Had a Minolta X-700 shutter lock up on me mid-roll last Thursday

I was testing it after a basic CLA, heard a weird click, and the mirror just stayed up. Took the top plate off and found a tiny piece of the old foam seal had broken off and jammed the gear train. Anyone have a good source for the right replacement foam sheets that won't turn to goo in a few years?

4 comments

4 Comments

wood.uma1mo ago

Old foam turning to goo is the main reason you need to replace it in the first place.

emma_baker611mo ago

Yeah, that's such a good point about the foam. It really shows how a lot of stuff is just built to break down now. You see it with rubber seals on appliances turning brittle or plastic parts cracking. It feels like everything is designed with a hidden timer, and the gooey foam is just a really clear sign that time is up. Makes you wonder what else in our homes is slowly turning into a mess we just haven't noticed yet.

anderson.taylor1mo ago

It's a hidden failure you can't ignore, like a sticky puddle in a drawer. That foam breakdown makes me look at every padded thing now. Are the armrests on my couch doing the same thing under the fabric? What about the padding inside my winter coat or an old bike helmet? Once you see it in one place, you start questioning everything soft that's past its prime.

hannah_west3922d ago

My old X-700 has the original foam from the 80s and it's still fine, just a little flat. I've seen the sticky mess in other cameras, but I don't think it's a planned thing. It seems to depend a lot on the exact foam mix and how the camera was stored, like in a hot attic versus a closet.