Minolta Freedom Zoom 140EX

The Minolta Freedom Zoom 140EX is a 35mm camera. It belongs to the compact camera group, is easy to use and rarely needs instructions. It was built by the Japanese company in the mid-1990s. The 35mm photo camera was also available on the market under the names “Minolta Riva Zoom 140EX” and “Minolta Capios 140“.

The photo camera is equipped with a fixed lens. The zoom range is from 38 mm to 140 mm. The maximum aperture is f/3.5 (38 mm) and f/9.4 (140 mm). Focusing is facilitated by a built-in autofocus system. The closest focusing distance of this lens is 80 cm in the wide-angle range.

The 35 mm camera has an exposure meter. It is designed for films from ISO 25 to ISO 3200. The camera technology determines the correct film speed via the DX code on the film cartridge. The 35mm camera has automatic exposure control and sets aperture and shutter speed automatically. Each time the shutter button is pressed, the film automatically winds to the next frame.

The Minolta is equipped with several modes. So there is a normal automatic mode, a macro mode (50 cm), a portrait mode and a spot metering mode. In the double exposure mode, you can live out your creative streak. There is exposure compensation (+1.5 EV) for backlit shots.

The “Thank you / Take Me” mode is designed for handing the camera over to someone who doesn’t know anything about photography and can do little wrong when taking pictures. A possible situation would be taking a photo in front of a landmark. A continuous shooting mode is also not missing on this model.

A flash is built in for pictures in low light. According to the manual, the flash’s output reaches up to 5.5 meters at ISO 100 shooting. There is an auto flash with a red-eye prevention mode. A mode for portraits at night and a fill-in flash are also not to be missed. However, the flash can also be turned off completely if desired.

The camera has a self-timer and a tripod connection. With a size of 13.2 x 7 x 5.9 cm, the Minolta Freedom Zoom 140EX weighs 315 grams according to the manual. A CR123A battery (eBay / Amazon*) is responsible for the power supply. The batteries last for about 550 shots with the compact camera. The charging status is shown on the display on the top.

With an additional infrared remote control, it is also possible to take pictures from a distance. The RC-3 remote control has a range of up to five meters.

If the camera has “Date” printed on it, it is the additional quartz date model. This model has a built-in clock and can store the shooting time and date in one of the corners of the photo. Additionally, a CR1220 battery is needed for this. However, the built-in calendar only lasts until 2019.

If the camera also bears the imprint “Panorama”, it comes with a panorama function. With this, the normal 2:3 image is cropped at the top and bottom. Two bars cover a part inside the camera to simulate the look of a panorama. You don’t get more “image information” with this function, so you can easily create this look later in post-processing.

Films for the Minolta Freedom Zoom 140EX

Nothing works for the Minolta Freedom Zoom 140EX without 35mm film. 35mm films are still produced today and can be developed in most photo labs. One possible film for color images is Kodak Ultramax 400*. A possibility for black and white images is Ilford HP5*. Both films produce solid results with the compact camera. Of course, there are a variety of other suitable films for this camera.

The color film is developed using the C-41 process. This development process is offered by most laboratories. You can take your films to many drugstores in Germany, for example, for development. The black and white film must be developed in a real black and white developer.