Minolta Panorama Zoom 28 (1990s)
The Minolta Panorama Zoom 28 is a compact 35mm point-and-shoot from the 1990s, built around a 28-70mm autofocus zoom lens. Most sources give the lens speed as f/3.5-8.4. One shop lists f/4.5-9.0, but the f/3.5-8.4 figure shows up across multiple independent sellers and reviews, so it's the safer one. The camera has a panorama switch, a macro function and a built-in flash, and it reads DX-coded film. It runs on a single CR123A battery. A separate CR2025 cell powers the date-imprinting back on models that have one.
The Panorama Zoom 28 was made in Japan. It's fairly chunky but well designed for a compact of its era, at 133 × 77 × 50mm and 297g. It has a decent range of manual settings, including macro and landscape modes, though there's no manual ISO adjustment. Several shooting modes are present, double exposure among them. Reviewers generally call it well made, well equipped and beginner friendly. 35mmc (BromureFilm) called it "a fairly chunky but well-designed compact" with "a decent array of manual settings."
Surviving documentation is thin. No original retail price, production run details or shutter speed range have surfaced. The one caution on record is to check the zoom, autofocus, flash and panorama switch when buying second-hand. Current dealer prices run from about €79 to €129, depending on condition.
- Type: Compact 35mm point-and-shoot, autofocus
- Lens: 28–70mm f/3.5–8.4 zoom (most sources; one lists f/4.5–9.0)
- Film: DX-coded 35mm
- Battery: CR123A (plus CR2025 for date back)
- Size: 133 × 77 × 50mm
- Weight: 297g
- Features: Panorama switch, macro mode, landscape mode, double exposure, built-in flash
- Made in Japan
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