Minolta's 2.6x APS zoom compact — 25-65mm aspheric lens, C/H/P formats; APS film discontinued.
The Vectis 260 was a compact APS zoom camera from Minolta's Vectis range, released around 2000 as the Advanced Photo System line matured. Its name signalled the 2.6x zoom ratio, placing it above the fixed-lens and 2x models on the point-and-shoot side of the family.
The lens was a 25-65mm f/4.3-10.4 zoom — roughly 31-81mm in 35mm terms — incorporating a double-sided aspheric glass element. Programmed auto-exposure ran shutter speeds from 7.3 seconds to 1/500, film speeds from ISO 25 to 3200 were read from the cartridge, and the flash offered autoflash with red-eye reduction, night-portrait and landscape/night-view modes. It weighed about 170g and allowed C, H or P print-format selection per frame.
It made a capable travel and family camera in its day, with usefully long reach for the class, though the small maximum apertures at the tele end mean flash or fast film indoors. Handling is typical late-90s point-and-shoot: mostly automatic with minimal user control.
APS film ceased production in 2011, so the Vectis 260 shoots only expired stock and many examples now sell as collectables or props. Working buyers should check that the camera powers on, the zoom extends smoothly and the flash charges; a fresh battery is usually needed just to test it.