MinoltaRiva Zoom 75W (Capios)

The Minolta Riva Zoom 75W (Capios) is a product of the last full decade of mass-market film, before APS and digital fought over the leftovers — a wide zoom compact paired with a Minolta 28–75mm Zoom f/4.5–8.5. Some backstory: successor to the 70W with a slightly longer tele end and refined flash modes.

Format

35mm

Year

1997

Lens

Minolta 28–75mm Zoom f/4.5–8.5

Min. focus

0.6 m

Flash

Built-in auto multi-mode

Battery

1× CR123A

The Minolta 28–75mm Zoom f/4.5–8.5 covers wide-to-short-tele in one barrel — one lens, no decisions, point and shoot. Film supply is a non-issue: any 35mm cassette from any lab works. 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 0.6 m, close enough for a coffee cup or a face but stops short of true macro. Something that catches new owners off guard: sold as 'Capios 75W' in Japan and 'Freedom Zoom 75W' in the US. Built for family events, holidays and anything where you'd rather reframe than walk.

Zoom compacts are still the bargain corner of the film market — pick up the Minolta Riva Zoom 75W (Capios) cheap, run a roll through it and judge whether the convenience outweighs the slower aperture. File away for later: same 28mm wide end as its predecessor — still one of the few budget zooms that go properly wide.

• §1Successor to the 70W with a slightly longer tele end and refined flash modes.
• §2Sold as 'Capios 75W' in Japan and 'Freedom Zoom 75W' in the US.
• §3Same 28mm wide end as its predecessor — still one of the few budget zooms that go properly wide.