I have a minolta maxxum

could also be minor corrosion in the battery compartment, that won't let the shutter current pass. I had that problem once.

That's a darn good camera you have- I've worn out two max 9000s shooting weddings. As long as you say you can see through the eyepiece, and everything else works until you snap the shutter- don't trash it (or offer it to me I might buy it.) Sounds like you have either a mirror lockdown problem, or a jammed shutter. In either case it's time to take that beauty in for a good cleaning at a camera shop. All it takes is a single piece of sand lodged in the shutter or mirror to jam it up. The cost of the cleanning or repair will be much less than finding another camera that even comes close to the Max 7000.