Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 35 mm Film Camera Review with Example Photos in Nazaré, Portugal | The Perfect Point-and-Shoot Camera for Traveling

July 18, 2024

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

Before my trip to Portugal, I pulled together all of the cameras in my house (I think I’m getting close to 100 cameras in my collection now!) and dug through them to find a camera I hadn’t used yet. I always like to take at least one camera on my trips that is a bit of a mystery, just to challenge myself and to get inspired. It’s so exciting to send my film off for processing when I get home, but its especially exciting when it’s a camera I’ve never used before. As I was digging through my boxes of cameras, I came across the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 and noticed that it had a 2.8 lens on it. I was immediately interested. Any lens with an aperture of 2.8 or wider is a camera I’m interested in.

However, right away I noticed that it wasn’t working. I opened the battery compartment only to find some serious corrosion. I spent the day with a pile of q-tips and rubbing alcohol, scraping off as much corrosion as possible. Eventually, I began to hear the camera make high-pitched sounds when I put some fresh batteries in and I knew I was getting somewhere. The shutter still wasn’t working but for some reason, whenever I flipped the camera upside down, the shutter would go off. I still don’t know why that worked, but the more I clicked the shutter release button, the more it started firing. Finally, I felt convinced that it was working enough to trust it with a roll of film.

I was still super nervous the whole time I was shooting with it in Portugal because I didn’t have time to run through a test roll before my trip. But the shutter seemed quick enough to know that I was at least getting something. I was pleasantly surprised when I got my film back from the lab in the mail. My photos had turned out! I still have some learning to do with this camera, and unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get the flash to work still. I think it might be a bit of a lost cause. But I’m just thrilled that my photos turned out at all! And I truly enjoyed using it throughout the trip. I wanted to share a few of the reasons why I love this camera so far and then share all of my favorite photos from Portugal! I also just posted a video about the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 on my YouTube channel so make sure to check it out and subscribe to see more of our Portugal adventures!

5 REASONS WHY THE MINOLTA HI-MATIC AF2 IS A PERFECT TRAVEL CAMERA

It’s a Point-and-Shoot Camera
You can’t really get more convenient than a point-and-shoot camera for traveling. They are quick and easy with little to no learning curve. Anyone can use this camera. If you’re a beginner film photographer, this camera is absolutely perfect for you.
It has a 38mm Lens
In my opinion, a lens that’s anywhere from 24-40mm is a great length for travel photography. You’re able to get wide shots of buildings and architecture, but you could also get a little closer in for a portrait.
It’s Compact and Basic
Since the lens is a fixed length, it doesn’t take up a ton of space in your bag like a camera with a detachable lens would. It’s super sturdy with no extra parts or awkward accessories. And since it includes a flash, you don’t need to add one of those on either. I’m super sad my flash doesn’t work, but maybe I’ll come across a Hi-Matic AF2 with a working flash one of these days. :)
It’s Fully AutoFocus
When I’m traveling, it’s hard to work with manual focus film cameras. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to stand there and try to get the focus perfected. My family members are rushing me along, impatient with all of my picture-taking. Or I’m trying to get a photo of a bicyclist or moving subject while they aren’t paying attention. AutoFocus cameras like the Hi-Matic AF2 make street photography so much easier. And especially since it’s relatively small, it’s pretty inconspicuous and makes it easier to get away with taking pictures of strangers.
It Takes 35mm Film
The great thing about 35mm film cameras is that it’s easy to find 35mm film in almost every city. Sometimes, when I’m shooting with my 120 cameras, I’ll run out of film and have a hard time finding a camera store that carries 120 film. But 35mm is a pretty universal film format. I’ve never had trouble finding extra 35mm film on my trips.

As you can tell, I’m loving the camera so far. I’m a little bummed because I had the ISO setting on 400 instead of 200 for one of my film rolls, so the images turned out a little grainier than I’d hoped. But the film stock I used, Harman Phoenix 200, is also known for it’s grainy and high-contrast look, so maybe it’s just a combo of the film stock and ISO setting that I’m not used to. But I know a lot of film photographers actually aim for that sort of look so I guess it just depends on the person! I usually tend to like my photos a little less grainy and more sharp. But to each their own!

Here are a few film brands I recommend using for 35mm film cameras. Or you can check out my blog post, The Best Color Film for 35 mm Cameras. You can also check out my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

35MM FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

WHERE TO BUY THE MINOLTA HI-MATIC AF2:

Amazon

KEH Camera

FILM I USED FOR THE SAMPLE PHOTOS:

Kodak UltraMax 400 35mm film:

Amazon

Adorama

Harman Phoenix 200 35mm film:

Amazon

Adorama

If you enjoyed reading this post and would like to support my work, check out my Patreon and get early access to my YouTube videos, plus seasonal prints and other fun gifts!

And of course, I wanted to share all of my favorite photos from our Portugal trip using the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a lovely day!

<3 Myles Katherine

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Canon Rebel G 35mm Camera Review with Sample Photos | Why it's a Great Travel Camera for Beginners (and Professionals too)!

