Minolta V2

The Minolta V2 is a rangefinder camera, launched in 1958. It is an all-mechanical camera (without a light meter), the first offering exposure times down to 1/2000 second with a leaf shutter with limited aperture:

• the 1/1000 sec can only be used at f/4 and smaller
• the 1/2000 sec can only be used at f/8 and smaller

At 1/1000 and 1/2000, the shutter does not fully open. (Some sources state that the Minolta V2 and the Minolta V3 use only one set of blades for shutter and aperture. This is not true.) To remind the user of this, the 1/1000 engraving is colored blue and the 1/2000 in red, and there are corresponding red (from f/8 to f/22) and blue (from f/4 to f/22) lines near the engraved aperture numbers.

In later cameras with exposure automation Minolta sometimes did combine every possible shutter speed with just a variety of the possible aperture values.

Camera Specifications

• finder: coupled rangefinder (with parallax correction)
• film: 35mm
• lens: 1:2/45mm Rokkor - PF
• filter size: 46mm
• closest focusing distance: 0,8m
• shutter: Optiper-Citizen-HS M-10
• shutter speeds: B, 1 sec down to 1/2000 sec.
• aperture: 2 to 22, 4 to 22 with speed 1/1000, 8 to 22 with 1/2000
• dimensions: 137×85×74mm
• weight: 780g
• date of production: 1958
• price at release: ¥24.800

Links

• Minolta Rangefinder Cameras including the V2, by Joe McGloin

in Japanese

• Minolta V2 Repair on tomshome.sakura.ne.jp