Minolta Explorer Freedom Zoom

The Minolta Explorer Freedom Zoom is a camera from Minolta. It was released in the 90’s and was aimed at the ottonormal consumer in North America. The model was produced in a factory in China. Comparable variants were also offered under the names “Minolta Riva Zoom 70W” and “Minolta Capios 25“.

The zoom lens of the 35 mm photo camera is fixed. With a switch, you can choose between 28 mm to 70 mm. The maximum aperture is f/3.5 at 28 mm and f/8.4 at 70 mm. There is no need to focus manually with the 35 mm camera, as there is an automatic focusing system. The lens’ closest focusing distance, i.e. the distance to the subject, can be 40 cm in macro mode. The lens is composed of four lenses in four groups, two of which are aspherically coated.

An exposure meter is built into the camera. It is designed for films in a range from ISO 25 to ISO 3200. The technology determines the correct sensitivity of the film via the DX code on the cartridge. Exposure settings are automatically controlled by the camera electronics. Therefore, shutter speed and aperture cannot be selected by the user.

The camera has various exposure modes. Thus, there is a full auto mode, a macro mode, a mode for landscape photography and a mode for portrait photography at night. In this mode, the built-in flash is used to freeze the subject in motion.

The flash, located in the upper corner, has a range of up to 6 meters. This value refers to a film speed of ISO 100 at wide-angle zoom. The flash can be fired automatically, forced, or turned off completely as needed. Additionally, there is an automatic red-eye prevention.

The camera with its plastic housing weighs 240 grams and measures 12.1 x 6.6 x 4.4 cm. There is a connection for a tripod on the bottom. A camera strap can also be used with the camera. The Minolta requires a CR123A battery (eBay / Amazon*). One battery charge lasts for an average of 300 pictures.

Films for the Minolta Explorer Freedom Zoom

The Minolta Explorer Freedom Zoom captures its images on 35mm film. The negatives are 24 mm x 36 mm in size. So at least 36 shots will fit on a normal film. The film in the still camera automatically advances to the next frame. You can take about 1.2 pictures per second with the camera. If the display shows a blinking “0”, the film is not loaded properly. Otherwise, the display shows the number of photos taken. There is a self-timer for group pictures or selfies. The self-timer gives ten seconds to get into position.

For color pictures, there is about the Kodak Ultramax 400*. An option for black and white images is the Ilford HP5*. According to various reviews, they are good for everyday shooting and deliver solid results. Other notable manufacturers include Rollei, Adox and Foma.

Minolta Explorer Freedom Zoom Date Panorama

In addition to the regular version, the camera also comes in a version with two additional features. It can expose the shooting time in a corner of the images. Among other things, a clock is built in for this purpose. The calendar lasts until the year 2029. It does not need an additional battery.

In addition, the model mentioned can create a fake panorama effect. To do this, a part of the negative is covered inside the camera. This then creates the look of a panorama. Of course, the image can also be spaded accordingly later in post-processing.

The additional functions make the camera about five grams heavier.