Lunch Break Through the Lens
Shooting with the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 and Ilford HP5+
There’s something deeply grounding about stepping away from a computer screen and heading out with a camera in hand—especially one that’s got some soul. During a short lunch break, today, I took my Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 out for a walk around my small town. It’s the kind of town where time slows down a little and where the beauty in the mundane is easy to find if you're looking. With a fresh roll of Ilford HP5 Plus 400 loaded up, I let myself wander, eyes peeled for contrast, texture, shadow—those small 35mm frames hiding in everyday places.
The Hi-Matic AF2, introduced in the early 1980s, is delightfully unpretentious. It’s somewhat compact and sturdy, simple yet capable. The autofocus is a marvel for its time—quick and reliable, with a unique, raspy, shutter sound that assures you the shot is locked in. The 38mm f/2.8 Rokkor lens has a sharpness and character that makes this camera a joy to use. There’s a certain ease to it that encourages spontaneity, and it never feels like the camera is getting in the way.
I often find myself appreciating just how thoughtful its design is. The viewfinder is bright and clear. The automatic exposure gets it right more often than not. And there’s something nostalgic—almost meditative—about hearing the sound of the film advance lever after each frame is taken. This is not a camera that shouts for attention; it's more of a humble companion, a trustworthy tool that lets you focus on the moment, not the settings.
What really brings this whole experience together is the Ilford HP5 Plus 400 film. This is my go-to stock, the film that feels like home. There’s a lovely softness to its grain and a timeless quality to the way it renders light and shadow. It’s forgiving, versatile, and carries that classic look I crave in black and white images. Shooting HP5 isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about emotion, about letting the grit and charm of a place come through in silver tones and subtle gradients. I love black and white photography for that reason: it strips away distraction and demands that you see what’s really there.
A small bit of pop-culture history on the Hi-Matic AF2? The late, great, Ricky Powell, a uniquely inspirational New York City-based photographer and cultural icon, used this exact camera. Knowing that Powell—whose candid street portraits of New York's cultural icons are legendary—relied on this unassuming little camera is a kind of encouragement. It reminds me that it’s not about gear; it’s about presence, curiosity, and timing.
After my walkabout, I brought the roll home and developed it myself using Cinestill’s black and white monobath. I love the simplicity of this process—pour, agitate, wait, rinse. There’s a kind of magic in watching your negatives come to life, knowing that these images went from light to latent to tangible all in the space of your own kitchen sink. After scanning the frames, I was happy to see a handful of quiet, moody moments: a woman waiting outside a shop, tree branches tangled against a cloudy sky, old pick up trucks, and other rural scenery. Small scenes. Ordinary scenes. But deeply satisfying scenes, to me.
There’s something therapeutic about seeking out the mundane with a camera like this. It makes me slow down and really see again. It turns a 30-minute walk into an act of observation, a way of grounding myself in the present moment. These little strolls might not produce masterpieces, but they’re meditative in their own way. And that’s enough.
Still, while I cherish these slow-town frames, I can’t help but feel excited about the contrast that’s coming next. I’ll be taking the Hi-Matic AF2 with me on the streets of New York City—a very different stage, buzzing with life and electricity. I’m looking forward to pointing this humble camera at towering buildings, fast-moving people, life reflected in puddles, and everything in between. With a few rolls of HP5 in hand, I’m ready to find the same sense of quiet observation in a city that never sleeps.
Until then, I’ll be flipping through these scans and thinking about how sometimes, the best tool is the one that simply lets you look.
