Minolta Freedom Zoom 125 Panorama Date 35mm Camera w/Remote Control

by Konica-Minolta

Product Details

Product Manual [683kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004ZBTT
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,300 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2000

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

One of the tiniest and lightest advanced 35mm compact cameras around, the Minolta Freedom Zoom 125 packs a lot of excellent features into its stylish, streamlined aluminum shell (with plastic backing). The fully automatic Freedom Zoom 125 boasts a 37.5-125mm zoom lens for wide angles and excellent close-ups (sharp as close as 1.97 feet), along with a multi autofocus system, (so people standing apart, for example, will still be in focus), and a three-segment light metering system with a highly accurate AE sensor for great exposures under most conditions. Also included is a remote with a working range of approximately 16.4 feet. It provides two shutter release modes: standard mode triggers the shutter as soon as the button on the remote control is pressed, while the delayed mode takes the exposure two seconds after the button is pressed. Now you can include yourself in the shot without racing against the self-timer. And, so you'll never again have to wonder when you took those pictures, the Freedom Zoom 125 comes with a time/date stamp.

Minolta used state-of-the-art 3-D CAD design technology to incorporate so many great features into such an ultracompact body. They also developed special optics for this camera that use a low number of double-sided aspheric lenses able to achieve high-quality pictures while not taking up much space. A trigonal roof prism allows for a shorter viewfinder optical system, too. All in all, this is an excellent camera if you want something that fits in most pockets, yet takes high-quality photos to match those of most larger compact cameras. One last feature Minolta is proud of for its uniqueness: the film-chamber lock prevents the back of the camera from being opened when there is an active roll of film inside--the back won't open until the roll of film has been fully rewound.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great point & shoot, December 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Minolta Freedom Zoom 125 Panorama Date 35mm Camera w/Remote Control (Electronics)

This camera is great - compact, lightweight, sharp-as-a-tack photos. The colors in the photos are unbelievable - bright, clean, true-to-color. I bought this for my honeymoon and professional photo lab where I took my photos to be developed couldn't believe the quality that came from this little point and shoot. The remote control is very easy to use and a great feature. The only downside to this camera is that the silver case is easily scratched, which gives it a "used" look rather quickly. However, that's a very minor problem when you're getting such amazing photos from it.

40 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Minolta Freedom Zoom 125 Panorama Date Kit, October 15, 2000

By 

Sheila Sturm (Council Bluffs, IA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minolta Freedom Zoom 125 Panorama Date 35mm Camera w/Remote Control (Electronics)

I purchased this camera based on the name brand (I have always had good luck with Minolta), the price, the availablilty, and the fact the the camera I wanted (Minolta 140) had been discontinued. This camera is compact and very easy to use. The one thing that is a bit inconvenient is that if you are taking a close up picture (closer than 5 feet) you need to tilt the camera slightly up in order to get the full subject. Overall, though, it is a good camera. It came with a remote control which is a nice feature.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent compact camera, April 4, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Minolta Freedom Zoom 125 Panorama Date 35mm Camera w/Remote Control (Electronics)

I consider myself an intermediate-level photographer. I bought this camera (3) years ago from The Wiz and have used it quite heavily in that time, taking both indoor and outdoor photos. I've also taken some nighttime photos at Christmas time with excellent results. I've been extremely happy with the image quality -- colors, clarity, vibrancy, sharpness. I've also been happy with the feel of the camera -- sturdy, doesn't feel cheap or clunky. I've taken a number of action shots with superb results except when I inadvertently move the camera. Generally I follow my subjects (children, pets, etc.) around with the camera on and the flash set properly. I keep my finger pressed lightly on the shutter button so the camera is focused on something. For me, this helps eliminates delays in autofocus and lag time between shots. I can take many shots in succession with very minimal and acceptable delay. Basically, in order to enjoy this camera, you have to have realistic expectations. For example, the flash isn't as strong as on SLR cameras, so you need to be mindful of this and use the proper film. In low light, I use 800 Kodak film. I've found this camera to be excellent for every conceivable purpose -- family portraits, close-ups, landscapes, etc. Battery life has been good for me. Each time I take in a roll to be developed, there is rarely a bad picture, and if there is, it is always my fault, not the camera's. There are (2) reasons why I'm not giving this camera (5) stars: 1) The red-eye reduction feature is inadequate. This is the one main drawback for me. I've used the standard techniques for minimizing this. When photographing adults, there's generally no problem. But pets and children can be challenging. Minolta could eliminate this problem by designing the camera with a pop-up flash similar to Nikon's. 2) In order to open the battery compartment, you need the camera cord, which has a special "key" on it to open the compartment. I don't like this since you could lose the cord or break the key.

Despite the above drawbacks, I highly recommend this camera. It has given me wonderful photographs for (3) years. It's now my back-up camera, as I've now bought one that's better at reducing red-eye. But still, it's a great camera. And if you get a photo CD, you can always try to reduce the red eye that way.