Customer Reviews

Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer 35mm Camera

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have a degree in photography, worked at National Geographis for over 8 years and my camera of choice is this one. My big Nikon sits collecting dust. I just had mine stolen and after researching every P&S camera now available, I'm buying another Explorer. My camera did not have the zoom in stages problem as discribed in the above discription. It is one of the only 28mm wide p&s cameras. It's very small and powerful. Takes nice pictures too.

My 5-year inventory of camera wreckage includes a 35mm lens smashed on the temple steps of Angkor Wat; an Olympus point-and-shoot that disintegrated in Denali; a Nikon F3 viewfinder that caved on the streets of Bangkok; and another lens dropped in the Kathmandu international airport. The one camera that's actually thrived through my persistent and negligent abuse is the Freedom Zoom, which I bought in the summer of 1995 for a whopping $275. It's the only p&s available with a decent 28mm wide-angle lens. It's the only p&s I've found with a well-designed and ultra-durable housing. Regardless, today my Zoom is slightly worse for wear, with a small duct tape band-aid and a display meter that shows black goo where the frame counter used to be. It's been dropped, kicked, crushed, lost, found, and dragged all over creation. But it still does the job, racking-up tons more great travel photos than the bulky, fussy, and highly stealable F3 (try putting *that* down you pants in the midst of a third-world police shakedown). Alas, my ongoing abuse has finally taken its toll, and the little Minolta is in serious need of retirement. You make a guess about the p&s I'll be buying as a replacement.

I like this camera for its all around versatility and picture quality. I've used it in work, for art and for family fun--and it's a good choice for all.

The camera is small, light and easy to use on the job. I photo houses for insurance inspections. The zoom helps getting close ups, and the 28 mm wide angle is great for shooting the entire house--I don't have to move very far away. Likewise for landscape photos, sunsets, etc.

The flash is very versatile, and can be turned off (with only a little trouble) to save batteries when not needed. The red-eye reduction helps a lot for family shots.

This new version is missing the very useful date/time stamp--present on the older model I use.

The picture quality is probably not that of a professional SLR, but pretty close for most of the things I shoot.

The camera seems quite durable. I used it for 2 years occasionally for fun and art, and recently put it into professional service. It held up for 10 months with daily use--25-40 photos and being turned on and off 10-15 times per day--before it broke down. I also dropped it several times, but it kept on ticking. It will probably last you a few more years, if you just use it for a family camera!

I'm about to buy another one. but my first went bad and was not repairable under the warrantee when my son took it to the beach and a tiny bit of sand got into the electronics. Best part is it shuts off and closes after a minute or so to save the battery if you forget to turn off yourself.

I bought my Minolta Explorer Freedom Zoom a month ago and I am totally satisfied with my purchase. For the price, you can't beat it. What you are getting is next generation technology, yet a user friendly point and shoot camera that takes very clear, very crisp pictures that rival the more expensive SLR's. I can't believe what this camera can do and for it to be so small and compact! Also, I am really into the way it feels in your hands, it's well balanced and just a sharp little camera. I never thought I could get excited about a simple point and shoot, but I am. Go ahead and shop around, but you won't find a better camera for the money.

This a good fast P+S zoom camera in many situations. It does have AF/AE lock, which is almost the only form of real exposure control it has. There are some other nice options though, including fill flash, infinity lock (landscape), macro/closeup, continuous shooting, flash off, night scene, redeye off/on. The zoom is fast and not too loud, it starts up quickly, recharges the flash moderately quickly, has a pretty fast (f3.5 on the 28mm end), sharp and CONTRASTY lens for this type of 35mm camera. I've gotten some beautiful images from it already (bought it used at Amazon a few weeks ago)with little effort, partially due to having the wide sharp lens and partially due to the ease of use and good center-weighted metering. It'd be nice if it went to 85mm or so, but then it would probably have to be a little more complex, slower, and heavier, so why burden the design? The lens is a little distorted (pincushion) on the edges at 28mm, so watch that when photographing buildings. Also remember that it'll always default to flash ON mode after restarting, though it maintains the flash OFF mode while on if you set it that way.I prefer flash OFF most of the time, so I wish it had a Personal settings mode like the Canon z90w and Sure Shot 120, but that's NOT in the package..

I bought this some time in the year of '99 for about [money]. It has the date imprint feature, and came with a carrying pouch. It was one of the few point and shoot that has a 28mm zoom lens(the other two I found were from Olympus and Pentax. For some reason they were all priced about 50% higher than the Minolta.) I like the date imprint on the front of picture, instead of on back like those APS cameras. So I can see the date when the picture was taken while looking at the photo album without having to rip out the picture.

It takes good pictures. Panoramic pictures, printed at about 4"x10", are a real crowd pleaser. The flash is a little weak in some indoor situations. I'd wish it takes regular AA batteries like those digital cameras, so I can use rechargeable NiMH. Overall I'm very satisfied.

if you have a chance to buy two buy them, I don't know how long the camera its going to be available but what I like about it, it takes better pictures than my Cannon EOS, the first thing I noticed are the deep colors it brings you specially the bright ones, then with confidence you can take as much as you like shots in any kind of conditions with the piece of mind knowing the camera will provide you with the best condition for that moment, trust me.

I couldn't believe that from that lens my camera has, can produce so wonderful pictures, and that is what practically what I want. I do take also a lot of digital pictures but with this camera it makes me want to spend time taking with 35mm films.

It's a nice wide angle camera with many features. Definaely a good buy