The two Japanese millennials sat and reminisced on their youth as they partook in a shared roll of a newer American classic: Kodak's TMAX 100.
Camera Models: Minolta Maxxum HTSi (1997) and Nikon N75 (2002)
Similarities: Both are "mid-entry level" SLR cameras dating from the last 10 years of film's dominance that are largely overlooked today by film enthusiasts, who instead opt for higher end models of the era. Both were acquired as an extra of a multi-camera lot, and happened to function perfectly.
Differences: The models come from different makers, and have different button locations for some similar functions. The Minolta allows for manual setting of ISO speeds and has a faster top shutter speed of 1/4000 second. The Nikon has five illuminated focus points that can be easily selected using a pad on the back of the camera.
Film Shared: Kodak TMax 100, fresh dated.
In a world of camera collecting and shooting, you're bound to acquire a few extras you'd never intended to snap up. Typically, these come in the form of an extra camera body bundled in with a multi camera lot that contains something else of interest. All too often, these extra pieces are either something broken, something that you already have, or something that is just not terribly interesting.
Of the last of those classifications, there is often room for a slight change of heart, one that happens when you pick up that camera, load it with batteries (if it requires them), and fire off a few test shots, only to realize "You know what?!? I don't hate this!"
Two such cameras for me were the Nikon N75 and the Minolta Maxxum HTSi. Each was included in a multi-piece lot that I snapped up as a means of picking up a coveted camera. In the case of the Nikon, this was a Ricoh SLR, and in the case of the Maxxum, my primary item of interest was an SRT series SLR. In both cases, I gave these bonus cameras a once-over and elected that they certainly warranted some attention as time allowed.
But given that my entire collecting and film buying budget is one of my own financing, since that this blog (which came in a tie for #51 for the Top 50 Film Photography Sites) has no advertising, I simply wasn't ready to dedicate an entire roll to each of these periphery cameras. Ultimately, I elected to do a "dutch date" in which these two cameras would split a roll of Kodak TMax 100.
What I hoped to achieve in this small scale test would be to get a feel for which of these two cameras that are fairly similar in vintage and genre compare to each other. For each of these models, I would make no attempt to look through their manuals to learn their feature set and usage, relying only on my past experience with cameras like the Nikon N60 and Minolta Maxxum 5 as a primer to try to learn how to use each in a "seat of the pants" experience. I did however give a quick look to the specifications of each just to get a quick snap shot of the feature availability of each.
The Nikon N75 is a 2003 vintage model and represents the last consumer level autofocus film SLR introduced by Nikon. It was designed to be an entry-level model, but includes a few technological advances not typically seen in earlier entry level models. For example, the camera is equipped with 5 focusing points that are user selectable, and which illuminate directly on the viewfinder screen. The camera has advanced matrix metering that was similar to some of Nikon's higher end cameras. Limitations of the model include a lack of manual ISO setting an a fairly modest 1/2000 top shutter speed.
By comparison, the Maxxum HTSi is a 1998 model and is a "middle child" of Minolta's lineup. Though also an entry level model, it is more capable than its QTSi and STSi contemporaries. The HTSi was also refreshed with additional flash capabilities and redubbed the "HTSi Plus." My version lacks this upgrade, but comes with three different focusing points whose focus confirmation is located in the border of the viewfinder rather than the field. Metering is typically matrix, through spot metering can be used as well. Film speed can be pretty easily over-ridden and the top shutter speed of the HTSi is respectable 1/4000 of a second.
For a anecdotal comparison of the popularity of each of these models today, one need only turn to the popular photo sharing app Instagram and do a hashtag search. A quick glance revels that "#nikonn75" returns 772 results, while "#maxxumhtsi" returns only 2, and one of those is mine. It is readily apparent just which camera is more in vogue today.
Popularity contests aside, let's get to it and have a look at these cameras and how they handled.
Nikon N75
The Nikon N75 has a crisp look that has aged nicely, though the grip handle tends to be sticky, making for a less than sightly appearance.
Picking up the N75 for the first time, the first thing I notice is how light it is. Sure, given that I've used numerous cameras from this era, the featherweight is expected, but still offers a small surprise each time I pick up a new example. The viewfinder display is particularly nice, including a red flashing icon at lower left to indicate the lack of film in the camera. Also in the viewing field are the focus indicators with a nicely illuminated display beneath the viewing field with basic exposure information, such as aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation settings. True to many Nikons. the LCD display uses "lower case" zeros.
Some of the touches I like on the N75 include a pretty straight forward external interface to selecting the focus points. Also, I like the use of a switch rather than a button to change between AF and MF, and appreciate separate settings on the nicely styled main dial to select between scene modes and traditional P-A-S-M modes. Rather than a pair of dials to toggle control settings, particularly in manual mode, the N75 uses a single dial, and an aperture "iris" button on the top deck to enable changing the aperture manually. Next to this button is one to enable EV compensation.
Top deck of the N75 shows a clean and fairly uncluttered layout, with most controls accessed via either the main control dial or a complement of buttons. The use of "engraving" on the aperture and EV compensation buttons make them a bit tricky to make out. On the back is a dial for changing of settings, an exposure lock button, and a nicely designed d-pad and dial combination to control focusing points.
