Minox Cameras

Minox was invented, and developed by Walter Zapp whom in his life struggled to develop the Minox brand, had similar faith to Steve Jobs.  Inventors have a small place in the business world because they get entangled by their vision. Most inventors like the inventor of sewing machine, the barbed wire, and zipper didn’t live long enough to see the results of their life efforts. Walter Zapp was forced out of the company, working as a freelance designer with just enough pay to get by. He returned to his company in 1985, at age 80 after the company had serious drop in sales.

If Oscar Barnack was the inventor of 35 mm photography, Walter Zapp was certainly the inventor of the minature camera. No other miniature camera comes close to the Minox design. Minox is simply built like a pocket watch, filled with micromechanics that would dwarf Olympus OM-1 parts by at least two folds.

Minox design is like Apple's iPhone. There are so many inspirations from Dieter Rams in this camera (both German). The original cameras had shiny stainless steel bodies (top) but later Minox found its way to satin finish design (below). There are of course black bodies as well but semi shiny satin finish. The electronic version (right) had built-in exposure meter, and aperture priority auto exposure. The shutter had electronic release, and did not work without batteries. Many of the accessories that fit on Minox A body would not fit on this camera because the lens position had shifted along its longer body.

Minox repair is very specialized. If it's electronic, it can be so easily destroyed with ESD if you are not strapped to an ESD safe working mat. The shutter blades in minox A is also easy to damage if it's your first time disassembling it.

Disassembling Minox LX (left) reveals tits shutter blades and tension springs. Minox has two super thin shutter blades that run horizontally in front of the lens.

During the charging operation by closing, and reopening of camera's main body, both blades are pulled to the side of the camera.

During shutter release, each blade is released electronically to make the exposure. The design is so simple, while its execution is complex to deliver a full range of shutter speeds from 1 to 1/500 of a second plus B.

From design perspective, all the operations inside Minox, like its built-in filter slider, shutter, and film advance (via charging rack assembly, left) are arranged to operate in a linear horizontal fashion to work within its slim elongated body.

Not an easy repair!