May 15, 2024

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

The Canon Rebel G was the camera my mom used throughout my childhood to photograph me and my siblings. I always loved the way the photos looked, so when my mom stumbled across her old Rebel G, I begged her to give it to me. I finally took it on a trip to Wilmington, NC to test it out and it didn’t disappoint. It reminds me of my Canon Rebel K2 in a lot of ways, which makes sense because they are both 35mm Canon cameras released around the same time. The Rebel G was first released in 1996 and the K2 was released in 1999. They were both targeted towards entry-level photographers, so they are super approachable and easy to use. However, what I love about them both is that if you decide to dive deeper into all of their functions, there is SO MUCH you can do with these cameras. I also posted a YouTube video about my trip to Wilmington, NC with the Canon Rebel G, so make sure to check that out here!

MAIN FEATURES OF THE CANON REBEL G

FULL AUTO SETTING

One of the greatest features of the Canon Rebel G is that it has a full auto setting, including autofocus, which is great for photographers of any level. If you don’t feel like switching between settings or learning about aperture and shutter speed, you can just turn the main dial to the green auto setting and shoot away! This makes it a great travel film camera because you can get the fun vintage vibe of film photography without worrying about wasting money screwing up your film photos.

EF LENS MOUNT

It’s also compatible with Canon’s EF line of lenses, which really expands the options for professional photographers. Canon has a lot of incredible lenses in the EF line so you can get that beautiful sharpness of the EF lenses while shooting film. I haven’t tried this out yet with the Canon Rebel G, but it’s on my to-do list! I’ll be sure to update this blog post once I do. :)

FLASH

One of the main features I look for in a travel camera specifically is a pop-up flash. I hate carrying around external flashes. Plus, they’re big and embarrassing. I prefer to be an inconspicuous photographer so I can get those street photography shots without calling too much attention to myself. I don’t use the flash often, but if I’m traveling and I’m inside a dark restaurant or in an underground tunnel or dungeon (you never know!), then I like having the option. If you have the camera on the full auto setting, the flash will pop up whenever the camera decides the environment is a little too dark. You can also force the flash on or off, depending on your needs.

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES

This is one of my absolute favorite features of this camera. You guys know I’m always on the hunt for cameras with a multiple exposure option, and honestly, this is why I love Canon cameras so much. I run my mutiple exposure button into the ground with my cameras. In fact, I’d say I shoot more multiple exposures than single exposures. I just enjoy the challenge of creating an image that’s never been done before. They aren’t for everyone, but I’ve included a few examples below so you can get the gist. I’m obsessed, TBH. I don’t know what I’d do in life without multiple exposures!

AUTOMATIC FILM ADVANCE

This is another great feature that makes the Canon Rebel G a perfect travel camera. When I’m on the road, it’s hard to find the time to sit down and load film into my cameras. The Canon Rebel G has a motorized film advance system, so it’s incredibly easy to load the film. And once you’re finished shooting the roll, the camera will automatically wind the film back for you. So you can just pop open the back and remove the roll, pop another one in, and keep shooting!

LIGHTWEIGHT BODY

Camera weight is a huge priority for me when I’m traveling because I like to take so many cameras with me on my trips. The Rebel G is extremely light and unnoticeable. However, keep in mind that if you add on an EF lens, it will affect the weight significantly. I just have the kit lens on the camera (the 28-90mm f/3.5 lens) so it only weighs about 1 lb 8 oz.

ENDLESS SHOOTING SETTINGS

One of the best things about cameras like the Canon Rebel G and the Canon Rebel K2 is that you have a million creative settings to choose from if you want to experiment. Some of the settings include: portrait, landscape, macro, sports mode and night mode. And then of course, aperture priority, shutter priority and full manual if you want to challenge yourself as a photographer. Personally, I’m an aperture priority kind of girl, so I tend to stick on that setting for the most part. There’s also red-eye reduction, a self-timer and film-rewind options. Honestly, it has pretty much every single function you can think of in a camera.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While the Canon Rebel G isn’t the fanciest camera in the land, you get a serious bang for your buck with this camera. It runs about $50-150 depending on the condition of the camera. The images aren’t the sharpest with the kit lens, but if you use a low ISO film, such as Kodak Gold 200 or Lomography Color 100 film (which I used for the photos in this post), you can kind of trick people into thinking you’ve got a super sharp lens. :) Or if you already have an EF mount Canon lens, definitely try that out! You won’t get the quality of images that you might find with a Canon AE-1 Program or Nikon FE2, but if you’re a beginner film photographer looking to learn the ropes before investing in a more expensive camera, this is a great option. Plus, both of those cameras don’t have autofocus, so I don’t typically recommend them for people who are just getting into film photography. I tend to recommend cameras like the Canon Rebel G, Canon Rebel K2 or Minolta Maxxum STsi for beginners.

If you’ve stumbled upon the Canon Rebel G in a thrift store or at a yard sale, consider yourself lucky! It’s a super fun camera and might even just become your favorite. It’s so versatile and straightforward that it’s kind of impossible to hate it. The fact that my mom was able to use it throughout my childhood without any photography knowledge, proves that. Some of the photos she took with this camera are our most treasured family photos! So yes, maybe I’m biased towards this camera just a little. :)

I’ve included sample photos below, so make sure to scroll down!

WHERE TO BUY THE CANON REBEL G:

Amazon

eBay

KEH Camera

35MM FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

If this review helped you in any way, I’d love for you to consider subscribing to my YouTube channel or signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you can get access to unreleased photographs that I don’t share anywhere else, as well as early access to my YouTube videos. And depending on which tier you choose, you can receive seasonal prints and other fun surprises!

Thanks so much for stopping by! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

(By using the links and/or codes above it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

(click photos to enlarge)