Common Flaws of the Maxxum 7000 - Don't Bid on and Get Stuck with a "Lemon"!!!

The Maxxum 7000 is an excellent, reliable and well designed camera. It was first introduced in 1985 and revolutionized the world of photography with the introduction of the autofocus camera lens system. Minolta was first out of the gate into this uncharted territory and forced Nikon and Canon to play catch up in a big way. Rumours of "reverse engineering" abounded. It was a golden age for the folks at Minolta, a time that is now a distant memory as Minolta itself now is, having discontinued film operations and having sold their digital photo technology and lens mount to Sony.

Back in 1985, the 7000 was well received, and has had a good 20 year run on the used market - over the years it has become known as a very reliable base entry Maxxum SLR. With the advent of Ebay, many Minoltians are replacing lost, damaged or stolen 7000's with the easy access Ebay affords to a worldwide market.

If you are still enjoying film photography, buying a second body to minimize lens changes is a great idea. Or, if your original Maxxum body finally gave up the ghost or met some unfortunate end, you can pick up a replacement on ebay at a very reasonable price! What sold for $399 in 1985 can be won on ebay for $20-70, depending on the condition. The 7000's were an awesome, groundbreaking camera back in 1985, and still take an excellent film photo by todays standards. Subsequent evolution of the 7000 into the i series, xi, si and so on, built and improved upon the autofocus and exposure platforms, but none are as affordable as the original.

There are a few issues that can occur with some Maxxum 7000's that show up on ebay; or much worse, in your mailbox if not described properly in the listing you won! Some issues are purely cosmetic, but some are technical and will affect camera operation. If you are knowledgeable and prior to bidding ask your Ebay seller a few questions about these potential flaws, you can save yourself a lot of grief in the long run.

Here is a list of things to look out for:

1. LCD bleed

 Not the end of the world, but unsightly!

The top square shaped LCD can "leak" between the layers of the display, leaving a noticeable and permanent ugly black area within the display.  This usually spreads from a corner and mostly tracks along the edge of the display. This bleed, once it occurs, is very slow in advancement and the spread can actually limit itself or arrest over time. I've never seen a display that was so bad that exposure information was obscured. This flaw was an unfortunate result of an outsourced manufacturing defect and has nothing to do with how the camera has been handled, nor is it an overall indicator of Minolta's manufacturing quality. I would guess that about 20-25% of Maxxum 7000's have the problem. These cameras are now up to 20 years old, and if a 7000 hasn't developed bleed by this point in time, I would bet that the problem would not occur if you buy one that is clean.

Good sellers always include a photo of the top LCD in their listing to indicate the presence or absence of bleed. This is a cosmetic issue, but with all the nice Maxxum 7000's available, why settle for this flaw unless you are getting a really good deal on the camera?

The following issues cannot be seen in listing photos - you must rely on your seller to describe them, or better yet, be proactive: if not mentioned in the listing, ask your seller if they exist prior to placing a bid on the item.

2. Viewfinder Data Loss

Occasionally, the viewfinder display inside the eyepiece can stop displaying a single digit (or more) of the exposure data. This is not a big deal if the top LCD is replicating the information. However, if you are running Aperture or Shutter Priority and trying to make exposure adjustments "on the fly" while composing, this could be inconvenient. In any case, once again, there are plenty of fully functioning Maxxum 7000's on ebay, so as a bidder, you should be getting a good price on one that has this problem.

3. Aperture Control Issue

The aperture control lever in the camera body moves the lens' iris (aperture) to the appropriate size so that an accurately exposed photograph is taken during shutter release. In rare cases, this control becomes defective and as a result, every picture taken with this camera will be underexposed. If a camera has not been tested with film (the preferred method of testing any camera's proper function!) you risk receiving a Maxxum 7000 that unknowingly has this critical problem. You will essentially be getting a D.O.A. (Dead On Arrival) camera. At best, if you purchased from a seller who will honor a refund, you may still be stuck paying return shipping to get your money back And it gets worse from there if your seller is unethical....

4. Program Reset Short Circuit

This issue is a more benign flaw and found in only a few cameras. When the small "Program Reset" button (next to the LCD and denoted with a "P") is pushed to reset the camera back to Program Mode from Aperture, Shutter or Manual Mode, the entire LCD blinks repeatedly for about 10 seconds, then resets to Program Mode. Normal operation would not include the 10 seconds of "blinking". After blinking, the film frame counter may also improperly reset to zero even though you have several photos on the roll. The counter will begin counting sequentially from zero with subsequent film advance, but you will not know the true frame count. You will only know you are out of film when you've taken the last picture on the roll and the camera requires rewinding. Not the end of the world, but potientially inconvenient. If a camera has an issue like this, I wonder what problem will surface next. A camera with this issue should be deeply discounted as well! When I come across this issue, I scrap the camera and use the spare parts that are in good condition. I really don't want to sell you something that may not work a week or month down the road.

