Minolta Hi-Matic 7S
Have you ever wondered how much of a change warrants a new model of something? Does one good idea deserve a complete redesign and launch of a new camera? Well, if you were Minolta in the 1960s, just a few changes was all it took to put out a new camera. In 1966, Minolta released an upgraded version of their very popular compact rangefinder the Hi-Matic 7. The Hi-Matic 7 belonged in a class of rangefinders that included the Canon Canonet series and the Konica S2. With this stiff competition, Minolta couldn't afford to let the Hi-Matic - no matter how popular it was - remain un-improved for very long.
The Minolta Hi-Matic 7s' metering system is the most noticeable change from its immediate predecessor. Instead of using just one Cds meter, the Hi-Matic 7s uses what was known as Contrast Light Compensator (CLC) metering. This system uses a second Cds cells to measure light in a different part of the image. The camera then uses both of these readings to get the most accurate metering possible. As both of these are housed just above the lens, and inside the filter thread, they work well whenever filters are used.
The improved metering on its own would have been enough to warrant a new model of the Hi-Matic, but Minolta took the opportunity to add a "hot" accessory shoe so that single-pin flashes could be used. Minolta also changed the shutter and aperture mechanism so that photographers could work in semi-automatic or even full manual modes.
One thing Minolta held over from the original Hi-Matic was the fantastic 45mm f/1.8 lens. Known for its exceptional sharpness and speed, the Minolta 45mm f/1.8 delivers very good results wide open and is nearly unequaled when shot around f/8 and f/11.
As pedestrian as these cameras can sometimes appear, don't let yourself be fooled by their appearances. The fantastic combination of feel and results makes the Hi-Matic 7s a must find.
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