Pocketsize, Take-Anywhere Design

The Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer features a slim, smooth and protective design which makes it very easy to carry in a pocket, purse, or fanny pack. When the camera is turned off, the lens and flash retract completely into the camera body to form a unique rounded pebble-shaped capsule weighing only 8.8 ounces (without batteries).

Easy Operation

To make the camera very easy to operate, each button is positioned next to its corresponding indicator in the data panel, so that the user can see at a glance which functions each button controls.

Ultra-Wide-Angle 28 - 70mm Quad-Element Zoom Lens

The compact 28-70mm zoom lens features Minolta’s exclusive four-element lens design with two double-sided aspheric elements. This design minimizes optical aberrations and creates a new level of compactness while providing beautiful, high-contrast images. The 28mm position offers an ultra wide angle-of-view and is ideal for photographing landscapes or groups of people, and for shooting in tight spaces. The 70mm position is well-suited for portraits or for zooming in on distant subjects.

3-Beam, 300-Step Autofocusing

A 300-step, triple-beam autofocus system ensures precise subject focus in a wide variety of shooting situations. In addition to the central focusing beam, two lower side beams prevent the camera from focusing on the background if people are positioned on each side of the focus frame.

Subject Program Selection

The Freedom Zoom Explorer features a fully automatic point & shoot mode, plus three other exposure programs which custom-tailor the camera’s automatic systems for specific types of subjects or scenes. Selections are made by moving the data panel’s subject program pointer to the desired mode indicator.

Full Auto

Provides standard "point & shoot" operation for general photography. This mode is set automatically whenever the camera is turned on, or after a picture is taken using one of the subject programs. If the light is low, the built-in flash will fire automatically.

Macro

Fixes the lens at 70mm for maximum subject magnification and limits the autofocusing range to 1.3 - 3.3 ft., for optimum sharpness with close-ups.

Night Portrait

This mode is ideal for photographing a person in front of an illuminated night scene or at sunset. It fixes the flash to manual fill with selectable red-eye reduction and allows a maximum shutter speed of 1 second, to balance the flash illumination on the subject with the ambient light in the background. Because of the slow shutter speed, a tripod is recommended to prevent blurring caused by hand-held camera shake.

Landscape

Fixes the focus at infinity and cancels flash operation, for sharp photos of distant subjects or scenic landscapes, or photos taken through a windowpane.

Multi-Function Retractable Flash

When the camera is turned on, the built-in flash pops up, ready for use. When the camera is turned off, the flash retracts completely into the camera body. The flash has four modes: full auto, full auto with red-eye reduction, manual fill, and flash cancel. By pressing the flash mode button successively, the flash modes change as listed. Because the flash pops up out of the camera, it lessens the chance of the flash being accidentally blocked by the user’s finger.

Automatic Soft Flash

Conventional lens-shutter cameras always fire a full flash burst with each flash exposure. Unfortunately, this could result in an overexposed subject if the subject is too close to the camera. To prevent a close subject from being overexposed and "washed out", the Freedom Zoom Explorer uses IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) control circuitry which automatically sets a softer flash intensity for close-ups. This same circuitry also controls the intensity of the red-eye reduction pre-flash burst.

Red-Eye Reduction

To reduce the red-eye effect caused by the flash reflecting off the inside of the subject’s eyes, the camera fires a short flash burst to close down the subject’s pupils before the exposure flash is fired and the picture is taken.

Continuous Film Advance

For action-catching sequences, the Freedom Zoom Explorer can be set to advance the film at approximately 1 frame every 1.2 seconds (5 frames in 6 seconds) as long as the shutter-release button is held all the way down.

Self-Timer

The 10-second self-timer lets the user set up the shot and appear in the photo. The camera’s self-timer lamp blinks with increasing speed to signal countdown.

Data Imprinting and Switchable Panorama Format (Panorama DATE model only)

The Freedom Zoom Explorer Panorama DATE imprints the date or time right onto each photo, when desired. Data imprinting is very useful for cataloging photographs or keeping photo records of important events such as birthdays, weddings, graduations, etc. The Explorer Panorama DATE uses a front-imprinting data module to eliminate the thick back cover required by conventional data back cameras. In addition, a panorama mode selector switch located to the right of the ON\OFF button lets the photographer take both standard and panorama format pictures on the same roll of film. When panorama format is selected, the film gate and viewfinder are automatically masked.

Fully Automatic Film Operation

Simply position the film cartridge and leader, then close the camera back.   The camera sets the DX-coded ISO, then threads, advances, and rewinds the film automatically.  Power rewind can be activated at any time.

Type:

35mm automatic lens-shutter compact camera with built-in zoom lens and flash.

Lens:

28-70mm f/3.5 - 8.4; 4 elements in 4 groups; includes 2 double-sided aspheric elements.

Autofocus:

3-beam, active infrared AF system. Range: (normal) 1.6ft.. to infinity; (macro) 1.3. - 3.3 ft. Maximum magnification: 1/4.7X (macro mode, 70mm). Approx. 300 focusing steps (including macro range). Focus locked by pressing shutter-release button partway down.

Zoom:

Powered zoom by zoom control.

Autoexposure:

Programmed AE with center-weighted average metering (external); Range at ISO 100, 28mm: EV 2.6 - 17 (f/3.5, 2s - f/16, 1/500s); 70mm: EV 3.2 - 17 (f/8.4, 8s - f/9.5, 1/350s).

Film Speed:

Automatic setting for DX-coded film (ISO 25-3200, 1EV steps); non-DX-coded film set to ISO 25.

Film Transport:

Auto threading, auto advance to first frame, and auto rewind. Manual start of rewind selectable.

Flash:

Built-in, retractable type; IGBT circuit for variable intensity. Selectable modes: Autoflash, autoflash with red-eye reduction, manual fill-flash, flash cancel. Range at ISO 100: (28mm): 1.6 ft. - 21ft.; (70mm): 1.6ft. - 8.8ft..; (Macro): 1.3 ft. - 3.3 ft. Recycling time approx. 6 sec.

Viewfinder:

Real-image type; -1 diopter. Field-of-view with subject at 10 ft. (28mm): 84%V x 87%H; (at 70mm): 87%V x 85%H. Diopter: -1.

Self-Timer:

10-sec. delay of shutter release (cancelable).

Continuous Drive:

1 frame every 1.2 seconds (without flash).

Subject Program Selection:

User-selectable modes for macro, night portrait, and landscape. Macro: 70mm focal length (fixed); focus range: 1.3 - 3.3 ft.; flash modes: autoflash or autoflash with red-eye reduction (changeable); maximum magnification: 1/4.7x. Night Portrait: Flash mode fixed at manual fill-flash with selectable red-eye reduction; maximum shutter speed 1 sec. Landscape: Focus range fixed at infinity, flash mode fixed at flash cancel.

Data Imprinting Formats (Panorama DATE model only):

Year/month/day, month/day/year, day/month/year, day/hour/minute, no imprinting.

Panorama Format (Panorama DATE model only):

Mid-roll switchable; film gate and viewfinder masked automatically.

Power:

One 3 volt lithium CR123A/DL123A battery.

Battery Performance:

Approximately 13 rolls (Based on Minolta’s standard testing method using 24-exposure rolls with flash on 50% of exposures).

Dimensions:

4-3/4 x 2-5/8 x 1-3/4 in.

Weight (without battery):

8.8 oz.