Minolta Riva Zoom 130
The Minolta Riva Zoom 130 is a fully automatic 35mm point-and-shoot from the late 1990s/early 2000s. It went by several names depending on where you bought it. In the US it was the Freedom Zoom 130, in Japan the Capios 130, and in some markets the Sightseer Zoom. One seller dates it to 1995, another notes a unit "made in China in 2001," and a third estimates c.2002. The production span isn't pinned down. Sources agree on the concept: full auto operation, a built-in flash with red-eye reduction, a self-timer, and a zoom lens that reaches a genuine telephoto end. The zoom range is where the record gets fuzzy. Most listings cite a 37.5-130mm f/3.5-9.4 lens, though one shop lists 38-105mm at f/3.8-9.8. The 37.5-130mm figure appears across more sources and matches the model name, so that's the one to trust.
The lens is aspherical, and multiple sellers praise it for producing sharp images. One calls it "an ideal option for making creative portraits with a blurred background." The camera runs on a single CR123A battery, has an optical viewfinder with zoom framing, and shutter speeds from 1/380 sec down to 10 sec. Dimensions are roughly 11.2 × 6 × 4.4 cm, and weight is about 210 grams. Body material is disputed. Some sellers describe a metal (even "titanium") body, while another says plastic. Given the price point of this class of camera, a metal-clad plastic body is plausible, but the record doesn't settle it. Several shops describe it as reliable and well suited to travel and casual shooting. One current European dealer lists a tested example at €149.
Beyond that, the documentation is thin. No original retail price, no film-speed range, no flash guide number, and no position within Minolta's broader Riva/Capios lineup have surfaced. If you own one and can fill in the blanks, the Archive would welcome the record.
- Type: Fully automatic 35mm compact point-and-shoot
- Lens: 37.5–130mm f/3.5–9.4 zoom, aspherical elements
- Shutter: 1/380 sec to 10 sec
- Battery: One CR123A
- Dimensions: 11.2 × 6 × 4.4 cm
- Weight: 210 g
- Also sold as: Freedom Zoom 130 (US), Capios 130 (Japan), Sightseer Zoom (some markets)
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