I just picked one of these up because of your video. It’s my first rangefinder and I’m looking forward to shooting with it. Thanks for making these videos!
Hi Pete. Try to make sure everything works before you put any film through it. If you can, download a user guide from the internet. They're great cameras, good luck with it. Cheers, Howard
Beautiful camera, thanks for the video! I have a hi-matic f and I love it but I'm looking to get one of these or the 7s for the manual controls and faster lens.
Hi Arman. Thanks for the comment. You really can't go wrong with either the 7s or 9. Just make sure you get one that's working properly. I don't have an F but have heard nice things about them. I hope you enjoy your new 7s or 9. I'm sure you will. 😄
I own 2 of these. I paid $63 and $37 US dollars on eBay. Both had the shutter and aperture blades jammed. I sent one for service and works fine but I’m still getting use to it.
Hi Reykphoto. I had to do a few hours work on mine to unstick the shutter etc. But after that I it's worked perfectly for the years since. I have a lot of cameras but this one is a definite favourite. 👌
@@treverjbennett Hi Trever. If everything is working properly I'm sure you will be very pleased with your "new" camera. I am always impressed with the results from mine. Enjoy. 📸
Yes, it is a great hobby. Sounds like you've got a case of GAS, "Gear Acquisition Syndrome", but hey, there are a lot worse ailments. Get a Hi-matic 9. Cheers, Howard 📷
Thank you Mr. Powne! I already bought a "9" before I knew anything about it. I knew it was a rangie and a Rokkor f1.7 any FL would be a good lens. So I got this one for peanuts, almost as much paid for shipping as the camera itself. It was rated in poor condition and no returns from my favorite camera shop. It has a crack on the finder window, right between the two. Then it doesn't meter correctly. It does the battery test at the bottom of the battery test scale, but EV only goes from the bottom up to almost 13. Now I know it's worth paying for a flawless model and I have spares if I can't fix this one myself. Now the big question, which do you think is the best camera out of this one, the Yashi M5 and the Oly 35SP?
Hi Jon. I wouldn't bother with the M5, it's not in the same class as the other two. Out of the 9 and the SPn l probably prefer the 9, but both are great cameras. It's a very tough decision.
@@howpow Thank you once again for sharing your wisdom! I can see why you like the 9 so much, it just has that feel when you hold it. The case for it is also very nice.
Hi Mr.Powne ! I recently just hopped onto film and this one is my first. I took about 2-3 shots but without pulling the level all the way to the back - 220 degrees (I pulled it just at a 90 degree angle 😅) just wondering if the film is still captured or it remains blank ? Great video btw ☺️
Hi Valerie. You don't have to wind the film in one 220 degree movement. You just need to wind till it stops. The shutter should now be cocked. If it lets you take the shot and you hear the shutter click everything should be fine. Once you have taken the shot it will let you wind on again. Thanks for your nice comment.
Hi Belarmin. I can think of 3 reasons that the Hi-matic 9 is better. It has a far better viewfinder with automatic parallax correction, extra shutter speeds down to 1 second and better build quality. Don't get me wrong, the S2 is an excellent little camera, I just believe that the 9 is superior.
Hi Connor. These are quite a complex camera and it appears that the mechanism is probably stuck. If you can find a camera technician to do a clean and adjust and assuming nothing is broken, you will end up with a very capable film camera. It could be a quite a simple fix. Good luck. Cheers, Howard 📷
Hi, I just got one from a friend of mine, but the advance film lever is stuck, any idea how to fix it? it was working before but after it reached the end of the roll and replacing it, it wouldnt move. Thanks!
Hi Kevin. Did you perhaps strain the mechanism winding on the final frame? All I can suggest is to open the back, push in the film release button and rotate the drive mechanism. If that doesn't work and you're not good at at DIY you had better find a camera repair person. Otherwise you could remove the bottom and try to find the problem. Good luck.
