Black viewfinder I have not used my pentax zx-7 for months and when I turned it on the camera advanced the fim but the viewfinder is black...cannot see through the lense. I have removed the batteries and replaced the (2) CR2 with the same result. is htere another battery? or could the SLR mirror be stuck? Thanks in advance RickD

This camera can be notorious for these types of film advance issues. The bad news is that a ZX-7 is probably not repairable. Good news is that there are many used Pentax bodies out there that will work with you lenses.

Try dismounting the lens and cleaning the camera and lens contacts with a soft lint-free cloth.

SLR stands for "Single Lense Reflex", and yours is not reflexing, the shutter is stuck. I would say the guy that owned it before you did not know it, because to reset it manualy you have to remove the film and or the lense. To fix it you have to send the camera in for a good cleaning. "proffesonal job, lots of small tools and touchy parts"

Try these guys
They have been around since I was a kid.
http://www.42photo.com/contactus.htm
Otherwise used is the way to go.

If your viewfinder is black, the mirror on the film camera is up. That usually means the shutter system is out of whack... Repair would be too expensive. You can by a used Vivitar, Pentax body as a replacement as they use the same non AF K-mount lenses for pretty cheap. But again, they would be old cameras.

Use the exposure mode to metered manual mode using the [mode] button until the [M] is selected on the far right of the LCD screen.
The [M} is to the right of the [Tv] and [Av] selections.

Also, there is a switch on the camera body where the lens is attached... switch from AF to MF (UP position) (AutoFocus to ManualFocus).

The meter inthe viewfinder will continue to work so that tou can use the built-in meter to assist in your manual configfuration.

Good Luck! Photography is a great hobby and profession!

I love my Pentax!

Use the exposure mode set to metered manual mode using the [mode] button until the [M] is selected on the far right of the LCD screen.
The [M} is to the right of the [Tv] and [Av] selections.

Also, there is a switch on the camera body where the lens is attached... switch from AF to MF (UP position) (AutoFocus to ManualFocus).

The meter inthe viewfinder will continue to work so that tou can use the built-in meter to assist in your manual configfuration.

Good Luck! Photography is a great hobby and profession!

Others here have suggested the problem lays with the plastic gear on the advancing motor beside the mirror.

This might cost $100 or so...?

The mirror motor is probably the problem, you'll usually hear a whirring noise like a motor spinning. It's about a $125 repair, requiring the mirror box to be removed and the mirror driving motor replaced. Pentax originally put a plastic gear on the motor shaft - the replacements have a brass gear.