General
The Minolta Hi-Matic series of fixed lens rangefinders are generally well regarded for their sharp standard lenses with fast maximum apertures (f/1.7 on this and others like the 7s and 7s ii). The 9 was introduced in 1966 and seems very advanced for the time with its automatic exposure mode - it may be one of the first cameras to introduce what we now call "Program" mode where both aperture and shutter are automatically controlled, although Minolta does not use this term to describe it. More interesting is the "Easy Flash" automatic exposure modes, which uses the built in meter and the rangefinder to determine the correct aperture based on the guide number of your flash and the distance at which the lens is focused. Unfortunately, all of the automatic exposure features require an obsolete mercury battery or finicky zinc air replacement.
I mostly shoot SLRs in 35mm because I very much like the WYSIWYG approach to framing and focusing, but I was looking for a rangefinder to screw around with and found this to be a cheaper alternative to the Canonet QL-17 that ticked all the right boxes for me: fast standard lens, built in meter, automatic exposure option, leaf shutter, and works without a battery installed. I paid $30 for mine on eBay and it arrived in perfect working order.
The Good
This camera is responsible for teaching me to be comfortable using the Sunny 16 rule and shooting without a meter, and it's mostly because of my own impatience. Although I had planned on taking advantage of the camera's fully automatic exposure, it arrived before the Wein zinc air replacement cell I had ordered for it and I was eager to test it out. With the "Sunny 16 rule" wikipedia article loaded up on my smartphone I loaded a roll of Kentmere 100 into the Hi-Matic 9 and set out.
A note on film loading: the back does not open by pulling out the rewind crank. On the side of the camera is a spring loaded tab that must be pulled upwards to release the back.
Because the leaf shutter in the Hi-Matic 9 is completely mechanical, it does not require a battery to function. It provides 1/500 to 1/4 second speeds, plus bulb, using only the spring force stored when you wind the film. The aperture and shutter speed are selected with rings around the lens barrel, and a cutout in the shutter speed ring reveals an EV (exposure value) number printed on the aperture ring beneath it. Correct exposure is simply a matter of turning one of the rings until the desired exposure value is revealed (which depends on your film speed - with 100 ISO film, EV 15 is correct for direct sunlight). The aperture and shutter rings can then be rotated together to achieve different combinations at the same EV - 1/125 at f/16 and 1/250 at f/11, for example.
The 45mm f/1.7 lens itself is extremely sharp. It compares quite favorably with the 50mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.4 lenses that I most often use with my OM10 and AT-1, respectively. The leaf shutter is quiet compared to those SLRs' focal plane shutters, and can sync with a flash at any speed. Although I have only used the automatic exposure briefly to test that it works, it is reliable and fairly easy to use. The film speed is set with a lever underneath the lens barrel which moves an aperture in front of the light sensor, adjusting the amount of light that reaches it. The sensor itself is above the lens's front element and behind the filter ring, so the camera will automatically compensate for the use of a filter.
The rangefinder patch is fairly large and accurate on my example, but age has taken a toll on its brightness. I believe that the yellow tint to it is from the factory, but it would still benefit from cleaning. Focusing with the rangefinder in good light is not an issue, but it can be frustrating in dimmer conditions. Focusing the lens also moves the framelines in the viewfinder to compensate for parallax.
The Bad
The discontinuation of the mercury batteries this camera was designed for make the automatic exposure features of this camera a bit more of an endeavor to use. Zinc air replacement cells, either specially made Wein cells or hearing aid batteries adapted to fit, provide the correct voltage but need a supply of outside air to function and do not last long. A silver oxide battery might be a better choice - although it will require compensation with the film speed selector for its higher voltage, the voltage remains constant like a mercury battery's and does not taper off like an alkaline. Also, operating the film speed lever is not an easy task.
Although the shutter is quiet and syncs flash at any speed, you might find the speeds it offers limiting, especially on the longer exposure end where 1/4 second is the most you get. The bulb option only partially makes up for this, though using the mechanical self timer removes that option.
Unlike the newer SLRs I am used to, the Hi-Matic 9's take-up spool winds the film with the emulsion facing in, and seems to be directly coupled to the advance lever. Because of this, the advance lever requires a 220 degree stroke to wind to the next frame. This really limits how quickly you can shoot. Winding the film emulsion-in does has not yet resulted in any apparent problems with my negatives, though.
The Ugly
The main drawback to the winding system on the Hi-Matic 9 and the direct link between the advance lever and the take-up spool is that unlike my SLRs which prevent you from winding further when the resistance of the end of a roll is felt is that the Minolta will not stop you in any way from tearing the film. All of the torque from your thumb is transferred directly to the spool and the film and I've ripped two rolls through carelessness this way. Pay close attention to the frame counter, and once it says 24 or 36 be very gentle when winding and stop immediately when you feel any change in resistance.
Specs
Fixed Lens Rangefinder
45mm f/1.7 Rokkor Lens - f/1.7 to f/16
Mechanical Leaf Shutter 1/500 to 1/4 second + bulb
Fully Manual Exposure w/out battery
Automatic Exposure w/ battery - Program + Easy Flash
PX625 mercury battery
CdS light meter behind filter ring - 5.5 to 17EV at 100 ISO
Sample Images
Kentmere 100
Kentmere 400
Kentmere 400 @ 1600 w/ Flash
Fujicolor Superia 400
Fujicolor Superia 1600
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