Minolta Apex 70

The Minolta Apex 70 is a compact camera. It was introduced by the Japanese manufacturing company in the early 90s. It was aimed at amateur photographers and was designed in Japan. It was offered on the Japanese market. Similar versions were marketed under the name “Minolta Riva Zoom 70c” and “Minolta Freedom Zoom 70c“.

This version has a built-in clock and calendar. This allows the shooting time to be superimposed on the images. The function can also be turned off if desired. Additionally, a CR2025 battery (eBay / Amazon*) is required. However, the calendar only lasts until the year 2019.

The lens of the 35 mm camera is unchangeable. The zoom range is from 35 mm to 70 mm. The maximum aperture is f/3.5 (35 mm) / f/6.5 (70 mm). There is a function that automatically adjusts the zoom level depending on the distance to the subject. The lens is focused by a built-in autofocus system. The closest focusing distance for this lens is 70 cm.

The 35mm camera is equipped with a built-in light meter. It can be used with films from ISO 100 and ISO 400. The film speed is read out via the DX code. Films below ISO 100 are exposed like ISO 100 films. Films coded above ISO 400 are exposed like ISO 400 films. Therefore, when using slide film, it is better to use ISO 100 or ISO 400 film.

The aperture and exposure time cannot be selected by the photographer; they are set automatically by the camera technology. There are no scene modes on this model. Instead, there is a self-timer with a lead time of ten seconds.

The built-in flash provides sufficient light. At ISO 100, the range is up to 5.1 meters. There is a fill-in flash mode, which is useful for backlit shots, for example. Of course, the flash can also be turned off.

According to the manual, the camera weighs 265 grams. The dimensions are 12.5 x 6.6 x 5 cm. A CR2 battery (eBay / Amazon*) is responsible for the power supply. There is a thread for a tripod on the bottom. An eyelet on the side of the camera allows you to attach a camera strap.

Films for the Minolta Apex 70

What kind of films are needed for the Minolta Apex 70? The camera is designed for 35mm film. The exposure range of the 35mm photo camera is 24mm x 36mm. So at least 36 exposures will fit on a normal film. In addition, there was a mask (PA-1) that is placed in the camera and covers part of the image. This gives the impression of a panorama in the pictures taken.

The film is automatically transported by a motor in the camera after each shot. The number of photos taken is displayed on the top. The camera does not have a display for this indication, like other models.

There is still a good selection of material for color and black and white images for this film format. Nice 35mm films for color and black and white images respectively are the Kodak Ultramax 400* and the Ilford Delta 100*. Both can convince in test reports and are well suited for everyday use.