MinoltaAF-Tele

The Minolta AF-Tele comes out of 1987-89, when plastic bodies got better lenses than the metal ones they replaced. Catalogued as a dual-lens autofocus compact, it pairs the Minolta 38mm f/2.8 / 60mm f/3.5 (switchable) with a 35mm film path. A bit of background: sold in Europe as the Leica AF-C1 — yes, really, identical.

Format

35mm

Year

1985

Lens

Minolta 38mm f/2.8 / 60mm f/3.5 (switchable)

Min. focus

1.0 m

Flash

Built-in

Battery

2× AAA

The Minolta 38mm f/2.8 / 60mm f/3.5 (switchable) doesn't chase exotic specifications; it just renders cleanly, focuses predictably, and gets out of the photograph's way. On the film-availability spectrum, plain 35mm is as easy as it gets in 2026. It runs on common AA batteries — you can resurrect one on a Sunday afternoon with whatever the corner shop has in stock. The built-in flash will fire whenever the meter decides it should, so learn the override before your first night out. Minimum focus is 1.0 m, close enough for a coffee cup or a face but stops short of true macro. One thing worth knowing before you load a roll: two real lenses in one body, no zoom compromise. Best for everyday life and half-length portraits — a 40-ish lens stays out of the way and renders people without distortion.

The Minolta AF-Tele sits exactly where you want a sleeper to sit: low prices, working examples plentiful, and a spec sheet that holds up against far pricier rivals. Worth remembering: tiny by 80s standards and weirdly futuristic.

• §1Sold in Europe as the Leica AF-C1 — yes, really, identical.
• §2Two real lenses in one body, no zoom compromise.
• §3Tiny by 80s standards and weirdly futuristic.