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Harlee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 29, 2004 - 02:27 pm: | 
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I'm looking to pick up a small compact rangefinder and have been looking at some good buys on Ebay for the Hi-Matic E cameras from Minolta. However, does anyone know if there is a substitute for the 2 X 640 batteries that are required to fire it up, since everything is electronic? Can the Zinc Air 1.4v batteries be adapted somehow? What other compact rangefinders would you recommend for my travels into Russia and Ukraine? When I'm out walking about town or village, I just as soon not have my SLR with me. I prefer a manual focus, but haven't ruled out AF. |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 29, 2004 - 10:12 pm: |
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Hi, Harlee.
The 640a batteries seem to work fine in it...however, I think I like the Hi-Matic F better. There are other small rangefinders I've had good luck with. One I like to take while traveling is the Chinon...goes under many names including Chinon, GAF Point Five, Gaf 35 EE-matic, Konica C-35 and several others. Neat little camera that takes great pictures. All automatic, but if you're just taking pictures of churches, buildings, stuff and not trying to be artistic, it is a winner and cheap. You'll need light seals for any of them, and I can help with that. Another is the Olympus XA, but it really doesn't have much of a range of focus, and some think it is kind of a theft target. There is always the Canonet GIII, too. Have you considered half-frame? I like to travel with a Canon Demi sometimes..the 1.7 version. Just another thought to confuse you. Wish I was going to Russia and the Ukraine.
Do svidaniya,
Jon |
Scott
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 03:57 am: |
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Hi, I get well-exposed negatives with my Hi-Matic E, with 3 LR44 1.5 volt batteries in it. They are pretty cheap and easy to find (at least where I am in east Asia) so I can change them regularly. Getting the three batteries to fit snugly takes bit of fiddling, however.
I set the ASA at about one-stop slower than the film speed. I'm no good at math or electronic theory, so maybe someone else can give more-specific advice on how much to compensate with the ASA setting.
Myself, I prefer taking something with a bit more manual control, such as a Yashica Electro or GSN rangefinder, which can work with four LR44 batteries. I have also gotten excellent results with the cameras Jon suggested above, and they are all fairly cheap and easy to come by. They also take the easy-to-find LR44 size battery.
I'm also happy with the photos I get with my Minolta Freedom Explorer Auto Focus 28-70 zoom, which I think is about 6 years old by now. Got it for about 35 bucks on the on-line auction last year. |
Charlie
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 07:29 am: |
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I have stacked two zinc/air batteries in a plastic sleeve in one cavity and made a conductor out of a piece of 5/8 wooden dowel with a hole drilled through and a nail cut to length in the other side.
I also had a half frame, an Olympus Pen D (it has a built in meter which you can follow or ignore). However I have not been satisfied with the processing lately. No one will mount half frame slides anymore and I think most labs hate to change their setup for the occaisional roll of half frame that comes along. If you do your own scanning this may not be important to you. Good luck. |
John Harris
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 06:12 pm: |
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Dear Sir: I have a Minolta Hi-Matic E for sale. I have fabricated 2 battery adapters which take the #375 battery in place of the 640's. The camera seems to work OK, though I have not had time to run a roll of film through it. Price, $35 OBO, MO or personal check OK.
.............. John |
Roland F. Harriston
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 04:05 pm: |
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The "E" is a fine camera. Slightly large and heavy, but a good shooter.
I think that the 1.7 lens on the "E" is a bit sharper than the one on the Canon QL17 GIII, although the Canon is more popular due to its compactness and the (off-and-on) availability of a suitable battery.
The Hi-Matic F is definitely a compromise over the "E" IMHO, although the "F" is a nice, compact
machine.
The "E" has some nice flash setup features that the "F" does not have.
Finding an "E" in operating/repairable condition is not as easy as finding a decent Canonet QL17 GIII. This is mainly due to the corrosion that takes place if the mercury cells are left in the camera after they expire. They deteriorate and outgas, eating up the rather complex wiring system in the camera, quite often making the camera unrepairable from a practical standpoint.
Good Luck
Roland F. Harriston |
David Miles
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 07:06 am: |
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I have just acquired cheaply, thro' eBay, a Minolta Hi-Matic AF(Rokkor 38mm f/2.8). Though, theoretically, it is an auto-focus camera, it appears more likely a fixed focus camera, since nothing seems to change when pointing camera at subject and pressing shutter release. Viewfinder simply shows brightline outline plus a brightline focus zone in centre. I'm running a film through at the moment and shutter seems to work satisfactorily. There is, on front left of camera, a "focus lock" marking but pressing the bar adjoining only seems to fire the shutter - whoops! I'm not really bothered if I've been sold a non-working auto focus but shall be glad of any comments on my (?) problem.
David Miles |
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