Minolta Hi-Matic G Rangefinder

This is an old rangefinder camera, similar to the Olympus 35RC.
 
The Minolta Hi-Matic G is very similar to the Olympus, but is much simpler and has less manual controls.
 

For starters, its focus mechanism is not coupled to the viewfinder. This means you cannot view and fine tune the focus, which sounds disappointing at first. But actually, this is intended to be a point and shoot camera, so that is perfectly acceptable. Even though there is a proper focus ring with a distance scale, the default mode of operation is much simpler. There are simply four icons on the top of the focus ring.

You simply set focus “approximately” using one of the four icons, or something in between. In practice, it works well unless you forget it at the opposite end of the scale. You can also view the distance scale, but this is at the left bottom of the focus ring, so is a bit inconvenient to use.
 
It is not possible to set the exposure manually. Both the aperture and the shutter speed will be set automatically when the shutter is pressed. A needle on the right of the viewfinder shows the current settings.
 
While this occasionally limits your control on the shutter speed or aperture, it is perfectly acceptable and actually preferable for a point and shoot camera.
 
It also has no timer, which means it is not as easy to be in the picture yourself.
 
This all sounds a lot more simpler and much more idiot-proof than the Olympus. As a camera, the Minolta is probably not as good, but I like it a lot more. Let me explain:
 
A camera like this will probably not be your one and only camera. It simply has too many compromises in this day and age. Don’t take it out at night, struggle with a clumsy flash and be frustrated. Don’t take it out if you need to photograph action, the focus is neither automatic nor precise. Take it out during the day when you are feeling adventureous, when you feel like a change, when you just want to go for a walk. Crank the film wind lever back, twist the focus ring to one of the icons, look through the viewfinder, compose and shoot.
 
They look and work similarly, but their expectations of the photographer behind them are very different.
 
The Olympus with its manual shutter speed and aperture controls, focus coupled rangefinder and adjustable delay timer is a brilliant photographic tool. Even more so considering how old it is. You can exploit it to its fullest if you are skilled, and at the same time it tries to enough automatic functions to make it easy to shoot. But even though it has automatic exposure, you still have to guesstimate and set a suitable shutter speed. Even though setting the focus distance is easy, you still have to pause and think about how many meters away that tree is. In other words, it tries to bridge the gap between the beginner and the experienced photographer, but using it like a beginner still requires some skill and effort.
 
The Minolta has no manual exposure, no way to check the focus and no delay timer. It is an altogether simpler tool. On the other hand, you only ever have to worry about the four icons on the top of the focus ring and you can make some really good photos. It does not demand that you make a mental calculation to set the focus, simply look at the icons on top of the focus ring. Big difference? Maybe not, but certainly easier to use. Same with the exposure, you simply press the shutter and it does what it does, no shutter speed to guess, no nothing. You can check out the exposure needle on the right of the viewfinder or you can ignore it altogether, it still works.
 
I respect the Olympus enormously. I think it is amazing that they were able to build a serious little camera and pack it all into that cute, compact, indestructable case. Although it is fun to use, it demands some skill and patience from the user.
 
The Minolta Hi-Matic G on the other hand, is much much more fun. By keeping things simple, they have built a little camera that you can still enjoy some 40 years later.

Read about the Olympus 35 RC.