What I found less than optimal on the N75 was the inability to change film ISO settings manually, something which becomes increasingly vital as more films emerge lacking this functionality. Another disappointment was that 1/2000 was the top shutter speed. Even in subdued light, I am likely to have times where I want to shoot wide open to really blur a background, and appreciate the extra ability of a 1/4000 shutter speed. Finally, despite the niceties in the display, the viewfinder tends to feel a bit dim and claustrophobic compared to other models of similar vintage I've used.
Shooting the N75 though, I encountered few issues. I was using 100 speed film with a DX code and didn't encounter the need for the higher shutter speed as light was marginal during my time spent shooting this camera. Focus on the AF-D 50mm/f1.8 prime was just as a breeze, just as it has been when I've used it on other Nikon models. Being a lens in the D lineup, this prime has an aperture ring, but the N75 insists that you lock it at f/22 and set the aperture through the settings.
The viewfinder of the N75 is a tad claustrophobic, but offers up good information, including illumination of focusing confirmation at the five points, as well as a minder that the camera is in need of film.
I encountered only a few scenes that presented some challenges, particularly in exposure, where my subject in foreground shadow was likely to be lost due to bright background. The matrix metering handled this quite capably, and in the couple of instances where I thought it might fail, I easily centered the subject in the viewfinder and used the AE lock to recompose and shoot, giving excellent results.
Gallery:
Minolta Maxxum HTsi
Dressed in black, the Minolta Maxxum HTsi offers a pretty sleek look, particularly when paired with the swift "nifty fifty" prime lens.
Picking up the HTSi, it feels more or less as light as the N75, but seems a tad bulkier by comparison. The all black body looks sleek, but does have a bit of a dated appearance to it, while the main control dial seems a bit cheesy in comparison to that of the Nikon. Whereas the Nikon has its program modes upon the dial, the Maxxum requires the user to use buttons to the right side of the top deck to select the desired mode.
Some of the touches I like on the HTSi were the easy ability to change the ISO speed of the film, as well as the location of the EV compensation button that more readily allows the right hand to dial in the changes while a finger on your left depresses the button. I also rather like the way exposure information is displayed in the viewfinder, which I found a bit easier to read than many modern SLR cameras. It was also nice to know that the shutter fires as fast as 1/4000 of a second on this model.
The top deck layout of the HTSi is fairly well done, aside from leaving 60% of the function dial at left empty yet clumping the commonly used Program/Aperture/Shutter/Manual settings clumped together in a single place to be sorted out by use of the center function button. Rear of the camera is sparse, but straight forward and not intimidating, with a spot metering and AF toggle button the only controls to learn.
What I found less than optimal on the HTsi, particularly in comparison to the Nikon was the way in which the focusing point is denoted. Rather than a confirmation within the viewfinder screen itself, the focusing point is shown with the information on the left side of the viewfinder, and is particularly small. Therefore, validating focus over what is seen on screen requires one to look in two separate places. I'd have also preferred the dial been segmented into distinct P-A-S-M settings, rather than clumping them together and requiring a press of the center FUNCTION button to scroll through the 4 modes. Otherwise, the only other dislike of the camera is its plastic lens mount, which equates to a downgrade
Shooting the HTSi, I found it to be quite similar to that of another Maxxum camera that I'm particularly fond of, the oft-0verlooked Maxxum 5. Though not quite as slick as the 5, the HTSi does act in many ways like an embryonic version of its successor. Focus was quick and despite bright conditions during my time with this camera, I was never unable to use a desired aperture due to limitations of the camera. All Maxxum lenses lack an aperture ring, so all settings of the aperture are done within the camera body itself.
Aside from the very subtle denotation of the focusing point, I really like the clarity of the viewfinder on the HTSi, in particular the exposure information along the left side of the screen.
I encountered scenes that were mostly evenly lit, but used exposure compensation a few times for backlit scenes, even leaving it set by accident for a later shot, but with little issue. For some other scenes with modest back lighting, the matrix metering easily handled exposure, and for a few other shots, I was able to use a particularly likable feature of depressing the shutter button part way to lock focus and exposure on an off center subject and then recompose the shot. In each case, it worked just fine.
Gallery:
Thoughts: Both cameras are examples of tremendously capable autofocus SLR cameras that can be had for a ridiculously low price, and both showed off their ability to create excellent imagery through examples of some of the best affordable autofocus prime lenses out there.
Given the choice between one or the other, I'd be more inclined to take the HTSi. Though some of the touches of the Nikon seemed more polished than its Minolta counterpart, the Minolta just felt a bit easier to use to me. Add in that this camera allows for manual film speed setting and has a faster top speed over the Nikon, and any bits of finesse that the N75 may have to its advantage seem more an aspect of form over function.
Either way, a working example of either of these cameras, paired with an equally capable lens will provide the film shooter on a budget a capable performer, if not necessarily a work horse. Both can easily be recommended as an easy and affordable entry into the world of film photography.
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