Focus quandary w/ Minolta Hi-Matic 9

[wrs1145]

I picked up a Minolta Hi-Matic 9 the other day and wondered if I can set the focus to "automatic" too like the aperture.
Can I set the to (what distance), and then it's in focus out to infinity.
I could try different options out to see, but w/ the price of film these days, it's a lot cheaper to ask here.

Much appreciation for your comments,
Bill

 

[Johngwill]

As you know 'Depth of Field' varies with aperture and with the Hi-Matic 9 there is no DoF markings on the lens barrel. However the manual does have a DoF chart (page 27) which you can use to set the infinity focus manually according to the aperture used.
If you don't have the manual you can download here:- https://www.cameramanuals.org/minolta_pdf/minolta_hi-matic_9.pdf

 

[marvella]

To achieve a depth of field that covers a wide range, including infinity, you can use the hyperfocal distance technique. This involves setting the focus to a specific distance where everything from half that distance to infinity will be in acceptable focus. For the Hi-Matic 9, with its 45mm f/1.7 lens, you can achieve this by setting the focus distance to around 15 feet and using an aperture of f/8 or smaller.