Slightly OT: Minolta Hi-Matic G2

OK, this camera falls outside the parameters (post-1970) but it comes of a long

line of Hi-Matics dating back into the "classic" timeframe, so I thought this

was the best place to post. Just found it in a charity shop for peanuts. It

looks like a more plastic, reduced-feature, viewfinder version of the Olympus

35 RC style of compact camera (complete with gunky light seals). It has a

quirky symbolic focusing system and automated shutter setting. Does anyone

here have experience with it?

Yes, it's a fun little camera.Replace the light seals, stick a silver-oxide battery in there, and take it out for a spin. You'll probably like the results.

 

http://members.aol.com/manualminolta/minfind.htm

 

"(1982) This is an updated version of the Hi-matic G. It has the same 38mm zone-focusing lens with f-stops from f2.8 to f22. The change is that the body is even smaller and lighter -- and it only came in black. The CDS meter has an EV range from 9 - 17 and controls the exposure with a programmed auto-exposure system setting the aperture and shutter speed from 1/60 at f2.8 to 1/250 at f22. Close focusing to 3.3 feet. Film speeds of 25-400. X synch at all speeds. Takes a 675 battery. It's the smallest full-frame, manual focus camera made by Minolta, but still a quality shooter."

Silly question, but I've never used a "guide number" lens before - it seems to be making a link between distance and aperture so I assume it's some kind of depth-of-field formula? Do I just set the focusing distance using the symbols, then use the GN distance scale to set the aperture i.e. just try to think in terms of the distance from subject rather than the f stop?

The GN feature has nothing to do with depth of field, everything to do with getting exposure right when shooting fixed-output (manual) flash. Most flashes, the big exception is studio flashes, have output rated as aGuide Number. GNs are defined for a film speed, usually ISO 100 and a distance measure, always feet or meters. The f/# to set to get good exposure with flash is GN/flash-to-subject distance. So, you tell the GN lens the flash's GN and then it automatically sets the right aperture given focused distance and the GN.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. It's a strange little camera, but I like the look and feel of it. Will see about fixing the light seals and see how the pics turn out.

So... How did the pictures turn out? I'm mainly curious because I have been thinking about

picking a G2 up, but was concerned about exposure errors from using 1.5v batteries...