Minolta Hi-Matic 7s Rangefinder with Minolta Rokkor PF 45mm f1.8 lens

Minolta Hi-Matic 7s Rangefinder with Minolta Rokkor PF 45mm f1.8 lens

The Hi-Matic 7s was an improved version of the popular Hi-Matic 7.

The 7s came with the Contrast Light Compensator (CLC) metering system. The 7s also added a hot shoe and Safe Load System (SLS) indicator to show that film was loaded and being transported properly. Additional differences between the 7 and 7s included rangefinder windows changing from a contrasting 'pink and green' tint to 'yellow and blue'; the carrying strap lugs moving up to the side and given a more rounded shape; and the end of the lens barrel being black rather than the brushed aluminum of the 7. The 7s also came in a black version.
Modern Photography Magazine evaluated the Hi-Matic 7s in 1967 after its release. In general they noted that it operated similarly to the Hi-Matic 7. They found that CLC meter was working properly, and field tests with transparencies were well exposed despite a variety of light and contrast. They also liked that the meter could be switched off to prevent battery drain, and they liked the SLS indicator, which not only showed that the film had been loaded correctly but also tracked film usage.

Manufacturer: Minolta
Date of Production: 1966
Variants: Chrome or Black
Type of Camera: Rangefinder camera
Film type: 35mm
Lens: Rokkor PF 45mm F/1.8; 6 elements in 5 groups
Filter size: 55mm screw-in, 57mm slip-on
Focal range: 3′ to infinity
Shutter: Seiko-LA leaf shutter with self-timer (approx. 10sec)
Shutter speed range: Bulb, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500
Viewfinder: Tinted rangefinder, bright line frame; automatic parallax correction; Exposure Value and battery condition displays
ASA/ISO range: 25-800
Flash: Hot shoe and PC socket
Exposure Modes: Full automatic and metered manual
Exposure Metering: Contrast Light Compensator, CdS exposure meter; the meter is in the lens barrel to compensate for filters or other lens attachments
EV range: EV 5.7 (f/1.8 at 1/15 sec) to EV 17 (f/22 at 1/250 sec)
Focusing: Direct helicoid focusing coupled to a super-imposed rangefinder; closest focusing distance is 0.9m (3ft)
Film advance: Wind lever with 220° winding distance; single full stroke or multiple short strokes
Battery: 1.35 v, PX625 battery; the camera can operate without a battery


Lens: Rokkor PF 45 mm f1.8

The most impressive feature of this camera is the top quality Minolta Rokkor PF 45mm f1.8 lens. It is one of the sharpest lenses you will find on any of these old Japanese rangefinder cameras.

There are 6 lens elements in 5 groups. Accepts 55mm filters. The focus is from 0.9m to infinity. Marked in both feet and metres.

Viewfinder: Viewfinder combined with range-finder. Bright frame with parallax correction. Fully automatically programmed shutter with manual control. EV scale with exposure indicator needle, and under/over exposure red warning marks. Unlike some rangefinder cameras of this vintage, the shutter will still fire even when the shutter and aperture combination are outside the range required for correct exposure of the film.

It gets really difficult to come up with new things to say about 1960s Japanese rangefinders because there are already so many great options, but the Minolta Hi-Matic 7s could be the best of them all. It has an extremely reliable meter that handles 1.5v volt batteries without any perceived exposure errors, it has a bright and glorious viewfinder that is incredibly easy to use, an amazingly sharp lens, a hot shoe, full program auto exposure, but also offers complete manual control if you so choose.

The Minolta 7s syncs the flash at all speeds from 1/4th to 1/500th of a second, since it's got a leaf shutter. That means, fill flash in daylight is possible with this camera, especially when you use a strobe flash that you can manually reduce output on!

The parallax-corrected viewfinder with the blueish tinge and the yellow rangefinder patch a lot. Those two colors provide natural contrast, easy to see the focus patch that way.

A 45mm 1.8 Rokkor-PF lens is one ot the best in its class. While a true 'normal' lens would be 43mm focal length (since that's the diagonal of the 35mm film frame), most brands opted for a 50mm or even 55mm normal lens in the 1960s and 1970s. Not Minolta, who opted for 45mm normal lenses well into the 1980s when they still supplied them with the excellent X700 SLR flagship. The story goes that the closer lenses are to the ideal focal length of 43mm, the more natural their images look since they approach our natural width of sight more. Whether that's true or not, the 45mm Rokkor-PF lens is very well coated and very well corrected, even wide open. Images are crisp and evenly exposed.

The focus throw of the Minolta Hi-Matic 7S is extremely short. It means the camera can be focused very quickly, no need for a long travel when focusing the rangefinder patch. The full focus throw is only 45 degrees! from infinity to 0.9 meters (3 feet) is only an eighth of a full circle. Very useful for street photography and quick response photography.

Other nice features include the cut-out in the bottom plate that facilitates the removal of a full roll of film or the inlay of a new film. And also, the diamond pattern on the battery cap, besides the almost mandatory coin slot. That way, it's still possible in this day and era to replace the battery when you're only carrying plastic money...

An advantage of a larger rangefinder camera is that you generally get a large bright viewfinder. The Minolta 7s is no exception. The frame is big and the yellow bright lines are very sharp and clear

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