Minolta Hi-Matic S2

Minolta Hi-Matic S2 – The One I’ll Never Part With

By Mike Meadows

Grandma was an artist, a painter. Her specialty was dramatic landscapes á la Bob Ross—you remember Bob Ross, the gentle spirit that graced public television while painting “happy little trees” into beautiful oil paintings of mountains and barns and streams. The smell that I always associated with Grandma’s little house wasn’t one of freshly baked cookies or flowers from a garden. It was a distinct mixture of paint and linseed oil. And you could throw in some cigarette smoke if my aunts and uncles were visiting. Combine that olfactory blend with the gentle song of Mourning Doves, and you get a glimpse of the idyllic memory I have of Grandma’s house. Funny how one’s senses can erase nearly 50 years so it seems like yesterday that I sat on the cool, concrete steps of her porch.

Grandma came to live with us when I was about ten years old, and it was then that I realized how much we were kindred spirits. But while she tried to pass on her techniques of wielding a paintbrush, I was better with a sketchpad. The agonizingly long wait to apply that next layer of paint was… well… as exciting as watching paint dry. What fourth grader has the patience for that? Perhaps that’s why I found photography more to my liking. I could create an image in a relatively short amount of time and then move on to the next idea to capture on film.

Beyond that I really don’t know why I was so drawn to photography, but after clicking away with the family’s Instamatic on vacations, I wanted a “real” camera. Real, to me, meant 35mm. In middle school, I couldn’t afford an SLR, and the internet with its plethora of used camera sites and ebay was still a couple of decades away, so I started shopping for a 35mm fixed-lens camera from a local department store. Grandma offered to contribute funds to help with my purchase. After much deliberation, I decided on a Minolta Hi-Matic S2 I found in the Sears catalog. Those of you familiar with Minolta’s Hi-Matic cameras know this was the era when the highly esteemed metal rangefinders were evolving into a more plastic fantastic point-and-shoot variety. I didn’t mind. Heck, I didn’t even know about the previous Hi-Matics at that time. I just knew this was a brand new 35mm camera and its all-black exterior with the purple coated lens looked really cool to me, and to make it extra special, it was something that Grandma was helping me acquire.

I’ve had the Minolta Hi-Matic S2 for over 45 years now. While it was eventually replaced by a series of SLRs as my main go-to camera, the little Minolta was and is still one that I’ll never part with. I waited a little longer to get my first SLR because I wasn’t about to trade it in or sell it. It was too special to me.

By many accounts, it probably seems like a pretty average camera. The specs are similar to a good number of other models of that era: 38mm/f2.8 lens, built in flash, lightweight form. In fact, it was trumped by one of its own siblings, the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 which added auto-focus to the mix. A camera that would focus itself was all the rage in those days, so the lack of auto-focus in the S2 likely made it less appealing to the average consumer. Focus is achieved via zone focusing or simply estimating the distance based on the easy-to-read distance scale on the lens. When you turn on the flash, the distance scale is backlit by a soothing blue-green light so you can even focus in the dark. I got pretty good at judging the distance to my subject, and with a little practice I found it wasn’t a hindrance at all. I also liked the fact that it didn’t have an automatic winding motor as those typically sounded like rocks in a blender. Plus, winding manually gave me more of a hands-on feel, and that was important to me. At that time in my photographic journey, it’s just what I needed.

It would be a couple of years before I moved on to a Minolta SLR, but that one little S2 birthed an affinity for the mind of Minolta that exists to this day (never mind the fairly lengthy detour I took with Canon’s EOS system along the way). When it comes to vintage manual-focus machines, I still favor Minolta.

These days you can find a Minolta Hi-Matic S2 online for well under $100 or in the bargain bin of a local shop for maybe $10 if you’re lucky. It’s not glamorous, but it’s finished nicely and mine works as smoothly as the day I got it. With a glass Minolta lens, an auto-exposure system that has proven to be quite accurate and reliable, an on-board flash that only fires when you ask it to, and quiet, smooth operation, what more could you want in a little point-and-shoot (more accurately a set focus, point, shoot, and wind film) camera?

Is the nostalgia of my first 35mm camera and the love and memories of Grandma clouding my judgment when it comes to my fondness for this little gem? Probably, but that’s ok, isn’t it? This camera still turns out very pleasing images over 45 years later. Photography encompasses so much more than the resulting images we take. It’s about capturing images on film or a digital sensor and creating memories in our hearts and minds in the process. Some will say that cameras are only tools, but for me they are also doorways to the past and windows to the future. When I use my older cameras, I remember bits of the past when I shot with that same model, and I look at how I might be able to create memories with it in the days to come.

Is the whole resurgence of shooting film an exercise in nostalgia? Maybe for some, but there are plenty of younger people new to the craft that are embracing the medium as well. I immerse myself in it for a variety of reasons, and if part of it is nostalgia, then so be it. I don’t care. I’ll admit that some of it is just handling the cameras and admiring the little marvels for what they are even when they sit unloaded. There are so many reasons, and I don’t know that I can count myself a member of any particular camp of fellow travelers. I just know that I enjoy it the way I enjoy it.

I recently started another roll through the old S2 when I took a short trip to Chicago. Having a few frames left upon my return, I scouted my local downtown where we have a couple of old, historic theaters from the age of the silver screen. They seemed to be a good subject match for this shoot. I used Cinestill 400D, not knowing if I wanted color or B&W, figuring that I could always play with that in post, and my local lab only does C-41 development, so it was kind of a no-brainer. Yeah, I know I could do my own development, and I did some of that years ago, but that’s one camp I haven’t committed to just yet. I also kind of like having the color channels to “filter” the results when turning them to B&W. I was fairly pleased with the results and had a few keepers from that roll. At least I know Grandma would like them.

