My Minotla Maxxum 7D won't click, it will autofocus when I half press the shutter but won't take a picture

SOURCE: Shoots blank (dark) pictures after switching on.

This is a known design defect in the cameras and Sony is repairing them, even if your warranty is expired.

see this for Konica Minolta's official statement:
http://ca.konicaminolta.com/information/20070202/01_en.html

it'll direct you to a sony page where you can sign up to get your camera repaired!

more info can be seen here:
http://www.dyxum.com/columns/other/First_Black_Frame/First_Black_Frame.asp

SOURCE: Minolta Maxxum 7D Lithium Battery Replacement

To change this battery you need to dissasemble the back of the 7D, the metal frame behind this one, the front and the right cover and the PCB that support the compact flash reader/writer.
You can see the top of the battery if you remove the compact flash card and look right on top of the connector. The silver rounded portion behind the connector is the battery (5mm diameter soldered on the back of the PCB).
This is quiet difficult job, wit a few delicate connectors, and the flat cable coming from the gyro near the lens is very difficult to reconnect.

SOURCE: BLANK (BLACK) PICTURES

Yes this is a common problem. Set the camera to take a long exposure shot (5 seconds) and with the lens off take a photo. Can you see the ccd or just the shutter (black)? If its just the shutter the shutter is jammed. It's basically a question of persisting with rebooting the camera and taking shots until the shutter frees itself.

SOURCE: anti-shake problem

symptom 1: referred to as FFB (Firts Frame Black). this is when you do not use the camera for a while and when you attempt to take the first snap shot, the Shutter is either stuck, or takes a blank/black picture (some cases the picture came out bluish). Sometimes the camera would freeze and you would need to remove the battery and re-insert it in order to reset the camera. Usually the camera comes back to life and and is usuable for a while until you store it. Sony will fix this free as they identified it as a design flaw in which the remedied (incorrect gear size for the Shutter charge assembly). Contact Sony support as they own all Minolta camera assets and tell them you have the FFB or First Frame Black problem and they will set up a ticket and instructions on where and how to send it.
symptom 2: Camera does not respond at all to the shutter release. Focus is fine, menu works, every function works no problem except for the most important - taking a picture (releasing the shutter). When you first turn on the camera, you hear the Antishift module attempt to center the CCD with a series of clicking noise for 5 or so seconds (not a good sign, also called the death rattle). All 5 AS bars in the view finder are blinking. In this case, the Tebure Assembly (AS Module) has failed and will need replacing. This is not cheap - sending it in to Precision Camera will run you around $250-$280. You can do it yourself if you order the assembly from Sony: Item - ( TEBURE ASSY ), U3008233U, $118.22 ea. via 1-800-488-7669 (will take 3-4 weeks). And follow the service manual to install and calibrate it (via the service manual download at http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/topic36109_post396839.html#396839).
However, if your camera experienced the FFB and then siezed (symptom 2) you can probably still get Sony to repair it free as its one charge for a complete camera repair. Call them up and tell them your situation.

SOURCE: My minolta maxxum 7d won't take a picture....The

Precision Camera picked up the responsibility for fixing the 7D and 5D Konica-Minolta cameras when Sony bought out K-M. I contacted them when my 7D wasn't functioning, and sent them my camera. Fortunately, on of the problems was "First Frame Black". Precision completely refurbished my camera and returned it to me in better than new condition. Sony picked up the full cost for the total refurbishing; all I paid was the shipping cost to Precision. I might add that my 7D was not in warranty. The URL for Precision Camera is:
http://www.precision-camera.com/ . Give it a shot.