Minolta Hi-Matic 7s Rangefinder Camera
A great example of a full-size very solid vintage rangefinder camera - not for those who favor smaller or compact sized cameras - when you're holding this one, you know you have a camera in your hands. But I personally like that! I took a chance on this one on ebay through an 'as-is' listing, and lucked out - after a light cleaning, I found myself with a near mint rangefinder with everything working perfectly. The 45mm f1.8 Rokkor-PF lens is fast and very sharp!
Check out photos of the 7s in ALL BLACK!
LIKES: very, very, very solid feel in the hands - you don't forget you're holding a camera when you bring this one along; shutter speed and aperture rings are together on the lens and can be turned simultaneously; ASA up to 800
DISLIKES: narrow shutter speed and aperture rings are a little hard to turn, especially with big hands like mine (although I'd rather have it this way then too loose); focus ring is not quite as convenient as it could be (more awkward than the Canonet QL17 G-III for example); mercury batteries no long available (but that's true of almost all cameras this age, and you can use the Wein Cell substitute battery or buy an adapter).
Above: top view of camera
Above: Garden gate at Spencer Pond Camps. Photographed with a Minolta Hi-Matic 7s, using sunny 16 rules for exposure.
View gallery of sample photos taken with the Minolta Hi-Matic 7s camera
Download the manual, 5.6MB PDF
Specifications:
- Camera type
- Automatic 35mm rangefinder camera with CdS electric eye
- Lens
- Rokkor-PF 45mm F/1.8
Construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
Aperture stops: f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
Filter: 55mm screw-on
Lens shade: 57mm slip-on - Shutter
- SEIKO-LA fully automatic programmed shutter with manual control
Automatic Operation: EV 5.7 (f/1.8 @ 1/15 sec.) to EV 17 (f/22 @ 1/250 sec.)
Manual Operation: B, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 and 1/500 sec.
Synchro Contact: X contact (M class bulb synchronizes at 1/30 sec., electronic flash at all speeds)
Self-timer: 10-second delay - Film winding
- Lever type, quick wind automatically cocks shutter, advances film and film counter and prevents double exposure
Film rewinding: Rapid rewind crank
Frame size: 36x24mm
Film: Standard 35mm film - Finder
- Tinted bright frame viewfinder with automatic parallax correction
Meter needle: Needle in viewfinder shows proper EV number, over/under exposure warning - Focusing
- Direct helicoid focusing coupled to super-imposed rangefinder
Minimum focusing distance: 3 ft.(0.9m) - Exposure meter
- Built-in CLC (Contrast Light Compensator) exposure meter in the lens barrel coupled to programmed shutter (automatically compensates for filters or lens attachments)
Film speed range: ASA 25-800, DIN 15-30
Batter: 625 or equivalent - Size
- Height: 3-1/4" (82mm); Width: 5-1/2" (140mm); Front to back including lens: 2-7/8" (74mm); Weight: 25.4 oz. (720g)