra wire from the pad where the 3V red wire comes up from below onto the track where the 3V is supposed to enter the power switch from the flexible PCB. Now the camera is working again although I think the self timer has died... but I can live without that.

I think the cause may be that the flexible PCB has been kinked at the very right hand end of the bend where it folds back on itself. This must have happened at the factory because the camera had never been opened before it died. The outermost track does look broken. Whether this is the 3V supply track I have no idea because the manual does not have any detail about the PCB tracks.

Anyway... job done and thanks again for your article.

8/16/2021 01:42:11 pm

Thanks for contributing your experience for the benefit of all, Andy. Hope you get many more miles out of your X-700. Best regards.

8/29/2021 01:35:22 pm

C.J.

This is amazing that you've been helping out people for so long. There seems to be a lack of information and your willingness to help is amazing.

I just bought 2 minoltas for $45 total, an srT101 and a XG-7.
I put in batteries in the XG-7 and it released the winder and would fire the shutter! Except every 3rd or 4th shot, it sticks and stays open for about 30 seconds. Also, if I point it at incredibly bright light, it does that too. I think it's a capacitor issue. I read your article and the XG-7 specific section, took off the bottom of the camera to locate the capacitor, but I can't find it. All I see is a little blue blob that looks like it could be a capacitor, but I'm not sure if that's it. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

8/29/2021 02:35:55 pm

Thanks for reaching out, Ro. If the little blue blob is in the far right corner as you look at the camera on its back with the bottom plate removed, it will be a tantalum release capacitor. But I doubt that it is the issue here. If the release capacitor was defective, you would not be able to wind and fire the camera at all. So I suspect something else is at fault. The best I can advise is to download the XG Service Manual from learncamerarepair.com. The troubleshooting section begins on page 169. It takes you through a number of sequences observing the behavior of the LEDs in the finder and other camera functions in both AUTO and Manual modes to narrow down the symptoms, and hopefully, the defect. There is also a circuit diagram on page 75 with the location of the C6 release capacitor clearly shown just for verification purposes. There could be a mechanical or electrical issue with the shutter and/or meter that is the real problem. Please feel free to use the Contact Us page for further communications as the Comments section here doesn't permit a lot of back and forth. I hope that gets you started, Ro. Best regards.

Rogelio Orozco

8/29/2021 04:50:47 pm

Sweet! I've started going through these, but needless to say, I'm a bit overwhelmed. I also have figures out another quirk. The shutter will fire fine when I don't make a lot of contact with my finger, but when I completely cover the finger sensor and press down hard, that's when the shutter hangs.

8/29/2021 05:37:57 pm

Hi, Ro. You might try cleaning the touch switch with a bit of 99% alcohol or naphtha on a cotton swap and see if that makes any difference. It might be making intermittent contact due to accumulated oils and dirt.

Daniel A. Graf link

10/1/2021 12:17:13 pm

The same fix worked on my Minolta XG-1!
New capacitator, now it works again.

10/1/2021 02:16:25 pm

That's great to hear, Daniel. Congratulations on a successful repair!

Melvin

10/24/2021 05:53:05 pm

Is a mint in box XD11 worth the risk of buying as it needs repair?

TB

10/24/2021 07:01:55 pm

Hi Melvin,

That's a tough one to answer, as my personal level of acceptable risk may differ considerably from yours. So please don't feel compelled to be guided by my logic :-).

My first issue is with the seller calling something that needs repair "Mint in Box". I know that the devaluation of the term Mint is super common nowadays, but it still rankles me. If any item is truly Mint, it should not only look impeccable, but also function flawlessly. Reputable used retailers such as KEH, or Robert's Camera, and many other legitimate retailers will not even rate items requiring repair to function as Bargain or Good, let alone Mint (aka Like New) or even Excellent.

So the seller either lacks knowledge, or worse, is intentionally misrepresenting the product. Either way, my initial reaction would be to pass. And that is reinforced by not knowing specifically what is wrong with the camera. It could be something as simple as a capacitor (but that is highly unlikely with an XD), or there could be multiple issues contributing to the problem.

And that brings me back to the rating of the camera as MIB. Usually a seller is trying to get maximum return by rating an item as such. A truly MIB XD11 is a rare thing and will fetch $350+ USD presently. I would personally not pay more than $50 USD for a non-functional but cosmetically perfect copy, but that's just me. I hope that helps a bit.

