I have been collecting Minolta Maxxums for well over 14 years and selling them on ebay for over 8 years. In that time, I have probably owned (and sold) more used Maxxums than any private seller/collector in the US. There is no Maxxum model that I have not owned and with that ownership I have come to know each model like a family member. To this end, I have put together this guide for the Maxxum owner and potential Maxxum owner detailing problems I have encountered with Maxxum models.

Minolta Maxxums, like most cameras made, have shown to exhibit problems over time. As can be expected, the older the Maxxum, the more problems that have revealed themselves. I have listed the problems, by model, in order of occurrence (based on my experiences), i.e. I have seen those problems at the top of the list happen more often than those at the bottom.

The problems I have seen may or may not happen or may have or may not have happened (yet) to your particular Maxxum. All cameras are not treated the same, and do not have the same history of use, abuse, wear, repair, care, etc. Moreover, it should be remembered that Maxxums are production line cameras and like any product made this way, some will fair worse than others. Some were made in Japan, others in Malaysia. and others were even made in China. Most experts feel the Maxxum made in Japan were the bset built, most reliable Maxxums.

In this guide, I rate Maxxum camera problems I’ve experienced using two designations: “B” (for BAD—meaning the problem renders the camera’s main functions unusable), and “NB” (NOT BAD meaning you can still use many to most of the camera’s functions and the camera works well enough to take photos). Note: even though Maxxums are both auto focus and manual focus cameras, I feel that if the Auto Focus is not working on a particular Maxxum, then that is a BAD problem. You may feel differently. Other problems, like a dead internal battery on the 5000/700 are quick, inexpensive problems to repair and I rate this problem as Not Bad since for under $5.00 the owner can fix this problem. Note: several of the problems listed below with give off a “Help” message on the external display—you can get this from a bad film transport system, failed aperture base plate mechanism, dropped focus screen, bent mirror, and a whole slew of electronic problems from blown boards to bad wiring connections.

Considering that Minolta is no longer in business and that replacement parts are no longer available (FOR MOST Maxxums), you should expect a Maxxum with a BAD problem to be an unfixable camera that is ONLY good for parts. Minolta made most consumer level Maxxums to last 5 years and most pro-level Maxxums to last about 10 years. Take this into consideration when looking at used Maxxums and always consider their production years.

Finally, the information below is a “work in progress” that I will revise from time to time and note, what follows below is based on MY EXPERIENCES with Minolta Maxxum cameras. You may have different experiences.

AF MAXXUMS, FIRST GENERATION: 1985-1987

The three models were as follows: 5000 AF, 7000, AF, 9000 AF. Here are my revelations about those models:

5000 AF Most Common Problems:

*External display bleed: NB

*Cracked/rotted rubber exterior parts: NB

*Internal display bleed/failure: NB

*Dead/low internal Battery—Flashes “ISO 100”:NB

*Aperture base plate failure: B

*No Auto Focus: B

7000 AF Most Common Problems:

*External display bleed: NB

*Cracked/rotted rubber exterior parts: NB

*Internal display bleed/failure: NB

*Aperture base plate failure: B

*Dead/low internal Battery—Flashes “ISO 100”:NB

*No Auto Focus: B

9000 AF Most Common Problems:

*External display bleed: NB

*Depth of Field Button Failure: NB

*Cracked/rotted rubber exterior parts: NB

*Loose rear window glass .NB

*Aperture base plate failure: B

*Film advance lever failure/looseness: B/NB

*Oil on the shutter curtains: NB

*Metering knob off alignment: NB

*Very slow AF motor response: NB

“I” MAXXUMS, SECOND GENERATION: 1988-1990

The four models were the 3000i, 5000i, 7000i, 8000i Here are my revelations about those models:

Maxxum 3000i Most Common Problems:

*No Auto focus: B

*No film advance: B

*Cracked/rotted rubber exterior parts: NB

*No film counter (note the film counter on this camera ONLY works when a lens is attached): NB

*Aperture base plate mechanism failure: B

Maxxum 5000i Most Common Problems:

*No auto focus: B

*Cracked/rotted rubber exterior parts: NB

*Aperture base plate mechanism failure: B

*Burn spot in the built in flash: NB

*No film advance or rewind: B

Maxxum 7000i/8000i Most Common Problems:

*Internal Display Bleed: NB

*Cracked/rotted rubber exterior parts: NB

*No auto focus: B

*Blown Main PC board—no power at all: B

*Aperture base plate mechanism failure: B

*Skipping frames during film advance: B

*Incorrect hot-shoe exposure (flash only fires @t max output): NB

*Failed Card Reader: NB

“Xi” MAXXUMS, THIRD GENERATION: 1991-1993

The five models were the 2Xi, SPXi, 3Xi, 5Xi, 7Xi, 9Xi, Here are my revelations about those models:

2Xi/SPXi Most Common Problems:

*Failed aperture base plate mechanism: B

*Broken camera strap lugs: NB

*No auto focus: B

*No auto rewind: B

3Xi Most common problems:

*Failed aperture base plate mechanism: B

*Broken camera strap lugs: NB

*Pop up flash will not automatically pop up: NB

*No auto focus: B

*No auto rewind: B

5Xi Most common problems:

*Internal Display Bleed: NB

*Broken camera strap lugs NB

*Failed aperture base plate mechanism: B

*Card door problems: NB

*Blown Main PC board—no power at all: B

7Xi Most common problems:

*Internal Display Bleed: NB

*Warped Shutter blades: B

*Finicky push buttons and thumbwheels: NB

*AEL not working: NB

*No Power: B

*Pop-up flash does not work correctly: NB

*Failed aperture base plate mechanism: B

9Xi Most common problems:

*Broken shutter curtain: B

*Finicky push buttons and thumbwheels: NB

*Card reader not working: NB

“Si” MAXXUMS, FOURTH GENERATION:1994-1998

The models were the: 300Si, 330Si RZ, 350SI, Panorama Elite, 400Si, 430Si RZ, 450Si, 500Si, 530Si RZ, 550Si, 600Si. 650Si, 700Si, 800Si, QTSi, STSi, HTSi, XTSi

300Si/330Si/350Si/Panorama Elite Most common problems:

* Failed aperture base plate mechanism: B

* Built-in flash burn mark in the center: NB

*Warped shutter blades: B

*Broken camera strap lugs: NB

*Finicky push buttons and thumbwheels: NB

400Si/430Si/450Si/500Si/530Si/550Si/QTSi/STSi/HTSi/XTSi Most common problems:

Failed aperture base plate mechanism: B

Pop-up flash not working: NB

Blue Glow in the camera viewfinder window: NB

Warped shutter blades: B

Broken camera strap lugs (400Si-550Si): NB

Finicky push buttons and thumbwheels: NB

600Si/650Si Most common problems:

Failed aperture base plate mechanism: .B

Depth of field preview not working: NB

Non-working pop-up flash: NB

Lens mount release stiff /not releasing: B

Broken camera strap lugs: NB

700Si Most common problems:

Finicky push buttons and thumbwheels: NB

Spot metering not working: NB

No Power: B

Pop-up flash does not work correctly: NB

Failed aperture base plate mechanism: B

Card reader not working: NB

800Si Most common problems:

Finicky push buttons and thumbwheels: NB

Spot metering not working: NB

No Power: B

Pop-up flash does not work correctly: NB

Minolta Maxxum 5th-6th Generation TO COME