Minox 35mm camera is not fragile, but is delicate and , imo, should be handled accordingly.

1. First of all, use the correct battery. Some people use the wrong battery, it works for some time, then the shutter quit. These guys blames the camera.
2. Don't close the camera with shutter tensioned. For camera with mechanical shutter like COMPUR or PRONTO, the bulky main spring can stand the long time tension. For Minox, avoid such treatment.
3. You need a light touch to turn the aperture ring.
4. In winter time, do not let your Minox 35 stay long in the cold, close it (un cocked ) and put into warm pocket immediately. Otherwise the shutter may freeze, causing stress.
5. Prevent heat. In hot places (like desert etc) , careful not to expose you camera to high temperature. Dont left camera expose in tropical sun for long time.
6. If you don't use the camera for some period of time, take out the battery.
7. Always carry you Minox in either a belt case or Eveready case to protect it from dust. Dust is biggest enemy of camera. If you simple tug your camera in pocket, lint and dust surely will find its way into the inards of your camera, clogging the shutter, clogging the meter and what not.

Also, imo, you need to send you camera in for maintenance regularly after the warranty expired. Any one driving a car for years without maintenance ?

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 19, 2000

Answers

Good points, Martin. I routinely release the shutter before shelving most of my cameras. I also store the batteries individually in plastic film containers to deter discharging when contacting "clutter". I would also discourage storing cameras in leather or cheap vinyl bags for great lengths of time. These bags release chemicals that bond or contaminate glass & plastic etc.

-- Jeff Drew (jdrew@westlandbank.com), February 22, 2000.

Jeff has a good point. Leather attracts moisture and fungus. If you want to store your Minox for long period of time, put it in a airtight ziplog bag with a pack or two of dried selica gel moisture absorber.

No Extra Attachment to the Minoxar/Minoctar Lens

Some Minox 35mm camera users like to attach extra accesories on the lens. IMO, it is a no no. Things like Cokin filter holder etc are for full size camera. Use them at your own risk.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 24, 2000.

Use Ultra Long Exposure at Your Own Risk

Some Minox 35 camera users like to use Minox GT-E for very long exposure far beyond the specified operation limit for Minox GT- E ( 8 sec).

Minox MDC allows longest exposure time only 1 sec.

I think it is a very bad habit to use GT-E exceed its designed limt.

AFAIK, the GT- E shutter has a solenoid which controls the opening time of the shutter, the longer the shutter is in open state, the longer the current drives through the solenoid, which of course generates heat and stress.

When some one forces the shutter to remain open for a long long time( by operating in very dark situation) it is like force open the doors of elevator doors, the longer you hold the door open, the more stress on the muscles--- the same holds true for the solenoid in the camera. More stress, more break down.

Simply put, a 30 sec abuse of 'long exposure' on GT-E shutter, the stress is equivalent to about three thousand 1/125 exposure.

So, if you do a lot of these 'long exposure' beyond the specified limit, there is no question that your camera will go to repair shop very ofen, because the camera was misused-- you are literally toasting the camera shutter.

More often then not, when people endulge in such kind of abuse and greatly shorten the life of solenoid and toasted the camera, they blame the camera. This is a typical 'OPF' ( other people's fault) syndrome.

One the other hand, I do think in next upgrade, Minox engineering department should put a timeout circuit to limit the shutter opening time to 8 sec or less, then immediately cut off the current to the solenoid to prevent overload and makes the camera 'idiot proof' like many other P&S cameras.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), March 06, 2000.

martin.tai@capcanada.com

-- pauline (kiana_trader@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.