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-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 14, 1999
What's in a name? As manufacturers of precision-engineered optical systems,
we, at Minox, decided that our name should encapsulate our philosophy
completely - and that in a word, is miniaturization. in fact in the
mini-field we're rather a maxi-name. producing the smallest 8x11 camera,
the smallest 35mm viewfinder camera and the smallest telescope
to be found anywhere in the world.
But to be honest, the name of our game isn't lust miniaturization.
With a Minox system you get high-definition optics combined
with straightforward, no-nonsense handling and extreme reliability.
Perhaps our best-known product is Prince Philip's 8x11 Minox,
which has already seen more than twenty years of loyal service.
And that's nothing unusual for a Minox. Our concept is to tuck as
much technology as necessary into a body that's as small as
possible - which means that you end up with a system that's
extremely sturdy and robust. But don't get the idea that we're misers.
We' re just very thrifty about how much electronic
gadgetry to install in our equipment. Nor are we discounting
the virtues of autofocus - or auto-anything else, for that matter.
We' re simply asking how virtuous your camera needs to be.
Because one thing is clear. The really good photo ultimately
depends on your talents, not on those of an automated machine
wherever you happen to be shooting. And that basically, is why
we believe that nobody needs more camera than a Minox.
----- 1995 Minox brochure
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 14, 1999.
I still need other cameras in particular SLRs. But I do find myself using more and more Minoxs. In many cases, Minox is the only camera I bring along. For example, I would be rather odd to carry a bulky SLR on the shoulder while taking a walk, going shopping or golfing etc.In one instance, as father of the bride, although we hired professionals to to the photos and videos, by I still like to take some pictures myself, I could only put a smallest EC in my tux.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 15, 1999.
I read somewhere that famous photographer Henri Cartier Bresson uses Leica with a standard 50mm lens most of the times. I am not HCB, I like to use all kinds of cameras, but somehow I find that Minox with its one lens does help me to take better pictures. Instead of changing lens or zooming, I walk closer or further, and compose more carefully. Walking around the subject also help me to look at the subject from different perspectives and angles.
-- Fred Mason (Fredm@starnet.com), July 15, 1999.
MINOX EC BROCHURE
By now almost everybody knows the Minox people as experts in producing tiny cameras. But you will hardly believe your eyes when you see the ultra-minute 1.8 x 3 x 8 cm (0.7 x 1.2 x 3.15 inch) Minox EC. Once you pick up this matte black little object you gratefully realize that it is a camera. A Minox, to be precise. In fact, one that disappears inside your closed fist, or in your trouser pocket, handbag or shirt pocket - or wherever else you want to make a disappear. It's feather-light at 45 g, though we must admit that with a battery and a film the Minox EC turns the scale at 58 g or a tiny shade over 2 ounces a slightly bigger feather. On the one hand the Minox EC is a smart little item that you will enjoy carrying for the fun of it. On the other, it is still more fun to pull the Minox EC from any pocket for picture taking. For it is an up-to-date 8 x II mm Minox format camera with 4-element lens and electronic exposure automation - a good camera for good pictures. The moment you pull the camera open - with Minox's famous push-pull transport - you notice the supreme Minox precision. Everything fits together like a glove. Once the minox EC is open you can observe as features. Let's start with the lens. Every element is individually ground and polished by Minox. You appreciate how important that is by the time you look at your first pinsharp Minox EC prints. For easiest-ever picture taking with the Minox EC, our engineers gave the EC lens a fixed-focus setting and fixed aperture. You set neither distance nor lens stops. Yet - thanks to the short 15 mm focal length and f/5.6 aperture - everything is sharp from 1 m or 3'/2 A to infinity. Nor do you set shutter speeds. The Minox designers built electronic exposure automation into the EC. This sets the correct exposure according to subject brightness and him speed from 1/500 second to (with 25 ASA) 8 seconds. By now you should have a fairly good idea of how to shoot with a Minox EC: Pull the camera open, look through the brightline finder and press the button. Only when exposure times get longer than 1/30 second, a small red light in the finder warns of camera shake. Indoors you better use a flash. There is a special Minox electronic "8 x II flash", or the FE 4 flash cube adapter. They match the size of the tiny Minox EC. Loading the Minox EC, like all 8 x 11 mm Minox ultraminiatures, is child's play. For Minox 8 x11 mm films come in dual cartridges. You have a choice of 25 ASA to 400 ASA black-andwhite film and colour print him for 36 or 15 exposures - and also colour slide film for 36 exposures. Needless to say, the push-pun movement of the Minox advances the film. When open - as on the big double-spread picture inside this leaflet the Minox EC is ready to shoot Pushed closed (as on the front page), its matte black shell hides everything: the lens, finder, frame counter, release button, exposure automation/flash/ battery test switch, the film speed scale and its setting shaft - all inside the shell, like a tortoise. Technical data Type: Minox EC ultraminiature camera. Film transport: Push-pull rapid transport - only operates after releasing the shutter. Film pressure plate: Pressure lifts during him transport and film changing. Shutter: Electronically controlled leaf shutter, 1/5~ to 8 seconds (at 25 ASA~ Meter cell: CdS cell. Film speeds: Stepless adjustment from 25 to 400 ASA (15 to 27 DIN Light signal :Red LED for slow-speed warning (longer than 1/30 second) and battery check. Lens: 15 mm Minox 4-element fixed-focus f/5.6 lens, depth of field from 1 m (31/2 ft) to infinity. Lens hood: Built in. Finder: Brightline finder. Frame counter: Counts back from 36 to 0 or 15 to 0, adjustable by milled button. Flash: Special connection for Minox 8 x 11 flash, or FE 4 flash cube adapter. Size: 1.8 x 3 x 8 cm (0.7 x 1.2 x 3~5 inches) Weight: 56 g with battery, without film. Manufactured by Minox GmbH, Postfach 6020, D-6300 Giessen 1 West Germany.
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-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 19, 1999.
Why Minox uses 'ultraminiature' instead of the more common 'subminiature' in the above document ?
-- peter Resnick (pr3873a@frontedge.com), July 20, 1999.
peter, the term "ultraminiature" fits the characteristics of Minox 8x11 caemra better, as Minox indeed makes the world's smallest camera at present. There was smaller camera, such as Steky, but they were long extinct. On the other hand, "subminature" covers too wide a field from 126, 110, half frame, tessina, 16mm, etc, and great number of other extinct species,. A "subminiaturist" is most likely a 16mm guy, not a Minoxer.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 21, 1999.