I just purchased a C4 flash-cube adapter for my Minox C. Is there a distance/shutter speed scale that is commonly used? I read a recent post in this forum where it may be possible to simply rely upon the automatic setting, assuming that the shutter will correctly close when the appropriate amount of light hits the meter. Has anyone experimented with this?

Also, will any flash-cube work with this adapter. I see the name maji-cube used when referring to this piece of gear. Is there a difference? Thanx in advance...! What a fantastic resource this forum is...!

-- Robert Butler (rbutler@tlxnet.net), April 23, 1999

Answers

The bulb flash sync shutter speed on mechanical Minox is about 1/30 sec. Minox TLX,LX , and EC has a separate flash setting beside the "A"utomatic setting, Minox C has only A setting, so whether the flashcube really works automatically on C is a question. I have a few flashcubes and an EC adapter, but no C4 adapter, so I cannot try it out.

Each flash cube contains four small AG1 type bulbs, but smaller, so you can use the guide number of AG1 as a starting point. Clear AG1 bulb has a guide number about 140 feet for ISO 100 film, blue ones at 80 feet. Flashcube at about half of these numbers. Only flashcubes (such as the ones made by General Electric ) works with the adapter, not the magic cube or X flash cube. Magi cubes do not use battery power but rely on mechanic trigger, and do not work with the Minox adapter; the key of magic cube is too big to fit into the Minox adapter.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), April 23, 1999.

The sales brochure for the LX listed the automatic exposure feature with flash cubes, when used on the flash setting, as being an improved LX feature. Whether or not the C actually will do a flash autoexposure is a good question. The LX synch speed is 1/30 sec. on the flash setting. The speed you should use for synch on the C is also 1/30 sec. As flash bulbs have a much longer flash time than electronic flashes, the C may very well be able to do an autoexposure when using bulbs.

-- Michael J. Vorrasi (MVorr99@aol.com), April 29, 1999.