Minolta XG-7 Owner's Manual page 36

"8" setting
T u r n i n g t h e s h u t t e r - s p e e d / f u n c t i o n s e l e c t o r
t o a l i g n " 8 " w i t h t h e i n d e x ( w h i l e d e p r e s s i n g
the Auto - setting release if from "A"
setting)
sets the camera for making "bulb" exposures.
That is, the shutter will open when the operat-
i n g b u t t o n i s d e p r e s s e d a n d r e m a i n o p e n u n t i l i t
is released.
N O T E
W h e n a s t a n d a r d c a b l e r e l e a s e w i t h t h e X G
a n d " B " s e t t i n g , b e s u r e n o t t o l e t a n y m e t a l
p a r t o f t h e r e l e a s e t o u c h a n y m e t a l p a r t o f t h e
c a m e r a b o d y w h i l e t h e s h u t t e r i s o p e n a s t h i s
w i l l c a u s e t h e s h u t t e r t o c l o s e a n d e n d t h e
e x p o s u r e .