Minolta Memory Maker (late 1990s)

The Minolta Memory Maker is a compact 35mm point-and-shoot from the late 1990s. It is a simple, fully mechanical snapshot camera, sold under a name clearly aimed at casual photographers. The record on it is modest but consistent enough to show what it was: an easy-to-use, plastic-bodied film camera meant to work much like a disposable, except you could keep it.

Most sources describe it as a fixed-focus camera with a Minolta 35mm f/4.5 lens. One seller claims a "reliable autofocus system" and another advertises a "Focus Free" model. The truth likely depends on which variant you have, and the conflict is unresolved in the record. Common ground across listings: minimum focus distance of 1.5m, ISO 100-400 film speed settings via DX coding, a built-in flash with red-eye reduction, and a sliding lens cover. One listing for the original Memory Maker notes a red LED in the viewfinder that lights up to warn of low light. The Memory Maker III variant is documented at 13.1 × 7.3 × 4.9 cm and 215 grams, with a flash range of 1.8-2.5 meters at ISO 100.

Two variants appear in the record. The "Memory Maker III" is documented by filmphotography.eu with the dimensions and weight above. A "Memory Maker 2000" also turns up in an eBay listing, described as having a gray color design with auto exposure, built-in flash, red-eye reduction, and electric drive.

There is no documented production year beyond "late 1990s" as an approximation, no original MSRP, and no confirmed battery type for the original Memory Maker, though one listing notes the camera works on 2 AA batteries. Current asking prices in European shops hover around €70. Russian marketplace listings range from about 1,100 to 2,000 rubles. One Russian seller of a fully mechanical variant notes that the shutter and flash work and the camera is powered by two AA batteries. That same listing also describes the camera as fully mechanical with batteries only for the flash, which suggests some regional or variant differences in how the Memory Maker was configured.

Surviving documentation is thin. The conflicting focus-type claims (fixed vs. autofocus) and the focal length discrepancy (34mm vs 35mm) remain unresolved. If you own one and can confirm which variant you have and how it focuses, the Archive would welcome the record.

Type: Compact 35mm point-and-shoot film camera
Lens: Minolta 35mm f/4.5 (one source states 34mm)
Focus: Fixed focus per most sources; one claims autofocus
Film speed: ISO 100–400 (DX coded)
Flash: Built-in with red-eye reduction
Minimum focus distance: 1.5m
Memory Maker III: 13.1 × 7.3 × 4.9 cm, 215 g