Last time, I wrote about how Digicams might be this generation’s film camera. But all that writing just made me want to shoot film again. So I did! First up is the Minolta Riva 110 point-and-shoot film camera I acquired when I purchased a lot of film cameras for cheap. I have to say, this camera looks good and has a sleek design. It’s also pocketable but I would recommend using a case for it. This camera has a 38mm-110mm autofocus zoom lens. I won’t go technical on this blog because I purchased this camera to let go of all the technicalities photography can bring and am just looking for something handy and simple for my return to film photography. It is also good to note that this is my first time shooting an automatic point-and-shoot film camera. Hence, a lot of surprises with the outcome. All photos here are unedited straight from the lab’s scan.
The biggest surprise for me is that this camera does shoot at different shutter speeds depending on the light available. Most point-and-shoot film cameras I’ve used before only shot at 1 shutter speed. Although there is no way to manually control the shutter speed, I think with familiarity, you can maximize its use especially when pairing it with its flash. As with many old zoom cameras, the lens zoom could be quite noisy but that is all part of the experience, right? You control the zoom, by clicking the zoom-in and zoom-out buttons on top close to the shutter button allowing for one-hand operation. All other functions are placed nearby. If I have to choose 1 gripe about this camera it has to be its tiny viewfinder.
I used the camera mostly as an everyday carry for a few weeks and honestly, I felt like this is how it was meant to be. A no-frill bring-anywhere camera that gets the job done. Also, I must say that the 36 shots felt a lot. Or maybe, I was just excited to have the film roll developed already? Overall, I am very happy and impressed with the Minolta Riva 110 zoom and would definitely shoot more film this year. As expected, using this camera and shooting film gave me a whole new experience vs. shooting digital. Seeing the photos and how they turned out does give you the nostalgic feel of the ’90s and early 2000.
By the way, the camera uses a single CR123a battery which is still widely available but not as commercial as a AA battery. So keep that in mind if you are planning to get one. Anyway, thank you once again for reading, and do enjoy some more photos from the roll. 🙂
King 
Hi!
I stumbled upon your blog while researching film cameras, and it actually convinced me to go out and buy the exact same one from Facebook Marketplace—so thank you for the inspiration! I’m super new to film photography (this is my very first film camera), and I’ve been really excited to get started.
I’ve done some research on how to load film, but I’m running into a problem. The take-up spool’s hook is really tiny and doesn’t seem to grip the film properly, so it won’t wind. Is that normal on yours too? Or does it sound like mine might need a repair?
Sorry to drop this question here—I’m just a bit stuck and couldn’t find anything helpful online. Any advice would mean a lot. Thanks so much!
LikeLike
Hi Ghedd, firstly congrats on your first film camera and hopefully you have sorted how to to load the film. Sorry, I’ve been out for a while hence the late reply.
Yes, the take-up spool is really tiny but should grip the film properly fairly easily. You just need to make sure the camera’s sprocket catches on the film’s sprocket holes before closing the film back. Don’t worry about giving it a trial and error since this camera only advance automatically when the film is loaded properly 🙂
LikeLike