Lomopedia: Minolta Hi-Matic AF2

In this world full of plastic point-and-shoot cameras, you may just very well be easy to dismiss finds like the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2. After all, there are so many good options out there that are worthy of your time and hard-earned money. But before you quickly skip this camera totally, it might just be worth your while to read what this camera is all about.

The Hi-Matic AF2 is part of Minolta’s line of 35 mm film cameras is one of the first cameras to have an autofocus feature. It was introduced to the market in 1981 and was manufactured up until 1984. Much like other point-and-shoot cameras of the time, the Hi-Matic AF2 sported a black plastic body with a pop-up flash — a design trend that camera manufacturers of the time usually went for.

Pretty basic, right? The answer is definitely yes. But that’s where the Hi-Matic AF2 is good at — it’s a good camera for all-around shooting conditions. It didn’t have all the advanced features of from that time but it was able to do its job well. This camera has a good 38 mm f/2.8 4 elements in 3 groups lens that makes quick work out of snapshots. The autofocus feature is also reliable thanks to its infrared technology.

Battery life is good due to its manual film advance lever (most point-and-shoots of the 80s used a motorized film advance that usually ate up a significant amount of battery life). In terms of power source, it’s really easy to find a replacement for the common AA cells needed to juice up the AF2 and its pop-up flash. Easy, simple, convenient — that’s the Hi-Matic AF2.

Basic but not forgettable. The Hi-Matic AF2 also brought some interesting quirks into the table. First off, its size is compact enough to be categorized as an easy choice for daily carry although it’s on the bigger side so it’s still not fully considered as a “compact camera.” It also had this unique warning system that lets users know if they’re too close to the subject or if the photograph needed a pop of flash. The camera will let off two distinct beeping sounds — one that uses three beeps in succession (subject too close) or a long beep (subject too dark). Minolta also made sure that the user was aware of this as they added a sticker on the camera back as a quick reminder.

There you have it, the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 is a general purpose camera that you might want to check out. It won’t win awards anytime soon but it will be a great companion to you on photowalks and leisurely trips.

Photos Taken by the Community with the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2:

Minolta Hi-Matic Technical Specifications:

All information used in this article was sourced from 35mmc, Return to Film, 120 Studio, and Butkus Camera Manuals.

written by cheeo on 2018-08-07 #gear #lomopedia #minolta #gear #point-and-shoot #autofocus #35-mm #lomopedia #hi-matic-af2