Characteristics of self timer on Minox 35mm cameras

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 15, 2000

Answers

Response to About Minox 35mm camera self timer

There are many types of self timer on 35mm camera:

1. Self return resettalbe timer. The V setting on COMPUR/ Pronto mechanical shutter is self returning . The V lever must be set everytime you want to activate the self timer, after the shutter is released, the self timer lever automatically goes back to original position.
2. Stopable but not cacellable. COMPUR/PRONTO self timer can be stop, but not cancelled, ie, after you set time timer, press the shutter release button, you suddenly decide to stop the self timer, you can pull the lever back to neutral position X, the self timer will be cut short, and the shutter will release immediately, but there is no way you can stop the shutter/
3. Non self return, but cacellable. For example, the self timer on Olympus XAII, you pull a lever at the bottom of the caemra to set the self timer; after thhe shot, the level does not return to original position, you can continue in self timer mode. But after you press the shutter release, you can cancel the self timer by quickly return the self timer lever to original position, the flashing red LED will stop. You can press the shutter release button again to activate the shutter( no delay ). Many 35mm SLR has similar non self return but cacellable timer.
4. Non self return, not cacellable. Minox 35ML. Once you activate the timer, there is no way you can cut it short or stop it.
5. Non self return, can be cut short but not cancel: Minox GT-E, you can cut short the timer but reset the 2x switch, the shutter will activate immediately. But you cannot cancel the shutter

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 15, 2000.

Response to About Minox 35mm camera self timer

On Minox G series and M series 35mm cameras, remember to reset the 2x switch after use, unless you want to keep shooting in delay mode. that is one thing I sometimes forget to too. After taking a self timer picture, I closed the camera, forgot to reset the 2x timer. Next time when I press the shutter release, oops, there is no "click" , is the shutter not working ? I turned over the camera, looked at the flashing red LED, ah ! I forgot to reset the timer ! Some time I end up taking a blury head picture of myself ! The best thing to do with Minox 35mm camera when you forget to reset the shutter but pressed the shutter release, is to hold the camera steady pointing at the subject and wait till the shutter activates.

Yeah, you can stop the GT-E or 35ML shutter in delay mode by quickly close the front cover. But in doing so you have voided a frame. When you reopne the Minox, and press the shutter, there will be no action. The shutter had being cancelled and voided, you have to advance to next frame.

Note. In no delay mode, after you double clock the film advance lever, if you decide not to take the picture, you may close the camera. The next time you open the camera, you can press the shutter release to take picture. But you cannot advance film without release the shutter.

The GT-E has its self timer 2x switch at top of the camera, this helps to prevent people from forgetting to reset the timer. 35ML has its 2x timer swith at the back of camera.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 15, 2000.

I guess this is a typo? At least on my GT the "2x" switch means overexposure by one f-stop. The timer-release switch is the one with the "T". As for the rest: I have got a few blurry self-portraits, too.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), April 12, 2000.

Thanks Thomas for the correction.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), April 13, 2000.