5. Battery Compartment Corrosion

With the "Digital Revolution", many of these Maxxum 7000's have sat in their gear bags for several years since their last use. Some come from Estate Sales and again, haven't been used in years. If the batteries were left installed, (and this goes for everything else in the bag that uses battery power) whether it be the 1800AF, 2800AF or 4000AF flash, a CG-1000 set, or a program back, there is a possibility of battery leakage and acid corrosion inside the item's battery compartment. The damage can be minor and easily cleaned up with a toothbrush and some baking soda, or worst case scenario, completely devastating to the point of ruining the battery compartment electrical contacts if the leakage is severe. The good news is that replacement compartment doors for Maxxum 7000's (aka "Battery Holders" or "BH-70"s) are available on ebay for about $20-$25). There are three models - for AA, AAA or Lithium 2CR5 batteries. If corrosion damage is limited to the battery holder, replacement of the BH-70 usually restores camera operation. Incidentally, the BH-70's also fit the Maxxum 5000. In any case, to avoid disappointment, bidders should always inquire about the battery compartment condition on a Maxxum camera auction if its condition hasn't been disclosed.

As an aside, with the cover of the battery compartment removed, you will expose a metal plate that is attached to the camera body by six tiny Philips (+) screws. Chances are, after all these years, the lithium (2016) button battery behind this small plate is dead. If you remove the 6 screws, you can access and replace the battery so that the memory for various settings and the LCD display is retained when you change the AA or AAA alkaline batteries.

Those are the "Big 5" issues I've seen with the Maxxum 7000. Most other issues are cosmetic in nature and somewhat dependent on how the camera was treated during its life. Wear is generally seen on the camera back and the grip. A little "brassing" (worn enamel) or surface wear at the thumb or finger contact points is no big deal. Some grips develop a chalky white appearance - again, it doesn't affect operation, but does downgrade the overall appearance of the camera. Major dents, dings or cracks in the body would indicate a sudden deceleration with Planet Earth or potentially serious abuse. Never a good sign when you consider all the electronics in these cameras, and that a camera needs to be "light tight" to work properly. Once again, with the number of Maxxum 7000 listings on ebay, cosmetically challenged cameras should be discounted.

On the flip side, if you find a really nice Maxxum 7000 that is flaw free and cosmetically in nice shape, don't be too conservative with your maximum ebay bid. Great cameras are out there that have hardly been used. About one in ten that I come across is truly in spectacular condition. After all that searching and contacting sellers with questions, when you finally find a really good Maxxum 7000, there is nothing worse than losing out in the last few seconds of an auction to a "Sniper" or an ambitious bidder who puts in a last second higher bid. "Snipers" use software or an internet service to place a higher bid in the last few seconds of an auction. Once that Snipe bid is placed, the auction ends within seconds, and other bidders are unable to place a higher bid. So set a realistic maximum bid you truly feel the camera is worth to you! Ebaying is fun, but it can get time consuming and frustrating too, especially when you lose by a dollar in every auction you bid in.

Overall, the Maxxum 7000 is a rugged, well built camera, supported with a full range of affordable lenses and accessories. They are easy to use, and the number of current users as well as longevity attests to the lasting popularity of the model.With time, some 7000's will have developed the problems I've detailed. Occasionally, these 7000's show up on Ebay - so ask questions and be informed! If you are bidding on a Maxxum 7000 listing on Ebay, any of the "Big 5" that are present, and any cosmetic issues should be clarified in the listing. If they aren't mentioned, as the buyer, you should be asking the seller questions to determine the true condition of the camera and then bid accordingly (or not bid  at all). The first Maxxum 7000 that I bid on and won did not mention the bleed issue, and as a newbie ebayer, I figured that meant "no bleed"....guess what I got in the mail!

If you don't get the answers you expect, in any auction, camera or otherwise, you might consider moving on to a different auction to avoid disappointment or to find an item more suitable to your needs and expectations. There are several good Maxxum sellers on ebay who are ethical and honest with their customers and disclose the issues I've discussed. Some sellers may have simply not been aware of a particular problem, but others may intentionally hide them. So ask questions, and expect a competent answer! Happy Bidding!

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