I've got a Minolta XL-400 and I'm having a problem with the viewfinder. The viewfinder has a feature where a black arrow pops up in the viewfinder if the light available will cause over/under-exposure.

I have tried filming in a variety of lighting situations, including outside with the sun directly overhead, and in the shade. Also, inside a store with bright florescent lighting overhead and the arrow still will not receed. I have also tried filming inside under normal house-lighting conditions. The arrow will not dissapear.

It used to dissapear, then it stopped. Around the time it stopped, I also began having a problem with the automatic aperture control which used to show a red line that would move up and down in the aperture-scale window. it is part of the "camera's EE system" that "sets the aperture continuously and automatically in accordance with metered light for proper exposure."

Neither of these are functioning correctly...so...

Does that mean the automatic aperture is not working, or is it just not TELLING me that it is working (as indicated by the red arrow moving around) or is it stuck in a particular position?

Suppose the auto aperture still functions but the indicator is broken. Enough light is getting to the camera, so it is working properly, however, since the indicator in the window won't receed, will it show up in the film? Is the arrow simply part of the viewfinder? I somehow think not because there is also another arrow that will pop up whenever one is using manual aperture. This arrow is always present. Therefore, I would think a manual aperture setting would be pointless if it resulted in the recording of a black arrow in the middle of the frame.

Sorry for so many question.