Best regards

Roland

11/7/2021 05:47:29 am

My X-500 turned off after one-three shots and had a blinking "A" in the viewfinder. I thought that it was batteries problem and put batteries from X-500 into XG-2 which worked fine. I also swapped them with batteries from my X-700 and the issue hasn't gone away. At this point I thought that I might swap capacitors between X-500 and XG-2. I did that and nothing changed neither in X-500 nor in XG-2.
Turns out that X-700 batteries were also dead so what I did was changing dead batteries with other dead batteries. I've put fresh LR44 into X-500 and the issue gone away.
The only thing that bothers me is why does XG-2 works when I put dead batteries in it. I did like ~100 shots and the battery still holds! Magic.

11/7/2021 07:15:15 am

That's a great question, Roland. And it highlights an important difference between the XGs and X-xxx series. The XG-2 has a minimum voltage threshold of 1.75 - 2.15V whereas the X-300, -500, and -700 all have a minimum threshold of 2.46 - 2.56V. That 0.3 - 0.7V difference explains why your XG-2 goes merrily on its way with weaker batteries. According to Minolta, for a single LR-44 or SR-44 cell to be considered "normal", it must be producing at least 1.4V for a total of at least 2.8V with two cells. Being alkalines, LR-44s begin to drop voltage almost immediately from installation and steadily continue to drop compared to the silver oxide SR-44s, which have a flatter discharge curve. They thus cross the minimum voltage threshold much sooner than SR-44s.

So why did Minolta tighten up the tolerances on the X-xxx models? Basically, to maintain a higher level of accuracy for the meter and shutter assemblies which rely upon differences in measured voltage for different settings. The greater stability of silver oxides lends itself to use in these models. Personally, I find that the performance benefits of silver oxides outweigh their increased cost over alkaline in any use-case, but to each their own :-). I hope that helps. Take care.

Seth

12/19/2021 01:25:39 am

do these suspect caps on the XD models also account for the common failure of the shutter speeds all ending up the same? I don't mean the shutter lag with the air piston that needs cleaning, I mean when the camera's speed selection sounds the same down to 1 second.

12/19/2021 01:57:38 am

Hello Seth. The release capacitors do not affect the timing of shutter speeds. The are only responsible for initiating the exposure sequence beginning with the mirror flip. Shutter speeds are controlled by IC1 (Integrated Circuit 1) in concert with the shutter assembly itself and other switches and contacts. There is a Trouble Shooting section in the XD Service Manual that is available for free at learncamerarepair.com that may be able to help you narrow the problem down. If the problem occurs in all modes and at all speed settings, including the mechanical settings of O, X, and B, it is likely that the shutter assembly itself is the problem. If it only occurs in one or two of the A, S, or M exposure modes, but not all three, then there could be a defect in IC1, a switch, or another electronic component named in the flow chart on pages 12-13 of the troubleshooting section. I hope that helps to get you started in tracking the problem down. Best regards.

1/16/2022 01:34:48 pm

Thanks for the great article and advice.

I bought an XG-1 for my brother - was working fine but then had trouble will the LEDs not coming on and the shutter not firing.

I've cleaned out the battery compartment of all corrosion, which seems to have fixed the LEDs, and I was able to fire the shutter once. Only issue is, the winder seems to be jammed so I can't cock the shutter again for another photo. Do you think the capacitor also needs replacing, or is there any way to unjam the winder - as I think once this is done camera should hopefully be okay! Any advice on how to fix this would be much appreciated, thanks!

1/16/2022 01:38:23 pm

I also forgot to mention - my brother removed some film so the rewind button on the bottom camera is still depressed - I was wondering if had to do with the winding mechanism still being jammed? Thanks again!

1/16/2022 02:03:49 pm

Hi Will,

It sounds like the issue has something to do with the film rewind button remaining pressed in. It should have popped back out automatically when the the film advance was first used after removing the film. If it has not released then you will need to check the winding gears in the bottom of the camera after removing the bottom plate. A piece of film or other debris may have jammed things. Gentle probing with a toothpick or bamboo skewer may help to clear the jam. A bad capacitor will manifest itself with an LED briefly lighting and then going out followed by failure of the shutter to fire only with the shutter cocked. You will not be able to check the capacitor until you can get the advance freed and the shutter re-cocked.

I hope that can get you started on a diagnosis. Best regards.

1/18/2022 10:32:48 am

Thanks for your reply CJ.

Unfortunately I have not been able to use the film advance since the rewind button had been pressed in. I think if I can get the film lever to advance, the rewind button should pop out and it should start working. I can't see any debris so I will keep looking! Thanks for your help.

1/18/2022 10:53:18 am

Hi Will,

If there doesn't seem to be a jam in the winding assembly, you might try the capacitor, but I can't promise that it will solve the issue. Take care.

Not-so-random thoughts

What Was Up With Minolta and Capacitors?

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C.J. Odenbach

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