Minox 35 MB |
![]() |
![new](/nouveautes_eng.png)
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1985 to 1988.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 9917
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 |
|||||
35 GT | ![]() |
1981 | 35 GL + Timer Backlight compensation |
|||||
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 |
|
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 __________
Le Minox 35 MB is, in a way, a modernization of the 35 GT. Its design is a bit different, but technically, it offers a wider sensitivity range. The mercury battery of the 35 GT is replaced by a lithium or silver oxide battery. Minox had anticipated the ban on the importation of mercury batteries into Europe starting in 1991.
The battery charge control in the viewfinder takes the form of a light signal instead of using the speed needle. Speeds and overexposure are also indicated by the illumination of a light point.
![Minox 35 MB](../../minox/images/Minox_35_MB.jpg)
Interesting links or bibliography :
Add a link or element of bibliography, a picture taken with this camera, a picture of box or an ads about this camera
Your photos taken with the same camera:
Cameras from Ebay France (Minox) (Uploaded each 3 hours)
![]() MINOX Lot 3 Appareils Photo Argentiques 35GT 35 EL GT-E Vintage Notice Coque I35 33,50 euros / 9 enchères ![]() Finira le 18-08-2024 à 18:34:01 | ![]() APPAREIL PHOTO ARGENTIQUE MINOX CD 70 objectif Minoctar 35-70mm 60,00 euros Finira le 19-08-2024 à 10:27:15 | ![]() Boite étui coffret Minox 35 PL - très bon état 12,00 euros Finira le 20-08-2024 à 09:01:52 | ![]() Minox B appareil photo collection espion avec accessoires 249,00 euros Finira le 23-08-2024 à 18:06:29 | ![]() APPAREIL PHOTO MINOX 35 PL AVEC ÉTUI 34,00 euros Finira le 23-08-2024 à 18:42:15 | ![]() Minox C Photo Appareil Photo Caméra - 15mm 1:3 .5 en boite 129,00 euros Finira le 25-08-2024 à 18:21:46 | ![]() Notices appareils photo argentiques Nikon Olympus Canon Leica Exakta Minox… 49,00 euros Finira le 26-08-2024 à 00:31:54 |