This amazing 60-year-old vintage camera is resurrected - 1963 minolta hi-matic 7 restoration.

Minolta hi-matic 7 is a 35mm rangefinder film camera that is the ancestor of the famous hi-matic 7s. 7 was introduced in 1963 and 7s in 1966. Minolta Hi-Matic 7 camera comes with the CdS cell for accurate light metering and auto exposure mode. It used Seikosha LA with the shutter speed range from 1/4 to 1/500s. The lens is a 45 mm f1.8 lens with an aperture range down to f22, and film speed is supported up to ISO 800.

At first, I couldn't even press the shutter because the shutter rod and gear slot were out of alignment. It had a broken hairspring at the shutter speed escapement which caused the shutter not to be able to operate as it should be. The lens cleaning work takes a lot of effort due to too much dirt and coating damage and stains. But after repairing the lenses, they are still very good. The metering is still working. I only had to adjust the meter for using with the 1.5v battery because 1.35v cell are difficult to find. Now everything is working fine.

I tried my best to restore this camera and hope you enjoy the video.

Chapters
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0:00 Intro
1:24 Disassembly
4:00 Checking the shutter
7:28 Shutter unit cleaning and repair.
15:45 Focusing Helicoid Unit.
19:47 Viewfinder
21:20 Lens cleaning and repair.
25:19 Working on body parts
28:21 Shutter speed test
28:54 CdS cell unit
35:55 Light Meter adjustment
36:51 Infinity focus adjustment
37:45 Picture plane and viewfinder focus
38:45 Light seals
39:58 Leatherette
41:26 Reinstalling the rest of the parts
43:27 Final touch-up and outro
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Amazing background music by Kevin Macleod - Incompetech
-Ebbs and Flows
-Blue Feathers

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#filmphotography #minolta #vintagecamera #rangefinder #restoration #camerarepair #hi-matic7 #35mmfilm #analog
#analogphotography #oldrestoration