DPR Forum

Welcome to the Friendly Aisles!
DPRF is a photography forum with people from all over the world freely sharing their knowledge and love of photography. Everybody is welcome, from beginners to the experienced professional. Whether it is Medium Format, fullframe, APS-C, MFT or smaller formats. Digital or film. DPRF is a forum for everybody and for every format.
Enjoy this modern, easy to use software. Look also at our Reviews & Gallery!

Motor Drive for X700

I

idutta

Would a motor drive that is mounted on Minolta XG-M work for an X-700?

Thanks,
Indranil
 
Is there some way of getting the MD-90 motor drive to work on an X-700. The MD-1 seems to be prohibitively expensive.

Thanks,
Indranil
 
My advice, don't run a motordrive on Minolta cloth shutter SLRs (especially the X-700, X-570 and X-370)... Although the drives are great performers, the abuse they inflict on the shutter springs and internal film advancing systems within the cameras is too much for them to handle.

I have owned (2) X-570s and an X-700. The first X-570 i bought new in 1984 and it served faithfully for 16 years before i retired it. This camera was used and abused and took all the punishment i could muster, with the exception being, not once did I ever attach an MD-1 motor drive to this '570.

The second X-570 and subsequent X-700 were both in great shape and well taken care of. With these two cameras, i used the MD-1 and within 15 months both cameras failed. Same problem. Shutter lock up due to binding advance mechanism and shutter interlock. Such failures are common on X-Series cameras only if they are used with the motor-drive!

This is unfortunate, as I LOVE the MD-1, from a performance standpoint, the MD-1 is worth every penny. From a practical standpoint, it is a death wish for your X-Body.

I am now the happy owner of a beautiful XK from 1974. Now this is a camera that will take a beating and remain a fully functional tool.
 
Hi Michael,

BS.

Somebody's gotta stop this kind of erroneous smear tactic!

My two Minolta X-700's have been Motor Drive 1 run for years with NO PROBLEM.

Join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minoltax700club/ and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/manualminoltafree/ and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/manualminoltafree/ to chat with ~2,000 Minolta X-series users who can share lots of stories of function and failure WITHOUT DENIGRATING AN ENTIRE LINE OF CAMERAS based on their personal experience with 1 or 2 or 3 cameras. Failures, lots of failures in the archives there - yet no one claims that the entire line of X-cameras is incapable of proper function.

And if mine did ever fail, I'd get 'em fixed and keep right on usin' 'em!

Without complaining.

And without claiming that the entire line of cameras from Minolta are incapable of being motor driven.

Geesh, if I claimed that every car is incapable of being driven whenever my own one car needs repair, I'd never own a car, and I'd never get anywhere.

Shucks, even Rolls Royce has a service department - just because you've had a few failures doesn't mean much since these cameras have been in production for years with hundreds of thousands of them in operation (millions?). 2 or 3 out of ... anyway, all we're ever gonna hear about on the web is the failures since the working ones don't make us write in asking, "Help, my camera is working and I don't need any help!" Right? Ss even 100 stories on the Internet doesn't mean much, statistically.

And your investment in an XK costs how much compared to getting your X-series cameras fixed? And other than 1 additional stop of shutter speed ... anyway, if you wanna read horror stories about the expense and impossibility of camera repair, join the 165 members of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minoltaxk/ and read the archives! Scary! Yet, no one there claims the entire line of Minolta XK-cameras is incapable of proper function!

And why, oh why did you retire your first X-500?

I think you are telling us more about you as a camera handler than you are telling us anything useful or authoritative about the cameras which you handle.

The same thing happens with cars, or anything - "I had a Honda and it died on the highway once when I floored it trying to pass a truck- Honda's may be nice, but they can't take being floored!" Plug your own personal experience in here and all you hear is the pain of the person who owns something that needs service, not the quality service offering potential of the entire range of products from the supplier and their support services.

Geesh!

Click!

Love and hugs,

Peter Blaise Monahon Minolta Vivitar Tamron Fujifilm Ilford Kodak et cetera Photographer peterblaise@yahoo.com http://www.geocities.com/peterblaise/minoltamf/
 
Posted by Peter Blaise Monahon (Peterblaise) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 2:44 pm: Hi Michael, BS. Somebody's gotta stop this kind of erroneous smear tactic!

I think we should be saying which Michael ! Michael W
 
Sheesh, Calm down please Peter. The fact that you've had great luck with the longevity of your X Camera does say something. And I *DO* love the X-570 and X-700 dearly. I have shot hundreds of rolls through these cameras over a VERY long period of time, so i do think i have a basis to judge the line. The fact that they have failed under such consistent circumstances (and i treated them very kindly) indicates much truth to what I've said.

That being said, I feel part of the problem may be in not having regular CLA done on these cameras. If you are going to ABUSE the shutter and advance mechanisms of the X-Series with a very fine performing MD-1 (I loved mine) than by all means take your camera in FIRST and have them do a CLA. Better safe than sorry....

