Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer EX

The Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer EX is a 35mm camera for the North American market. It belongs to the group of compact cameras and relies on many automatics, so even beginners can cope with it and there is no need for a manual to use it. It was introduced in the 1990s. It was sold under the names “Minolta Riva Zoom 75w” and “Minolta Capios 70“.

The 35mm photo camera is equipped with a fixed, extendable zoom lens. 28mm to 75mm is the zoom range of the lens. The maximum aperture is f/3.5 at wide angle. At 75mm, it is only f/8.9. It consists of four lens elements arranged in four groups. The 35 mm camera is equipped with an autofocus system. The close focus distance of the lens is 40 cm.

The Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer EX has a built-in light meter. The light meter is designed for films with a sensitivity of ISO 25 to ISO 3200. The film speed is read out via the DX code. The exposure settings are determined automatically by the photo camera. Therefore, incorrect exposures cannot be caused by the user.

The camera has four exposure modes. Thus, there is an automatic mode, a macro mode, a landscape mode and a portrait mode. The built-in flash provides sufficient light. The range of the flash is specified as 5.9 meters at 38 mm and an ISO 100. The flash has an automatic mode to prevent red-eye and a forced fill flash for backlit shots. The flash can also be turned off if desired.

The Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer EX measures 12.1 x 6.6 x 4.4 cm and weighs 245 grams. There is an eyelet on the side for a camera strap. On the bottom is a thread for a tripod. This is useful for group shots, for example. For such cases, there is also the built-in 10-second self-timer. Additionally, the separately available RC-3 infrared remote control can be used.

A CR123A battery (eBay / Amazon*) is responsible for the power supply. Typically, one battery lasts for more than 300 shots. The charging status is output via the display on the top. The infrared remote control requires a CR2032 battery (eBay / Amazon*).

If the camera has “Date” imprinted on it, it can imprint the shooting date on the images. This feature is useful if you don’t want to take notes, but still want to have the exact time of shooting documented. The calendar goes up to the year 2029, and you don’t need additional batteries for the clock.

If the camera also bears the imprint “Panorama”, it comes with a fake panorama function. In this mode, the image is cropped by two bars at the top and bottom to create the look of a panorama. Of course, this can be done in post-production as no additional image content is added to the film, only the 2:3 image is cropped.

Films for the Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer EX

Photographic film is exposed in the Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer EX, specifically 35mm film. The films are automatically spooled by the camera to the next free frame after each exposure. The number of frames is also shown on the display. In one second, the camera motor manages 0.8 frames if the flash is not used.

35mm film is still produced by various manufacturers. One option for color images is the Kodak Gold 200* and the Ilford HP5* for black and white photos. Test reports attest them good performance when used in normal applications.

The color film is processed using the C-41 process. The C-41 process is standardized and offered by most developing laboratories. B/W films must be developed in a suitable developer. For most films, there are instructions on the appropriate steps and the correct photochemistry.