Hello How Pow! I just got one of these - purchased cheaply on ebay, untested. When I turn the aperture ring, the aperture blades don't move. They remain static though I'm manually changing the aperture. Is this a problem indicating the blades are stuck thus the camera doesn't work?
Hi vapor4. You have a problem, it could mean that the blades are simply stuck or that something is broken. Either way you can't use it. If the rest of the camera is in really good condition it might be worth taking it to a camera technician to get a quote, otherwise I'm afraid you have an interesting paperweight. These shutter mechanisms are pretty complex, but if nothing is broken a technician should be able to get it to work. Cheers, Howard 📷
@@howpowHoward, you're a legend in your lifetime. Thank you! You've saved me so many hours just knowing that this is an issue and not just something I'm misunderstanding. Appreciate your dedication to photography so much! 🙏🏾 🙌🏾 You've helped me big time!
Hi Axel. The main advantages of the 9 over the 11 is the fact that it could work without a battery and it also has individual speed and aperture control rings. It's. just more versatile.
I just picked one of these up because of your video. It’s my first rangefinder and I’m looking forward to shooting with it. Thanks for making these videos!
Hi Pete. Try to make sure everything works before you put any film through it.
If you can, download a user guide from the internet.
They're great cameras, good luck with it.
Cheers, Howard
Beautiful camera, thanks for the video! I have a hi-matic f and I love it but I'm looking to get one of these or the 7s for the manual controls and faster lens.
Hi Arman. Thanks for the comment. You really can't go wrong with either the 7s or 9. Just make sure you get one that's working properly. I don't have an F but have heard nice things about them.
I hope you enjoy your new 7s or 9. I'm sure you will. 😄
Thanks, Howard. Interesting review!!
Thanks Malcolm. It's an excellent camera.
Super useful info. I just managed to score one of these on eBay.
Hi pharris. Hope you enjoy it. These are really great cameras providing everything is working as designed.
Cheers, Howard 📷
Thank you for this information 🙏
My pleasure Jeffrey. 📸
Interesting video. Helps alot
Thanks Quang. I'm glad it was useful. 😀
Hi Howard! I just bought this camera because your review convinced me to! The camera arrived today and I am so excited to shoot with it soon! :)
I also liked and subscribed! thank you for your thorough reviews, much appreciated
Hi Tiffany. On the basis that everything works as it should, I'm sure you will find it an excellent camera.
I hope you enjoy it. 😀
@@tiffanytran7844 Thanks Tiffany, much appreciated.
Great video 😄
Thanks Khanh. I'm happy that you enjoyed it.
I own 2 of these. I paid $63 and $37 US dollars on eBay. Both had the shutter and aperture blades jammed. I sent one for service and works fine but I’m still getting use to it.
Hi Reykphoto. I had to do a few hours work on mine to unstick the shutter etc. But after that I it's worked perfectly for the years since. I have a lot of cameras but this one is a definite favourite. 👌
Great video!
Thanks Trever. Much appreciated. 📷
@@howpow I found one of these on Ebay for $50, just had to clean the shutter blades up and it runs great
@@treverjbennett Hi Trever. If everything is working properly I'm sure you will be very pleased with your "new" camera. I am always impressed with the results from mine. Enjoy. 📸
Man, I just got a Hi Matic E and an XG-SE, but after watching this video I want this one as well! geeeeeeeeeeeeeez, great hobby, eh?
Yes, it is a great hobby. Sounds like you've got a case of GAS, "Gear Acquisition Syndrome", but hey, there are a lot worse ailments.
Get a Hi-matic 9.
Cheers, Howard 📷
Thank you Mr. Powne! I already bought a "9" before I knew anything about it. I knew it was a rangie and a Rokkor f1.7 any FL would be a good lens. So I got this one for peanuts, almost as much paid for shipping as the camera itself. It was rated in poor condition and no returns from my favorite camera shop. It has a crack on the finder window, right between the two. Then it doesn't meter correctly. It does the battery test at the bottom of the battery test scale, but EV only goes from the bottom up to almost 13. Now I know it's worth paying for a flawless model and I have spares if I can't fix this one myself.
