Tag Archives: hi-matic

Minolta Hi-Matic 9

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This is another camera I got on my recent travels and again cost $5. It looked clean on the outside, the lens looked free of fungus, the shutter fired, and the battery compartment did have any residue. So far so good. The rangefinder ghost image was still quite visible, but the seals were shot. It only needed them near the door hinge, so that was a quick easy fix. There must be something wrong with it at that price?

Originally from 1966 (a great year) it has a 45mm f1.7 Rokkor lens. It used the defunct mercury battery which powers the automatic modes, but it works perfectly well in manual without a battery, sweet. It has speed settings from B to 1/500th and aperture settings of f1.7 – f16. If that isn’t enough there is an EV setting scale, which I am getting to like. The ASA settings range from 25-800, but there is an ‘off’ setting in case you want to go fully commando (I mean manual). There is even a tiny hole on the back that lets you know there is film inside. I read the “easy-flash” is due to the flash gun scale on the lens barrel. The only slight issue I found was the film wind-on crank. It goes through the biggest movement I have ever come across. Seriously it feels like a full 360. BUT did it work.

Apart from the one shot which I think was the strap it WORKED!!! I love it. I have tried a later version of this camera, but this one is so much better in terms of aesthetics and the f1.7.

Sell or Keep: I think I have to keep it…but number of cameras. OK I will keep it until a friend reads this and reminds me I have too many cameras and they are a super friend and deserve a present.

 

Minolta Hi-Matic AF-D

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Well, this was a surprise buy. I went out to dentist and wombled on my way back…I hate the dentist, wombling made me feel better. I bought six cameras including this one and the instax.

It was released around 1981 and the AF means autofocus. There is an oval in the viewfinder which needs to be placed on what you want to focus on, then press the shutter half way to lock it. If there is insufficient light for the exposure a red warning light is visible in the viewfinder. You can also hear an audible beep, but you can still take the photo. The lens has an ASA selector that goes from 25 to 400. On the top is a date setting that goes from 1981-1995. I read that this camera was release in 1979, but that doesn’t make sense with the date choices.  On the back is a window that works as an indicator to show there is a film inside.

The flash and electronics are powered by two AA batteries which is very convenient.

So does it work?

Well, I had a little trouble with the auto focus as I kept forgetting to use the oval and lock the focus , but the exposure meter works perfectly. I now know that it focuses beyond 1m, any less than that then it can’t cope. Also that little oval is REALLY important. Once it is locked on though it works very well as you can see by the panning shot of the dancer. Here is another review of the camera with a link to the manual.

Keep or sell? I am giving it away to a new friend.