Minolta Hi-Matic 7SII
Back in 1977, the camera world was moving away from compact 35mm rangefinders and in the direction of SLR cameras. Most of the major manufacturers took one last stab at high quality, compact rangefinders and introduced a swan song camera. In Minolta's case, the Hi-Matic 7SII became their last serious effort at furthering the compact rangefinder line.
The 7SII is a no-frills cameras. It is the type of camera that revels in being basic, opting to be beautifully functional, leaning on its substance over its style. And the 7SII pulls this off quite well.
The camera is fitted with a lovely 40mm f/1.7 lens, that Hi-matic photographers will tell you has a wonderful quality all its own. The built-in light meter sits inside the filter ring, meaning that it can compensate for any added filters. The camera can be used in either shutter priority exposure or full manual exposure. And its Copal leaf shutter is nearly silent, as one might expect.
The Hi-Matic 7SII is not, however, without its faults. The viewfinder is a bit on the small side and it tends to get hazy with age. It is a smaller finder than what one will find on many comparable rangefinders of the same era. The camera originally used 1.3v mercury batteries which means that using modern 1.4v or 1.5v batteries can introduce some inaccuracies; though many film camera technicians ought to be able to recalibrate the meter for modern batteries.
Over the past several years, we have watched the Canon Canonet QL17 become exceedingly popular - and expensive - as the most commonly sought 35mm rangefinder. We have no reason to steer you away from the Canonet, but the competitive market can make these cameras tricky to acquire. If you're looking for alternatives, the Minolta Hi-Matic 7SII really shines.
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