Big Camera Problem. Help!

!an! · Feb 7, 2006

I just bought a Minolta Maxxum 70 of ebay, took a roll of picures, and they all turned out like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/El_Capitan/CRAP.jpg
Needless to say, I'm bummed out. Can anyone shed some light on whats going on?

Big Mike · Feb 7, 2006

Just a guess but maybe a stuck or sticky shutter.

With no film in it, open the back and fire the shutter...see if it opens all the way. Try different speeds. That's all I can think of.

Shutters are pretty delicate, it would probably need to be fixed or replaced by a camera repair shop.

ceres · Feb 7, 2006

I think you got taken.... its likely that the previous owner knew about this.... argh! I feel for you. It does look like a malfunctioning shutter...

kemplefan · Feb 7, 2006

ow that suck

!an! · Feb 7, 2006

Blargh, that sucks. It's a refurbished camera from Minolta, and I think it has a 3 month warranty on it, so I'll have to look into that.
Thanks for the feedback.

bobaab · Feb 7, 2006

yea most likely a sticky shutter..had the same problem with my Canon EOS 650. It cost $100 to fix at a camera store for lubrication and cleaning. It works perfectly fine now.

Fate · Feb 7, 2006

Hey i kinda like the effect lol

Nah... i feel for you.. i only buy small things of ebay.... filters... lens hoods... memory cards.... i dont know if i could bring myself to buy a actuall camera off there... unless it was from a business run through ebay

Good luck with getting it sorted out!

markc · Feb 7, 2006

What does the negative look like? My first thought was that it was feeding funny, but I guess you wouldn't be getting a whole roll's worth of images. It probably would have just jammed.

PlasticSpanner · Feb 7, 2006

Does the Maxxum 70 have a vertical shutter? If so then it's gonna be that! :er: If not then it's a more obscure problem!

PlasticSpanner · Feb 7, 2006

Looking at it again it looks to me like the shutter's opening OK but the mirror isn't flipping up?

Is this a scan of the complete print?

Mitica100 · Feb 7, 2006

PlasticSpanner's right. It's a sticky mirror. The shutter seems to work but the mirror does not flip up just before the shutter opens, leaving it in the middle of the picture, hence the image you have posted.

That's easy to fix, a good local camera shop (and most important honest one) will be able to lube it for you.

omeletteman · Feb 7, 2006

Thats funky. i'd bring into a camera shop and see what they say.

!an! · Feb 7, 2006

Cool, thanks for the feedback guys. The whole set looks identical to that.
I'm deffinetly going to follow up on all this, and I'm hoping the seller will take the proper steps to help me out.
Nothing can describe the feeling I had when I went to pick up my pictures and they said 'We think there's something wrong with your camera.'