Minolta Highmatic 11, Super 3 Circuit.

phnompenhphotography · Mar 29, 2021

Hi, I just bought this for ten bucks in a second hand store. I know the old mercury batteries are no more but I got hold of a wein 1.35 volt, MRB625, which does nothing. I guess the meter is shot do you think, if so, could I shoot it manually in any way? It has no aperture ring as its kind of shutter priority I believe. It seems to shoot wide open, maybe I could meter for shutter speed using a handheld meter set at 1.7? Anyone tried this or know about it?

Paul Howell · Mar 31, 2021

625 Zinc Air hearing aid batteries work, I use them in many point and shoots, at times a 625 will fit other times I use an small O ring to take up empty space. Zinc Air battery will last a few weeks, by taping over one of the air holes you can extend the battery life.

phnompenhphotography · Mar 31, 2021

Paul Howell said:
625 Zinc Air hearing aid batteries work, I use them in many point and shoots, at times a 625 will fit other times I use an small O ring to take up empty space. Zinc Air battery will last a few weeks, by taping over one of the air holes you can extend the battery life.

Thank you. I have now actually tried with exactly one of those and the meter needle does not move, so I guess either the battery is a dud, or the meter is shot. So, I have put a roll of film through shooting wide open, we'll see. At worst maybe this can be for me to shoot tiny little glass plates in?

BobD · Mar 31, 2021

There are lots of similar, inexpensive rangefinder cameras by a number of manufacturers that do have manual exposore controls.

phnompenhphotography · Apr 1, 2021

BobD said:
There are lots of similar, inexpensive rangefinder cameras by a number of manufacturers that do have manual exposore controls.

Yes, I am always on the look out for such things but they come up so seldom here.

Paul Howell · Apr 1, 2021

Not sure what the market is like where you are, but I would look for a first generation auto focus point and shoot. Although exposure is all auto, as the ISO (ASA) of the film is manually set you can cheat by adjusting the ISO up or down depending on the situation, most ran on AA batteries, Canon Autoboy has a 40mm 1.7 lens, most have 35mm 2.8, a few as wide a 28mm. The light sensor is inside the lens screws so when using filters the meter will automatically compensate. Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, Chinon, Cosina, Vivitar all made similar cameras.

phnompenhphotography · Apr 13, 2021

Thanks, I will keep an eye out for these, the market here is dire though, and very much based on containers of mixed stuff coming from Japan.This means that anything which you do find usually has been treated badly, and fungus is very common too. Although it is becoming easier to use ebay, so maybe soon.

Paul Howell said:
Not sure what the market is like where you are, but I would look for a first generation auto focus point and shoot. Although exposure is all auto, as the ISO (ASA) of the film is manually set you can cheat by adjusting the ISO up or down depending on the situation, most ran on AA batteries, Canon Autoboy has a 40mm 1.7 lens, most have 35mm 2.8, a few as wide a 28mm. The light sensor is inside the lens screws so when using filters the meter will automatically compensate. Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, Chinon, Cosina, Vivitar all made similar cameras.

mklw1954 · Apr 22, 2021

If the meter is no good on a fully automatic camera, the camera is useless. Is there any corrosion indicated in the battery chamber? Sometimes if there has been a leaking battery, it will corrode the fine wires to the meter. If that's the case, maybe you could find someone a repair person to replace the wires. The Hi-matic 7S is a similar camera that can be used manually.

phnompenhphotography · Apr 27, 2021

mklw1954 said:
If the meter is no good on a fully automatic camera, the camera is useless. Is there any corrosion indicated in the battery chamber? Sometimes if there has been a leaking battery, it will corrode the fine wires to the meter. If that's the case, maybe you could find someone a repair person to replace the wires. The Hi-matic 7S is a similar camera that can be used manually.

There is no corrosion, but for whatever reason the light meter is not working it seems, that's ok. I have put a roll of Tri x through it using an external meter and shooting everything wide open, just adjusting the shutter speed, will see soon if it works. If not that's fine, It was worth the gamble for 10 dollars. I will find a way to use it, I may try to shoot directly onto paper, and making paper negs or doing reversal prints.

Helge · Apr 27, 2021

It’s a superb camera. Possibly the best of the line. When the battery works that is.
You can shoot it in shutter priority mode WO battery. The lens will just not stop down. Which is of course limiting.

There is a number of things to check before opening it.
Are you sure the battery is the right way in? Sounds silly but happens often.
You need to be absolutely sure the battery is making proper contact.
Often there can be an invisible film on the contacts.
Use a small amount of vinegar on a cotton swab, scratch the terminals up with a toothpick (never metal) and finish off with contact spray.
Massage the speed ring back and forth a dozen times.
Put a small amount of contact spray around the well of the shutter button, and use it just afterwards.

phnompenhphotography · Apr 27, 2021

OK, I will try all of that tomorrow and see what happens, thanks.

Minolta Highmatic 11, Super 3 Circuit.

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