Minolta Maxxum 400si 35mm SLR Camera - Page 5 - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

Darkroom is always safest in these situations. Sounds like you don't have a manual - if you google the make and model, followed by the word Manual, you may be able to find one.

Are these pictures being taken with flash ? If so, it could be that you are using too high a shutter speed for the entire frame to be exposed. Most cameras have a flash setting, usually around 1/150 to 1/200 second, and if you use a faster speed the shutter closes before the frame is fully exposed.

did you unlock the camera? are all batteries installed correctly,here is your manual, MINOLTA 7000 MAXXUM Manual Page 5

Minolta srt100-101-102 bottom of camera there is a round part about 1" diameter unscrew and put new battery in

Loading The Minolta SRT Cameras With 35mm Film

Remove screws from around the top cover and front cover.

There is a spring in the bottom of the rewind knob that holds the crank, and it sounds like it has dislodged or the plastic rewind knob is cracked (try small amount of super glue for this). You can rewind the knob off the shaft (open the film door and put something in the rewind fork to keep the shaft from moving) and then turn the rewind knob opposite the direction of the arrow (if the arrow says turn clockwise, then turn counter clockwise). This will allow you to remove the rewind knob assembly and check it for damage, etc. Also, there is a small shaft at the end of the crank. Make sure it is not bent.

Lens aperture may be set (or stuck) at the smallest lens opening, or the camera may be in stop down mode. Without a specific model number I can not be more specific.

First auto focus SLR. Does not focus well in low light. Put on manual focus at infinity setting on lens scale, and put camera on tripod and set the lens to something likeF8. Set exposure time to different settings and see which one works out best. You might also check your local library from one of the Kodak guide books (low light photography, etc.)

Model? symptom sounds like low/bad battery

http://www.derrybryson.com/manuals/Minolta/MINOLTA%20FILM%20CAMERAS/Freedom/ I hope this helps

Are you sure it's an SD card, 2GB or smaller, and not a higher-capacity SDHC card?

Check batteries -will not work without batteries. Clean battery cap with pen eraser.Otherwise - do LEDs light up in viewfinder? If multiple LEDs light up at once, the the aperture resister board on the front is dirty or the shutter/asa board on the top needs to be cleaned. If LEDs light up and then go out when you push the release button, but the camera doesn't release then the capacitor on the bottom is probably bad.Finally, did someone stick a screwdriver in the motor coupler on the bottom and force it to turn? Congrats, they have ruined the shutter gears! I used to see this all the time.

Fix it in jail!!

Go to jail ! U crook

Try using contact cement to glue it in place.

Did you ever find out how to fix for your mirror lockup problem?

But you can take pics? When you transfer this pics at pc... they are black too? Could be a problem with the LCD screen viewer or CCD Image sensor go to bad. In both cases this isn't a job that you could solve yourself; this wrong include distorted images or abnormal colors, scratchy purple lines, blank or black pictures, and/or black videos with good sound being recorded on the camera's flash card.

I suggest check THIS LINK for additional details in this previous solutions for an Defective CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and next contact your Minolta service. I strongly suggest (taking into consideration the age of your camera) to evaluate the cost of repair versus the cost of a new camera with similar features, before making a final desicion.

Hope this helps.