Now the big question, which do you think is the best camera out of this one, the Yashi M5 and the Oly 35SP?
Hi Jon. I wouldn't bother with the M5, it's not in the same class as the other two.
Out of the 9 and the SPn l probably prefer the 9, but both are great cameras. It's a very tough decision.
@@howpow Thank you once again for sharing your wisdom! I can see why you like the 9 so much, it just has that feel when you hold it. The case for it is also very nice.
I missed the fact that you were including the Hi-matic. I would put it equal to the Oly.
Hi Mr.Powne ! I recently just hopped onto film and this one is my first. I took about 2-3 shots but without pulling the level all the way to the back - 220 degrees (I pulled it just at a 90 degree angle 😅) just wondering if the film is still captured or it remains blank ?
Great video btw ☺️
Hi Valerie. You don't have to wind the film in one 220 degree movement. You just need to wind till it stops. The shutter should now be cocked.
If it lets you take the shot and you hear the shutter click everything should be fine. Once you have taken the shot it will let you wind on again.
Thanks for your nice comment.
How is this superior to the smaller 7SII? Build quality? Lens?
Hi Belarmin. I can think of 3 reasons that the Hi-matic 9 is better.
It has a far better viewfinder with automatic parallax correction, extra shutter speeds down to 1 second and better build quality. Don't get me wrong, the S2 is an excellent little camera, I just believe that the 9 is superior.
Hi Howard, I got one of these in what appears to be in mint condition, but I cannot get the aperture rings to open, any suggestions?
Hi Connor. These are quite a complex camera and it appears that the mechanism is probably stuck.
If you can find a camera technician to do a clean and adjust and assuming nothing is broken, you will end up with a very capable film camera.
It could be a quite a simple fix.
Good luck.
Cheers, Howard 📷
Hi, I just got one from a friend of mine, but the advance film lever is stuck, any idea how to fix it? it was working before but after it reached the end of the roll and replacing it, it wouldnt move. Thanks!
Hi Kevin. Did you perhaps strain the mechanism winding on the final frame?
All I can suggest is to open the back, push in the film release button and rotate the drive mechanism. If that doesn't work and you're not good at at DIY you had better find a camera repair person. Otherwise you could remove the bottom and try to find the problem. Good luck.
Hello How Pow! I just got one of these - purchased cheaply on ebay, untested. When I turn the aperture ring, the aperture blades don't move. They remain static though I'm manually changing the aperture. Is this a problem indicating the blades are stuck thus the camera doesn't work?
Hi vapor4. You have a problem, it could mean that the blades are simply stuck or that something is broken. Either way you can't use it.
If the rest of the camera is in really good condition it might be worth taking it to a camera technician to get a quote, otherwise I'm afraid you have an interesting paperweight.
These shutter mechanisms are pretty complex, but if nothing is broken a technician should be able to get it to work.
Cheers, Howard 📷
@@howpowHoward, you're a legend in your lifetime. Thank you!
You've saved me so many hours just knowing that this is an issue and not just something I'm misunderstanding.
Appreciate your dedication to photography so much! 🙏🏾 🙌🏾 You've helped me big time!
@@vapor4 Hello again, thanks for the glowing praise, I think you overdid it a bit, but I'll take it.
I'm happy to help.
Thanks again, Howard. 📷
@@howpow Hehe, you have helped more than you know! You're very funny, too :)
Do you need a battery for the automatic mode?
Hi Mason. The only way you can use this camera without a battery is in fully manual mode.
Cheers, Howard 📷
and Hi Matic 11 Super Circuit 3?
Hi Axel. The main advantages of the 9 over the 11 is the fact that it could work without a battery and it also has individual speed and aperture control rings. It's. just more versatile.
It has that same cookie-cutter Metal-shop Minolta look ...
Hi Harry. The Camera certainly could not be called curvaceous.
Great cameras though. 😀