Historic Water Tower, Chicago, IL
Historic Water Tower, Chicago, IL
Wall of coffee labels at Starbucks, Chicago, IL
Wall of coffee labels at Starbucks, Chicago, IL
Downtown Chicago, IL
Downtown Chicago, IL
Chicago, IL Skyscraper
Chicago, IL Skyscraper
Paramount Theatre, Anderson, IN
Paramount Theatre, Anderson, IN
Paramount Theatre, Anderson, IN
Paramount Theatre, Anderson, IN
Paramount Theatre, Anderson, IN
Paramount Theatre, Anderson, IN

Thanks for reading. You can see more of my images at
mikemphoto.smugmug.com

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About The Author

By Mike Meadows
I first became interested in photography as a middle schooler and would devour any photo magazine I could get my hands on. I've always been multi-vocational, and though I spent the last 30 years shooting hundreds of weddings and portraits, I'm now concentrating more on the performing arts as both a pianist/organist and photographer along with my day job as a marketing designer. I'm also taking more time to revisit my love for film and vintage cameras and the joy of photography as a hobby once again. I love Minolta film cameras and my Mamiya C220 and also shoot digitally with Lumix M43 cameras.
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Comments

Jeff T. on Minolta Hi-Matic S2 – The One I’ll Never Part With

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

Very pleasant reminiscences. I guess a lot of us have had similar experiences. In my case it was a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye that my folks gifted me with as a child, then later as a young teenager a Balda Jubilette which had manual controls for everything. My memories of these are bound up with my life with my family, making them special. Thank you for sharing yours.
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Mike Meadows replied:

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

Would love to hear more about how these cameras influenced your journey. Just another aspect of photography that contributes to our lives.

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Bill Brown on Minolta Hi-Matic S2 – The One I’ll Never Part With

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

So much of what you describe is what I call the FORCE of a photo or photography. Singular life moments pass so quickly I don't see anything wrong with trying to hold on to them a little longer. I still have all but one of my cameras that I used over the years. Each one has it's own set of memories attached. I remember when my older brother let me borrow his Voigtlander and hand held light meter. It was a rite of passage for me. When I got my slides back from the lab and they looked so good I knew this photography thing was for me. Here's a toast to all the Bob Ross's of the world that inspired us to look for that happy tree or cascading water and in the process find our voice in this world. Thanks for sharing this story.
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Mike Meadows replied:

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

Very well said. You obviously understand how I feel about the gear, the process, and the way it integrates into our lives in meaningful ways. Thanks for sharing and yes, hail the Bob Ross's of the world!

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Jukka Reimola on Minolta Hi-Matic S2 – The One I’ll Never Part With

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

My very first camera was a Minolta rangefinder. I think it was Minolta 7, or something. I cut my photographic teeth with that camera. The 40mm lens was laser sharp. I part traded the Minolta for a Olympus OM40, which was bit of a disappointment. The next camera was an OM2n, the one I still have and shot with today. I kinda miss that Minolta, humble little thing as it was, the photos were great.
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Mike Meadows replied:

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

Yeah, Minolta made such quality cameras that just seem to resonate with me, too. Each has its own personality. Maybe one of these days you can get your hands on another Minolta rangefinder. I'm sure the OM2n has probably become like a good friend by now!

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Gary Smith on Minolta Hi-Matic S2 – The One I’ll Never Part With

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

> Is the nostalgia of my first 35mm camera and the love and memories of Grandma clouding my judgment...

Hold on to your fond memories! In the end the camera is just stuff but your memories are so much more.
Great article and nice set of images.
Thanks for sharing!
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Mike Meadows replied:

Comment posted: 13/10/2024

Thanks so much, Gary! Yes, the memories are the most priceless aspect.

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Graham Line on Minolta Hi-Matic S2 – The One I’ll Never Part With

Comment posted: 14/10/2024

Minolta didn't always seem to get the respect it deserved for sharp lenses and well-made cameras. My start came a decade earlier than yours, but also with a rangefinder. They seem to place few obstacles between me and the picture. Thanks for the essay and the photos of the Anderson Paramount.
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Mike Meadows replied:

Comment posted: 14/10/2024

And Minolta still seems to be the unsung hero, or at least in my estimation. They're my favorites. And I just learned yesterday that they're going to add new dressing rooms and green room to the Anderson Paramount -- continually improving the gem of our downtown area!

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Rob Stammers on Minolta Hi-Matic S2 – The One I’ll Never Part With

Comment posted: 25/10/2024

I really enjoyed reading this piece. My journey was more or less the same. I sarted with a really simple Zenith around 1974, which I should never have parted with, prime Helios lenses are so expensive these days, hind sight eh!
Reading your piece really took me back to my early days and ive been on the film journey ever since, I currently use a Canon eos 50e which I love, yeh the one with eye focusing, which works really well. All the emotive things you said about 35mm film photography and the camera apply to me too, but you descibe it better. Ive read your letter 3 times now, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Many thanks
Regards Rob (uk)
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Mike Meadows replied:

Comment posted: 25/10/2024

Thanks, Rob! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Putting it down in words helped me to relive some really precious memories. I'm glad you have similar kinds of experiences with 35mm. Certainly enriches our lives.

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