Showerthought: I just fixed my 100th sticky Minolta X-700 shutter this month

That number really hit me. I work out of a small shop in Tacoma, and for years, the X-700 was just another camera on the bench. But this month, they just kept coming in, all with the same capacitor issue killing the shutter. On one hand, it's a simple fix, maybe 20 minutes once you know the drill, and it keeps these classic cameras shooting. On the other hand, it makes me wonder if we're just putting a band-aid on a design flaw that will always fail. I've used the same Mouser part for years, but is there a better, more permanent fix out there? Has anyone tried a different capacitor type or a full circuit board mod to stop this for good?

4 comments

4 Comments

rowan_reed681mo ago

You said "band-aid on a design flaw", but honestly that's just what repair IS. Every old thing has its weak spot. Fixing that known issue IS keeping it alive for good.

simonk981mo ago

Guess I never saw it that way until @reed.jana's post.

reed.jana1mo ago

My 2004 Civic's third transmission rebuild proves your point.

logan_wood1h ago

haha is that just how the Civic tax works or what? @reed.jana you're putting way too many miles on that poor thing lol. But yeah, for the X-700 I've tried swapping in a film cap from a scrap F-1 and it held up way longer than the standard Mouser part. Not a full board mod but it's a start.