The Minolta FS-E III is a compact camera for snapshots. It was introduced towards the end of the 1980s and sold to photographers worldwide. It is the successor to the Minolta Freedom 100, and a functionally identical model was also sold in North America as the Minolta Freedom 101.
The 35mm still camera has a fixed focal length with a fixed focus. You have to stay 150 cm away from the subject for sharp pictures. The focal length of the lens is 35 mm with a maximum aperture of f/4.5.
The camera has a built-in light meter with automatic exposure control. The technology is designed for films from ISO 100 to ISO 400. The camera learns what the sensitivity of the film is by the DX code on the film cartridge. If this code is not present, ISO 100 is set. Aperture and shutter speed are set automatically by the camera technology. There is no exposure compensation.
Of course, a built-in flash must not be missing with this type of camera. At ISO 100, the shots reach up to 3.2 meters. Unlike its predecessors, this model has a self-timer with a lead time of ten seconds. There is also a thread for a tripod and a connection option for a camera strap.
The dimensions of the camera are 12.9 x 6.95 x 4.7 cm. At the same time, it weighs 200 grams with its plastic housing. The power source of the Minolta FS-E III is two AA batteries (eBay / Amazon*). One battery charge is enough for about 550 shots. This value refers to using the flash for half of the shots. The batteries are also needed for automatic film transport.
Films for the Minolta FS-E III
Possible films for the Minolta FS-E III that are still readily available today, for example online, are the Kodak Gold 200* for color photos and the Ilford Delta 100* for black and white photos. Test reports attest to the good performance of both films in normal everyday applications or even when traveling.
Of course, there are other films for the camera that can be used. For example, there is suitable material from Rollei, Adox, Lomography or even Fujifilm. Suitable black-and-white films are produced by Foma in the Czech Republic, for example.
