KonicaLexio 70
Zoom Compact
The story
The Konica Lexio 70 is a product of the late 1990s — panorama switches, dated LCDs, and a few genuinely brilliant lenses hiding inside plastic shells — a zoom compact paired with a Konica 28–70mm f/4.9–9.3. Some backstory: one of the few 28mm-starting zoom compacts of its time.
Specifications
- Format
- 35mm
- Year
- 1999
- Lens
- Konica 28–70mm f/4.9–9.3
- Min. focus
- 0.4 m
- Flash
- Built-in
- Battery
- 1× CR123A
Notable features
- True 28mm wide start
- Compact zoom
- Date back option
Shooting it today
The Konica 28–70mm f/4.9–9.3 covers wide-to-short-tele in one barrel — one lens, no decisions, point and shoot. Standard 35mm keeps it compatible with whatever Kodak, Ilford, Fuji or CineStill stock you find on the shelf today. A single CR123A lithium cell powers everything including the motor; still cheap and stocked at most camera shops. The built-in flash will fire whenever the meter decides it should, so learn the override before your first night out. Minimum focus is 0.4 m — unusually close for a compact of this era and a genuine advantage over rivals that stop at 0.7 m or 1 m. You can fill the frame with a coffee cup, a flower, or a face without stepping back. Built for family events, holidays and anything where you'd rather reframe than walk.
Who it's for · Verdict
Zoom compacts are still the bargain corner of the film market — pick up the Konica Lexio 70 cheap, run a roll through it and judge whether the convenience outweighs the slower aperture.
Fun facts
- §1One of the few 28mm-starting zoom compacts of its time.
Field note
I took the Lexio 70 to a friend's first gallery show, where the plan was two frames and a glass of wine. Zooming from one end of the Konica 28–70mm f/4.9–9.3 to the other, I built a whole sequence without moving my feet. The Lexio 70 focuses to 0.4 m, which turned a pastry on a saucer into a portrait. Puddles, bus windows and neon on wet asphalt — the rained-out day gave the Lexio 70 my favourite roll of the year.
Creative field note — inspired by this camera's character, not based on real events.
Find one
Most copies turn up second-hand on eBay. We've linked a saved search so you can see current listings.
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