The Minolta Hi-Matic 5 is a 35mm camera from the late 1960s. It was built in a factory in Japan. The model is part of the Hi-Matic family.
The camera comes with a fixed Rokkor focal length. The lens has maximum and minimum apertures of f/2.7 and f/22, respectively, and the focal length of 40 mm can be used for many different applications. The lens is built up of three lens groups. A filter can be screwed onto the 49 mm thread. The focus has to be set manually. There are four zone focus settings for this purpose. The minimum distance to the subject should be 90 cm.
The Minolta Hi-Matic 5 has a built-in CdS exposure meter. It can be used with films in a sensitivity range from ISO 25 to ISO 400. The photographer can select the exposure time on the camera, and the aperture is set automatically by the camera. The aperture cannot be changed, so there is no manual mode. There are two shutter speeds to choose from with the Seiko shutter, 1/250 sec (sun) and 1/30 sec (cloud).
An external flash can be used on the PC flash port or hot shoe for pictures. The 35mm camera has a thread on the shutter release for a cable release. Of course, it can also be used on a tripod.
The dimensions of the camera body are 12.2 x 7.1 x 5.5 cm. It weighs 370 grams. The camera requires a 1.35 V mercury battery.
Films for the Minolta Hi-Matic 5
The Minolta Hi-Matic 5 uses 35mm films. These films are still being manufactured and can be specified from almost any developing vendor. Possible films for this model are the Kodak Gold 200* for color photos and the Kodak T-Max 100* for B&W images. Of course, there are a few more films. Important, the films should be in a range of ISO 25 to ISO 400, otherwise there may be overexposure or underexposure.
There is no automatic film transport. The film must be rewound by hand. There is a lever on the top of the camera for this purpose. When the film is full, it must be returned to the cartridge. This is done by pushing in a small button on the bottom and using the crank on the top.
Technical datasheet
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type of Camera | Viewfinder camera |
| Film format | 35mm |
| Film transport | Manual |
| Picture format | 24 mm x 36 mm |
| Lens name | Rokkor |
| Focal length | 40 mm |
| Biggest aperture | f/2.7 |
| Minimum focus distance | 90 cm / 2.952 ft |
| Focus | Manual |
| Type of focus | Zone focus |
| Focus zones | 90 cm, 1,5 m, 3 m, Infinite |
| Filter thread | 49 mm |
| Lens design | 3 elements in 3 groups |
| Exposure times | 1/250 second, 1/30 second |
| Light meter | CdS light meter |
| Supported film speeds | ISO 25 to 400 |
| Exposure modes | Shutter priority |
| Built-in flash | No |
| Flash Connection | Hot Shoe, PC-Flash |
| Flash sync speed | 1/30 s |
| Tripod mount | Yes |
| Cable release thread | Yes |
| Self-timer | No |
| Power supply | 1x 1.35 V mercury battery |
| Size | 12,2 x 7,1 x 5,5 cm |
| Dimensions in inches | 4.80 x 2.80 x 2.17 inches |
| Weight | 370 Grams |
| Country of production | Japan |
| Estimated value / Used price | 79,13 Euro 128,97116,7577,32614,8968,1513264,21925,4185,34 Estimate based on used prices of 5 offers (possibly with different scope of delivery and/or condition). As of 13.5.2024 |
| Average used price in the year 2023 | 80,32 Euro (86.59 US-Dollar) |