Minolta Hi-Matic F

Hi-Matic F - chrome finish image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights)

In 1972 Minolta released a new version of their Hi-Matic consumer rangefinder cameras, the HI-MATIC F, with the less sophisticated 38mm (f2.7) Rokkor lens. It had the same light and compact camera body as the Hi-Matic E, but it had been cheaper, built with less features. The rangefinder had only parallax marks, no mechanical parallax correction. The CDS meter controlled exposure time and aperture. The camera had a flash guide number selector which provided an automatic aperture control depending on the distance for flashlight photography.

Along with the silver bodied HI-MATIC F, Minolta also released a black bodied version that they called the HI-MATIC FP. There is speculation that the "P" stood for "Professional", because at that time, black bodied cameras were considered more professional. However, the black FP was identical except for the inclusion of a self-timer. There was some variation in these cameras, as there was also a black bodied version labeled HI-MATIC F without a self-timer.

• Lens: 1:2.7/38mm (4 elements)
• Films: 35mm films of 25 ASA upto 500 ASA film speed
• Exposure: CdS-meter coupled with shutter, meter window within the filter connection ring
• Shutter speed: 4 - 1/724 sec. ( 1/20 sec. with flash )
• Viewfinder: simple rangefinder
• weight: 360 g without the RM-640 battery
• dimensions 113 x 73 x 54 mm

Hi-Matic FP - black finish image by Wayne Young (Image rights)

Links

• Minolta Hi-Matic F user manual at Butkus.org
• Minolta Hi-Matic page in wikipedia
• Lionel's Minolta Hi-Matic F overview at 35mm-compact.com (in French)
• Minolta Hi-Matic F at The Camera Site by Reijo Lauro
• Minolta Hi-Matic F review by Pekka Keskinen on attemptsat35mm.com (archived)

In some countries the black Hi-Matic F was sold as Minolta Hi-Matic CS image by Stefano (Image rights)