Minox 35 PE |
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Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1982 to (After) 1982.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 12777
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Minox
The Minox 35 has left its mark on the history of photography, thanks to its photographic qualities, compactness, and silhouette. The latter is interesting as it has been preserved regardless of the model, over more than 25 years of existence. But to whom do we owe this?
Searching through patents filed by Minox leads to nothing concrete. However, patent No. 4,365,884 filed by Minox on May 21, 1981 (published in December 1982) provides a starting point for the research. This patent, with inventor Helmut Knapp, concerns a camera with a retractable lens. The illustrations show a profile resembling that of a Minox 35.
However, the filing date is very late compared to the release of the first Minox 35 (1974). To uncover more details, it is necessary to delve into the patent and discover that it references two Japanese patents. Both of these patents, dating from 1981, were filed by Ricoh as early as 1978 and 1979. The inventor is Fumihiro Miyagawa (No. 4,264,172 and No. 4,277,157).
Both patents precisely depict the structure of a camera with a flap and a retractable lens. In turn, they lead us to an earlier patent, No. 2,404,687, filed in February 1974 and published in August 1975 by Krull & Co GmbH Ernst, with Hans Werner Johannsen as the inventor. This patent is peculiar as it mentions Krull & Co GmbH Ernst as the applicant, except in one place where an amendment refers to Minox.
The explanation is that Krull & Co was an engineering firm that contracted with Minox for the development of a new camera, the future Minox 35. It pertains to a folding camera with a retractable lens connected to the flap. The drawings in this patent are less suggestive.
To summarize, in the absence of prior patents before the first Minox patent in 1974: Krull, working for Minox, conceives a camera concept with a flap and a retractable lens. Ricoh later improves the technical aspects of this concept. Minox subsequently refines other technical aspects.
The manufacturing and machining were entrusted to Balda, as Minox had no experience in plastic manufacturing. This also explains the resemblance between the Balda CE 35 and CA 35 cameras and the Minox 35.
Model | Lens | Exposure | Shutter | Iso | Battery | Misc. | ||
35 EL | ![]() |
1974 | Color-Minotar1 2.8/35 mm |
Aperture Priority | 1/30 to 1/500 |
25 to 800 ASA |
PX 27 | Speed in viewfinder |
35 GL | ![]() |
1979 | 35 EL + Backlight compensation |
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35 GT | ![]() |
1981 | 35 GL + Timer Backlight compensation |
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35 PL | ![]() |
1982 | Program | 4 to 1/500 |
25 to 400 ASA |
PX 27 | 35 GT, Automatic Exposure | |
35 PE | ![]() |
1982 | 35 PL + flash | |||||
35 MB | ![]() |
1985 | Aperture Priority | 1 to 1/500 |
25 to 1600 ISO |
PX 28 | 35 GT + Different Design | |
35 ML | ![]() |
1985 | Aperture Priority or Program |
1 to 1/500 |
25 to 1600 ISO |
PX 28 | 35 MB + Program | |
35 AL | ![]() |
1987 | Color-Minar1 4/35 mm |
Aperture Priority | 1 to 1/300 |
100 to 400 ISO |
PX 27 | Fixfocus Existing in white |
35 AF | ![]() |
1988 | Minoxar 3.5/32 mm |
1/30 to 1/500 |
10 to 800 ISO |
LR44 | Autofocus, no flap | |
35 GSE | 1988 | Color-Minotar 2.8/35 mm |
Program | 1/30 to 1/500 |
25 to 1600 ISO |
CR 1/3 N | ||
35 GT-E | ![]() |
1988 | MC Minoxar 2.8/35 mm |
Aperture Priority | 1/30 to 1/500 |
25 to 1600 ISO |
CR 1/3 N | 35 GT + Filtre skylight filter |
35 MDC | ![]() |
1992 | Aperture Priority or Program |
4 to 1/500 |
25 to 1600 ISO |
PX 28 | Made of aluminum, covering Titanum | |
35 GT-X | ![]() |
1995 | Aperture Priority | 1/8 to 1/500 |
25 to 320 ISO |
CR 1/3 N | 35 GT-E + DX |
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35 GT-E II | 1998 | Aperture Priority | 1/30 to 1/500 |
25 to 1600 ISO |
CR 1/3 N | 35 GT-E + different design | ||
35 GT-S | 1998 | Aperture Priority | 1/30 to 1/500 |
25 to 3200 ISO |
CR 1/3 N | Silver grey |
14 lens __________
The Minox 35 PE is primarily characterized by the presence of a built-in flash, whereas often, on other contemporary cameras, the flash is a detachable accessory. The downside of this formula is directly visible here, challenging the engineers' efforts in miniaturization. The compactness of the camera is noticeably reduced, and the ergonomics of the object remain questionable.
Technically, it is based on the 35 PL model, presented simultaneously at the 1982 Photokina. The presence of the flash induces some minor adaptations. When the flash is on, the camera shutter automatically switches to 1/90. A yellow LED lights up in the viewfinder and on the top of the camera to indicate the flash's power-up.
A fun anecdote: the various versions of MINOX can be spotted from a distance by the color of their shutter release button. The green color was reserved for the Minox 35 PE!
![Minox 35 PE](../../minox/images/minox_35_pe.jpg )
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