Managing the Symptoms

Whether it was a rationally justifiable need for another camera or something else, either way it was less than $40 with shipping and at the very least it's kept me amused over the past week.

Nearly every photographer out there knows first hand the unending to add just one more camera, lens or other piece of kit to their arsenal going well beyond what any practical need would dictate. While some might argue this Gear Acquisition Syndrome as it's called can be cured through means such as aversion training with high voltage shocks, spending several months at a monastery in silent meditation and other similar interventions, the majority of us find it preferable to simply manage the symptoms.

Though simply building a couple of cameras has provided some relief for me recently it was only a matter of time before the GAS returned. It was that mother-lode of deeply expired 35mm bulk film that set things off. (Quick update, I relieved myself of the majority of this haul as the 1000' tin of Ilford Mark V has gone off in support of the Film Photography Project's efforts, but that still leaves me with 200' of bulk film and a few rolls from the factory to boot.) My Nikon FE would normally be perfect for trying out new film but it had been acting up of late and with several emulsions to try out I found myself browsing online auctions for 35mm cameras. For someone who already owns eleven cameras of various formats this is a pretty weak justification, but like a struggling dieter who manages to convince themselves that right now their overall goal could be furthered by eating cake, I wasn't going to let a little thing like reasonableness deprive me of my rationale.

Like I said, it's all about managing symptoms. After all, if finding relief to this kind of thing involved unending upgrades for up-to-the-minute technology or tracking down coveted vintage cameras in mint condition I'd be out in the streets by now. Instead I've found I can lead a nearly normal life while dealing with the affliction by taking a different tack. Outbidding the Leica aficionados on an M3 is something I might be able to do once, but knowing the itch will need to be scratched eventually no matter what I get myself into I find I can get better mileage by carefully researching and tracking down a purchase that ultimately may rival the cost of a new pair of jeans.

Over the past several months a bit of general, unfocused research had identified a few members of the Minolta Hi-Matic line as cameras that were worthier than their reputation might suggest. This is possibly due to the widely varied capabilities among cameras that have borne the Hi-Matic name. I remember Hi-Matics from the late 70s- early 80s as decent point-and-shoot cameras, most notable at the time as one of the first consumer models to offer futuristic autofocus technology. A great camera for holidays, family vacation and the like, but nothing you'd consider a rival for an SLR. This is probably the image that comes to mind for a lot of other photographers when they hear the name Hi-Matic, which may in part account for why, while Canon's very nice Canonet line has been growing in popularity on the used market of late, very similar and equally nice versions of Minolta's Hi-Matic line that are in every way the Canonet's rival remain relatively obscure.

I can't remember what it was that piqued my interest in the Hi-Matic line but at some point I found myself sifting through the information available online, comparing the virtues and vices of the various models. (If you're interested the most informative site I found about the Hi-Matic lineup as a whole can be found here.) I determined that any version of the Hi-Matic 7, or preferably the Hi-Matic 9 would be suitable, possibly as an alternative to my Iskra folder as take everywhere camera with the added benefits of a built in meter, the ability to use all that old film I find myself in possession of, and as it turns out is free of the Iskra's recently discovered light leak issue that will need to be addressed.

 And so it was that right on cue a new listing appeared for a Minolta Hi-Matic 9 in pretty reasonable condition with a "Buy It Now" price of less than the going rate and it was even from a Canadian seller, sparing me the extra shipping and import fees. How could I not?

When it arrived a week or so later all seemed to be more or less in order. The lens was a bit wobbly but that's pretty common in these cameras and it's not enough to be a real issue. The shutter speed dial located on the lens can also be difficult to turn if you don't grab it just right but no big deal. A more serious issue seemed to be the rangefinder window image. It was too fuzzy to be of use focusing except in the bottom corner. A quick look at the front of the camera revealed why. If you can't spot it in the photo at the top the detail below makes it perfectly clear. The little rectangular clear spot in the frosted glass doesn't line up with the opening for the rangefinder window. If you've never used a rangefinder this window forms a secondary window in the viewfinder. You focus by turning the focus ring until this secondary image is exactly lined up with the primary image of your subject, Having just this small portion of the secondary image to work with can really make this hard, though I've put two rolls of film through it in this condition and always seem to mange. I'm going to have a go at fixing it though.

These issues aside, results so far have been everything I had hoped. The 45mm f/1.7 lens has a reputation for being as good as any normal lens you're likely to find on any 35mm rangefinder or SLR without paying for premium optics and what I've seen is perfectly in line with that. This lens is one of the chief reasons I was glad to have found a Hi-Matic 9 rather than one of the more common 7s which has a reputation for image flare in some situations, probably due to inferior coating. The only down-side I can is that the Hi-Matic 9 is fairly large for a 35mm rangefinder. There's no real savings in terms of size compared to many 35mm SLRs. Those who prefer rangefinders for the unobtrusive soft click of the shutter will be disappointed by the Hi-Matic 9s hearty pling, but this is of little concern to me. Some have also quibbled about the advance lever which needs to be turned about 2/3rds of a full circle to wind the film but I've found that after the shot I've gone and wound the film without even thinking so how hard could it be?

The one thing I haven't done is put a battery in it. All the vital functions, shutter, aperture etc. are fully mechanical and don't require battery power, but with batteries the camera has surprisingly sophisticated automatic features for something that came out in the 60's. There is of course metered manual, but shutter and aperture can both be set to automatic, either separately or both at once, effectively allowing this camera to be set to Program mode, though apparently that term didn't exist back when these little gems were still being made.

This of course requires battery power and therein lies the rub. Like many cameras of this era the Hi-Matic 9 was designed to work with 1.35V mercury cells which are no longer made for exactly the reason you're thinking. Alternatives include the equivalent sized alkaline battery, but reason mercury cells were used in the first place is their voltage is very steady right up until they die which allowing the meter to be designed with a simple circuit not at all suited to work with alkaline batteries that can drop from 1.5V to less than a volt as they are used up. Silver oxide cells are much steadier but require either modifications to the camera or an adapter costing more than I paid for the camera by half to adjust both physical size and voltage. Finally there are hearing-aid batteries that are close enough to the right voltage not to matter which only require a simple DIY adapter for size. They are cheap, easy to find and have the requisite constant voltage characteristics, their only disadvantage being once activated their lifetime is limited to a few months whether or not they are used. At a buck or two a piece I think I can live with that.

Once I get the rangefinder window straightened out the Hi-Matic will take its place as my take everywhere camera. Whether or not it becomes a permanent spot or perhaps alternates with the Iskra remains to be seen. As always I'll keep you posted.