The line of Hi-Matic cameras from Minolta is thought of very favourably amongst those that have used them. One of the cameras in this line that I’ve had my eye on for awhile is the 7sII, but it’s a tough one to find. I’ve yet to see it pop up locally. Recently, however, I did find something from the Hi-Matic line that was similar and aligned with my current rule of only buying cameras I can pick up locally. So I decided to take a $30 chance on a used Hi-Matic F, hoping for the best while spending the least.
It was my first experience shooting with a range finder, but right off the bat, I found this style of camera familiar and easy to use in contrast to my SLRs. I have actually had a Yashica Electro 35 GTN and a Canonet QL17 GIII (both range finders) sitting in my collection for awhile, but sadly they need a bit of repair after years of not being used, so they’ve stayed on the shelf. Because I had learned so much about this type of camera in anticipation of using those cameras, I was really eager to finally try a range finder out to see if it was even something I liked. Turns out it is, but maybe not with this camera. Let me explain.
I will start by saying that the simplicity of this camera is what drew me to it (it’s dead easy to use). It’s almost entirely automatic except for the focus, but unfortunately that’s where things start to fall apart.
The focus throw is very short, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it’s also very loose and can shift just by taking your fingers away from the lever, which makes it hard to lock in focus. This issue is coupled with some vertical misalignment in the focus patch, making it even harder to know if you are horizontally aligned. It’s misaligned just enough to make it a real challenge to know for sure if you’re fully focused, and because of that it takes a long ass time to even get it close.
All of this makes for a pretty frustrating experience. But, on a positive note, I will say it’s fairly forgiving, as proven by the scans I just got back - almost all are decently focused. I guess as long as you are close enough on the horizontal focus alignment, the vertical misalignment issue doesn’t really stand in the way. It’s the not knowing before you hit that shutter button though…(film = 💸💸💸).
Jumping back to the the stuff I didn’t really like…the shutter release isn’t that great either. Just like the focusing; it’s a bit off. It doesn’t take a lot to depress it, and because the shutter is so quiet it can be hard to tell if you even took the shot, so you often have to check the counter to make sure it went off.
Also, the lens isn’t super sharp. Honestly, it’s only slightly better than my Minolta Auto Focus D (AF-D), which is a nice enough point and shoot that I actually find myself reaching for more often than I thought I would. Because of the difference in these two cameras, using their original price points as comparison, I just expected the Hi-Matic F to be a lot better than the AF-D. This lack of sharpness could also be because of the focusing issues though, I’d need to have it repaired to be sure.
And finally - the original batteries required to power the light meter were mercury based, which are no longer made, because mercury. Luckily, the batteries I had on-hand could be used (LR44’s), but I don’t think they were the right voltage, as a lot of my photos were underexposed.
I know there are a lot of battery hacks out there for this camera, I went with the simplest one as it seemed straightforward based on the videos I watched, but it just didn’t perform as consistently as I’d hoped. It could just be that the light meter is starting to fade out, but I’m not sure its worth digging in to it any further and risking another half roll being underexposed (say it with me now…film=💸💸💸).
I know it seems like I’m complaining a lot, but it’s only because I wanted to love this camera. It looks so lovable, and on paper it sounds so lovable. The camera itself is an aesthetic delight! It’s cute as fuck! But I think I built it up to be something better than it actually is. That said, for 30 bucks, it’s not a bad choice for a casual shooter who wants to add some nostalgia and character to their photos. It’s not exactly what I’m looking for though and I already get that vibe with the AF-D without having to fuss with the focus and everything else, and it’s lens is only slightly less sharp.
As I mentioned above, I have two other rangefinders on the shelf - both are high quality, they just need a bit of TLC to restore them to their former glory. I will be getting them repaired soon, and hopefully they will provide better experiences (and results) than the Hi-Matic F.
That said, despite its shortcomings, I had a lot of fun taking these shots on a recent spring morning, and I’d say I got a few good ones for sure. The light was perfect, and for the first time in a long time, it was barely cold out. I knew as soon as I woke up that it was the perfect day to load up some Kodak Gold, head out and try a camera from my backlog, and I’m so happy I had that morning with this lil guy.
If you have any experience with cameras in the Hi-Matic line from Minolta, or the Hi-Matic F, leave a comment and share your story!
Stay focused.
I have no idea how I missed this article at all, but you know my feelings on rangefinders by now lol
Great shots! I just love the contrast. I used to have a Hi-Matic SII since college and actually sold it. Part of me regrets it but it truly had an issue with the lens, so good shots were sporadic. If I ever find another at a decent price I would not hesitate. The series is a bit finicky, isn't it?