Minolta Hi-Matic 7

The Minolta Hi-Matic 7 is a camera from Minolta. It is a rangefinder camera from the early 1960s. The predecessor model was the Minolta Hi-Matic. It was followed by the Minolta Hi-Matic 7s in 1966.

The 35mm camera has a fixed lens. The manufacturer name of the lens is “Rokkor”. The focal length is 45 mm and the maximum aperture is f/1.8. The smallest selectable aperture is f/22. The lens is focused by hand. The 35mm camera does not have an autofocus function. The built-in rangefinder helps with focusing. The closest focusing distance of the lens is 91 cm or 3 feet.

The Minolta Hi-Matic 7 has a CdS exposure meter. It is rated for film from ISO 25 to ISO 800. The aperture and exposure time are freely adjustable. If you set the setting options to “A”, both are automatically set by the camera. The shutter allows speeds from 1/500 s to 1/4 s. For long exposures, there is the Bulb mode.

The use of a flash is possible via the PC flash socket. The flash can be attached to the accessory shoe on the top of the housing. A mounting option for the camera on a tripod, is found on the bottom with a corresponding thread. Additionally, there is a connection for a cable release and a self-timer.

The dimensions of the Minolta Hi-Matic 7 are 14 x 8.2 x 7.3 cm, according to the user manual. It weighs in at 770 grams. A mercury battery is responsible for powering the light meter.

Films for the Minolta Hi-Matic 7

Without photographic films, nothing works with the Minolta Hi-Matic 7. More precisely, the camera needs 35mm films. 35mm films are still manufactured and are developed without problems at most photo labs. You can theoretically use all films between ISO 25 and 800. Nice films for black and white or color images are the Kodak T-Max 400* and the Kodak Ultramax 400*. Other notable manufacturers of 35mm film include Rollei, Adox, and Foma.