Camera Problem - Shutter or Aperture?

I"ll try to post an example later, but I'm hoping my description sounds familiar to someone.

My Minolta X-370, an 80's model manual focus SLR, is giving me problems. It seems random. The bad photos come out with the left side (landscape orientation) of the image much darker than the right side. For most of the problem shots, the right side appears exposed correctly, but the left side is severely underexposed. Some shots are underexposed all the way across, but still worse on the left. To me, this seems like a shutter problem, but...

On the last roll, I shot the first 22 exposures with a particularly old lens that I had to repair when I got it. The aperture was stuck wide open. I disassembled it, cleaned it, put it back together, and the aperture is now snappy and oil free. Of those first 22 shots, 12 were bad and the other 10 were perfectly fine. I switched lenses after that and every remaining shot came out good. Now it's starting to sound like I didn't adequately repair that old lens, except...

I have seen this problem before with a other lenses, but it was only a few shots per roll...never as bad as this last roll. I didn't think much about it, assuming I had made exposure errors. Now I'm wondering if the lens is part of the problem, if the lens is the whole problem, or if there is a shutter problem that's gradually getting worse.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Paul

If one side of the image is darker than the other it doesn't sound to me like a aperature problem. Could the mirror not be getting out of the way on a vertical or horizontal shot?

I agree about the aperture. Logically, it doesn't seem likely, but I had so many bad shots with that one lens, I figured it was a possibility. I'm not real confident on my repair job, although the good shots look really good.

All of the problem shots are horizontal (landscape), but I don't know if that's a coincidence or not. I would think that if the mirror isn't getting out of the way, it would be a line across the top, but I'm not sure. This camera does have a horizontal travel shutter and the problems are all on the left side.

I'm with greg, that doesn't sound like an issue with the aperture blade. Could it be a problem with the shutter blades sticking? Do you have film in it right now? Can you pop the back and try some test shots?

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

I'm with greg, that doesn't sound like an issue with the aperture blade. Could it be a problem with the shutter blades sticking? Do you have film in it right now? Can you pop the back and try some test shots?

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There's no film in the camera at the moment, but I'm not sure how to test it with out just shooting more film.

I think you're right, though...I think the shutter is sticking. I wonder if there's a simple way to fix that. I already checked and my local shop wants way to much for a CLA. I could by 2 or 3 more bodies for the same money...maybe I will. I love this Rokkor glass.

Are there any marks on the blades to indicate rubbing?

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

Are there any marks on the blades to indicate rubbing?

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Nothing I can see, but it's a cloth shutter. I don't think it would show rub marks.

I just opened it up and fired the shutter at various speeds and I couldn't see anything that appeared abnormal.

My Canonet shutter was stuck and I treated it with lighter fluid. I took several small applications with a q-tip but it has been working fine since.

I'll probably just buy another body and then maybe I'll see if I can fix the one I have. Maybe I'll get a service manual for it too. I'd like to have two anyway.

Thanks to everyone who commented.

Paul

The shutter need to have work done on it. The under exposure is the second have of shutter curtain releasing to soon and uneven exposure is most like sticky grease. I would say a cleaning and lube is in order.

Wow, I didn't think I'd find a replacement so fast. I just found an X7A, which is almost identical, and possibly a little better than my old X-370. It is almost mint and had a buy-it-now price of $24! There's one on KEH for $94! I hope the seller is honest. :D

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Originally Posted by freygr

The shutter need to have work done on it. The under exposure is the second have of shutter curtain releasing to soon and uneven exposure is most like sticky grease. I would say a cleaning and lube is in order.

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I agree. My local lab wants way too much for a CLA, so I think I might buy one of those service manuals from ebay and try to fix it myself. Not much to loose now that I have a replacement on the way.