And as for this problem not being common? here are some snippetts i easily ran across... (there are hundreds like these:

"I had my X-700 freeze up on me after less than a year of use. This is when I began to read about others problems with the camera on photo.net, so I sold it with no regrets."

"My X700 also suddenly stopped working and had to have the electronics replaced. I had it repaired under warranty, and I ran only a few rolls through it and it died again. Same symptoms.."

"I had it [X-700] about a year. Made in China. Was taking a timer picture of me. High humidity in the New England states, but the camera had been working perfect no problems. Set the timer posed heard the click. Came back to find the mirror was stuck in the picture mode. I could not wind.."

"In my opinion, the minolta x700 is simply not a camera that can withstand alot of film. I put 10+ rolls a week and the advance lever always breaks, the circuitry eventually blows, or the shutter speeds do not remain precise. The circuitry recently blew.."

"I've seen more than my fair share of tanked X-370s and X-700s broken from their somewhat overfragile plastic geared film transport mechanisms when rapidly advanced, or the magnets on the shutter rails starting to loose their kick, or spontaneous failure of the circuitry.."

"the camera was fixed once for a shutter problem during that time (actually it was close to the end of the warrantee). Then in 98 the shutter stop working once again.."

"the shutter is frozen again, almost same as happened before, I had to send it back to the store, the repair warranty had expired, I got an estimate two days ago for the cost of yet another X-700, stating the whole electrical circuit and shutter control circuit have to be replaced.."

"I don't know too much about cameras and when I got my Minolta X-700 35mm SLR camera I was very happy with it for about a year. I went on vacation and came back with negatives that were half exposed. It turns out that the shutter magnets went and once that happens you can get it fixed but it will keep happening every six months or so for the rest of your camera's life."

"Actually, I'm not surprised you had trouble with this camera. Minolta has one of the poorest reliablity records of all the camera brands and the X-700 is one of the worst cameras for malfunctions ever made. Minolta eventually stopped making them just so they wouldn't have to deal with the warranty returns (or have to keep making parts. A real dog of a camera!"

"...Also at times folks jam the wind mechanism by forcing the Motor Drive coupler, thinking that it's the battery compartment. the battery cover is in the Bottom Center of the camera, not on the Release Side of the camera. Finally a shutter problem can cause this same jam. As we are a Minolta Authorized Service Center we'd be glad to help out with the repair..."


So, yes, the 570 and 700 and awesoem cameras.. I loved mine, but the XK offers a bit more durability. the titanium shutter and interchangeable viewfinder and prism are reason enough to own one. And the cost? XKs can be found for under $400 with lenses and accessories included.
 
Quote by Peter Monahan
"I think you are telling us more about you as a camera handler than you are telling us anything useful or authoritative about the cameras which you handle. "

Peter, I respectfully request you do not make this a personal thing. I make no assumptions on you personally, as you should not either. If you cannot stand the fact that MANY MANY photographers have abandoned these cameras for THE SAME EXACT REASON than do not try to compensate for reality by resorting to personal attack. I wont do that to you.

The fact remains, what i have said was my honest experience with the line, and the results of which gave me the needed info to make an informed decision on what i want to use. I lost valuable shots on two occaisions with the X-700 and X-570 before i recognized the consistency of the problem. Ive used so many cameras over the past 20 years under so many circumstances, that a consistent failure point DOES stand out from the crowd.

Be safe and have your X Series CLA'd. Do the regularly and it WILL last a lifetime. But add up the cost and time involved in the long run and other camera options may be more practical.

That being said, I loved using the Powergrip, I loved using the MD-1, I loved my 280PX and 360PX (some of the best flash photos i have ever taken were with the 280PX in TTL mode), I loved using my X-570 and (briefly) the X-700 and X-570#2. They are beautiful cameras, well crafted, extremely ergonomic, and extremely versatile. The lenses are top notch. (I have some extremel amazing Minolta optics I love and still use)...

So... take a deep breath and lighten up, Francis (Peter).
 
My two-cents' worth: I've owned and shot with Minolta X-700 and X-570 bodies since 1983, and have used both the Autowinder G and MD-1 drives on both without any ill effects that can be attributed to the mechanics. The circuitry within the MD-1 halts the drive at the end of the advance stroke, relieving much of the stress and strain other winders rely on to "turn off" at each frame. The only time an MD-1 would be directly responsible for overwinding and stressing the curtain/advance mechanism is when the drive has been abused and/or poorly maintained to the point where its internal adjustments are out of alignment, and even then it's most likely to just lock up the drive, not the body.

A far more common failure of the shutter and advance is related to the death/drying out of the electromagnetic's capacitors (a total of three exist, I believe). When these die, the shutter and advance die with them. I've had this happen to two out of more than 11 bodies I've owned, and it's a quick fix for someone with the proper tools and talent (and a bit of finesse with a soldering tool).

As for longevity, my first X-700 is still going strong (after 20 years), and has had literally thousands of rolls (24- and 36-exposure) through it, using the Winder G for the first few years, and the MD-1 ever since (call it 15+ years with the motor drive). In fact, it'd feel naked without an MD-1 attached.
 
Back
Top