Minolta Hi-Matic C (c. 1969–1970)
The Minolta Hi-Matic C is a small 35mm viewfinder camera. Minolta stripped the Hi-Matic line back to its essentials here - no rangefinder, just a lighter, more pocketable body with zone focusing. Sources differ on the introduction year, with some pointing to 1969 and others to 1970. It was a compact, Japanese-made automatic camera aimed at casual shooters who wanted simplicity.
The main feature is the collapsible three-element Rokkor 40mm f/2.7 lens, which tucks flush into the body when not in use. Exposure comes from a CdS-meter-controlled aperture system. It is essentially shutter-priority automation with just two shutter speeds (1/30″ and 1/250″) from a Seiko BS 17-FA central shutter. Focusing is by zone: three focus settings on the barrel, with matching distance symbols shown in the viewfinder. For flash work, there's a guide number scale printed on the lens barrel.
Surviving documentation on the Hi-Matic C is thin, and most of what collectors know comes from user reports rather than official literature. A common complaint is trouble retracting the lens. Owners on Photo.net forums have reported being unable to get it to collapse, and one noted that "no manuals were available other than on Flea Bay." The auto exposure system is also prone to failure. At least one Flickr user admitted they bought the camera anyway because they loved the design, even though the meter seemed dead.
These cameras turn up on eBay from time to time, usually untested or non-working. One recent listing offered a non-working unit at a regular price of $50 USD, with the shutter stuck and the battery compartment loose. Another auction started at £18 GBP. Working examples with original leather pouches do appear, but sellers rarely guarantee functionality. A reproduction manual exists (26 pages plus covers) through cjs-classic-cameras.co.uk.
The sources consulted document no dimensions, weight, original price, battery type, or film speed range. The Hi-Matic C is a sparsely documented entry in the Minolta Hi-Matic series, which ran from 1962 into the 1970s.
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