MINOLTA HI-MATIC G2
1981

Serial Nr.1123717
Minolta Code 0468

Characteristics and functions
The Minolta Hi-Matic G2, introduced in 1981, is the renewed version of theprevious HI-Matic G. This camera has a mechanical shutter programmed fromEV 9 to EV 17 (1/60" with f.2.8 and 1/250" with f.22) with 100 Asa films, for fully
automatic exposure. The film sensitivity allowed ranges from 25 Asa (15 Din) to400 Asa (27 Din). The lens is a Rokkor 38mm. f.2.8 with 4 lenses in 3 groups.
The camera has a classic appearance with a central part in black leatherette,
upper cap and lower caseback in metal with black paint. On the upper side wefind the foldable crank for the recovery of the film which also acts as a release
for the opening of the back, if pulled as far as it will go. Continuing to the right
you will find the hot shoe-flash, then the charging lever in black plastic with acentral part in chromed metal, which has a completely folded rest position
against the upper shell and a pre-stroke of about 30° . In the forward position
there is the shutter button, chromed with a black plastic frame that surrounds it;the thread for the use of the flexible release (Cable Release II) is placed inside.
At the far right, contiguous to the loading lever, is the window of the frame
counter, additive, with automatic reset when the back is opened. The camera
indication: HI-MATIC G2 is silk-screened in white in the forward position in frontof the flash shoe. The upper cap has a black plastic eyepiece window in its rear
part. The rear side of the camera is entirely occupied by the back covered inblack faux leather where, in a special space, the serial number is engraved. At
the front, the top cap contains the viewfinder window, on the left; in theimmediate vicinity there is the frosted window which serves to illuminate the partof the bright frame, visible in the viewfinder, where the apertures set
automatically by the camera appear. Continuing further to the right we find thewhite writing "Minolta" with the rising sun in the "O". The light frame appears in
the viewfinder with parallax indications in close-up shots, along the right side
the aperture scale (22 - 16 - 11 - 8 - 5.6 - 4 - 2.8) and a lower red area
indicating underexposure; in this field the galvanometer needle is visible.
The camera does not have a rangefinder so the focus can only be set by
estimation. In the front is the lens mount, oversized enough to contain thesensitivity scale (25..32..40..50..64..80..100..125..160..200 .. 320..400) visible in
the lower window, where the values are shown in white on a black background.
Around the objective lens is the black striped plastic ring which serves, byrotating it, to set the correct sensitivity. The CdS cell is placed in the circular
window above the objective lens. Around, on a black field, are engraved inwhite “Rokkor 1: 2.8 f = 38mm” and “Minolta Lens” and “ASA - ISO”, near thesensitivity window. The ring nut is threaded for the use of 46mm Minolta filtersin diameter. On the crown, a white line is the reference for the 4 focus symbols(portrait, half-length, person, mountains) and the "Auto" position referring to theexposure, where "Auto" and the "person" symbol are red. The minimum
shooting distance is 0.9mt. (3 feet); the "person" distance is 3mt. (10 feet) andis suitable for always having everything in focus from the minimum distance up
to 10 meters, taking advantage of the hyperfocal of the lens. In the part of thering where the focus symbols are shown there are also the scales in feet (3 - 4 5 - 7 - 15 - ∞) and in meters (0.9 - 1 - 1.2 - 1.5 - 2 - 3 - 5 - ∞). The remaining
part of the focus ring is worked with a pyramidal structure reminiscent of therubberized cover of Rokkor lenses. The black ring with the "Auto" position has
on the left the Guide Numbers scale (10-40 for meters and 32-130 for feet) for
using the flash. Two chromed rings placed along the front edges are theshoulder strap attachment system. On the underside we find the circular battery
compartment cover (1 PX 675 1.35v), the threaded for use with the stand andthe clutch release button for recovering the film, located in a depressed position.
Weight 285g. battery excluded. Length 111.5mm. Height 72.5mm. Depth
53.5mm.