My Minolta X-700 only takes "half-pictures" help!!

[Mikesmth]

I just got my first roll of film back from developing, and most of the pictures are half-pictures. My girlfriend's Father, who has the same camera, says that the shutter maybe stuck, but I don't know if that's true. It doesn't seem to be sticking. I thought it maybe a malfunction with the way I installed the film, since it was the first time that I've ever installed filmed into a camera. Not every picture came out half, which makes me think that it maybe not the shutter. The ones that did come out fine, looked amazing. I looked all over the internet to see if anyone could help, found nothing. I reckon a community of better-experienced photographer's could help me way more than any WikiAnswer every could. I don't know the protocol for starting new threads, so sorry if I was not supposed to. Thank you for your help. And I'm glad to have joined this forum.

-Mike Smth

 

[compur]

Were the half-pictures taken with or without flash?

With flash photography the X-700 shutter speed must be set at 1/60 or slower.
If you are using a Minolta X-series flash this will be done automatically. If
you are using another flash you must set the shutter speed to 1/60 or
slower yourself. Using a faster shutter speed with flash will cause partially
blacked out images.

If the half-pictures were taken without flash then your camera's shutter
likely needs service.

 

[Mikesmth]

Without flash. I bought it at a thrift store, so Lord knows when it was last serviced. I really should take it in, once I can afford it. Wouldn't the darkness from the shutter be seen on the negatives? I don't know, still a newbie on matters of photography, I just figured it would have been caught. Thanks though, it's good to get an actual response.

 

[Mitica100]

Mike, your shutter curtain is lagging due to non service. You'll need to find a place and do a CLA (clean, adjust and lubricate).

One thing you might want to try before that is run it about 100 times at the highest speed available (I believe it to be 1/1000) with the back open and see if it still hangs after that. Observe the curtains as they travel and note which one is the defective one.

For a CLA you will probably pay more than for a new/old X-700 but if you like the quality of the pictures it could be worth.

Good luck.

 

[christopher walrath]

OK. Vertical half pictures or horizontal half pictures? Is the indiscernable portion burned in bright or blocked out?

 

[rlarkin]

Compur, how did you know this about the minolta x700? I have a sony a350 that takes half frames at 1/320 and at 1/250 the shutter is visible at the top edge of the frame (with remote flash, haven't yet tried it with on board flash). Are there industry terms that quantify this behavior? Search terms?

 

[compur]

^ It's in the X-700 manual. It's called the flash sync speed. This is the
maximum speed at which the shutter can be synced with flash. If you
use a faster speed with flash it will cause part of the image frame to
be blacked out or darker.

 

[rlarkin]

Thanks! mine is 1/160.

 

[Whojavu]

Hi I recently bought my Minolta x300 from a fleamarket and my first roll came out to be half black. I am very disappointed but it’s nice to learn from all the information above. Can anyone confirm if this is a mirror problem? I usually used 1/60 shutter speed and at that time i did not know how to expose properly so many of the pictures are overexposed. Would be great if someone can post a fix.

 

[webestang64]

Can anyone confirm if this is a mirror problem?

Looks like shutter lag to me, if it was a mirror problem the black would be horizontal. Camera would need to be serviced or buy another one and sell this one for parts.

 

[480sparky]

Half the image is black, which means that portion is overexposed. I'd say you have a curtain that's hanging up and staying open far too long.

 

[cgw]

With respect, it's not worth the repair cost. The Minolta X-300/570/700 cameras have a reputation for electronic failure due to bum components that didn't age well. Scotty would likely agree.

 

[webestang64]

With respect, it's not worth the repair cost. The Minolta X-300/570/700 cameras have a reputation for electronic failure due to bum components that didn't age well. Scotty would likely agree.

This one is going on the Bay for parts/repair because of bad electrics.