Minox 8x11 camera can close focus to 20 cm, with an object field size of about 10x13.5 cm with an enlargement factor of 12.3x

1: 12 is no macro.

Macro photography is usually reseved for lens capable of 1x to 5x range.

With Minox 8x11, only if the object size is

• 8mm x11mm
• 16x 22mm
• 24x33mm
• 32x44mm
• 40x55mm or any sizes in between

is true Minox macrophotography.

Pictures taken at close range of 20cm with Minox 8x11 is only "close up" , not macro.

Close focus to 1: 12 is common place for 35mm lenses.

This can be clearly demonstrated with example from 35mm: a 50mm lens with close range of 12.3x has a close focus distance of 67 cm, which is no macro at all.

Zeiss Planar 50mm/f1.4 can close focus to 45cm, and that is 1:8, and nobody calls this lens a macro lens.

If you can zoom in on a piece of stamp or coin and fill the frame, that is what Minox macrophotography is all about.

Minox macrophotogrraphy can only be achieved by using afocal attachment lens.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), November 25, 2000