Talk:Minox

Comments
The "current" versions of the Minox (that is, those made over the last 50 years or so) with Complan and Minox lenses, do not have a curved film plane. The film is held flat.

I'm not going to alter this at this time, because it would require more than a minor edit. This page is pretty much a stub, anyway, and needs a comprehensive revision/enhancement by a Minox expert.

WilliamSommerwerck 19:25, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

I must disagree. The Complan lens in my IIIs has a curved pressure plate. A description of the pressure plates--with photos--can be found here. I've read elsewhere two different explanations for this curvature. 1) It was easier to grind a lens with sufficient clarity to the far left and right edges. 2) Bent into an arc, the emulsion is stiffer and optically "flatter." KarlWK (talk) 05:40, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

Needs a better introduction.
The article immediately starts off into history, hardly even explaining what the subject is. TheOtherSiguy 16:24, 16 September 2007 (UTC)

This was corrected a few weeks ago. KarlWK (talk) 05:40, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

Split this Article?
The Minox camera was made before there was a Minox company. This article combines both subjects. When time (after mid-2008) and interest permits, I will split it into two parts, one for the cameras derived from Zapp's original designs and one for the German company which formed after the war to produce it again. KarlWK (talk) 05:40, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

As it was Zapp and Jurgen who created the West German company Minox GmbH in 1948 and produced in West Germany Riga cameras made from parts taken from Vef during the War and the Minox A was designed by Zapp there is not a sensible split as you suggest. Gerald McMullon 6 January 2008 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.127.71.150 (talk) 13:40, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

They are intertwined, yes, but The Minox camera is the 8x11 series. I still feel these warrant a separate article from Minox GmbH and the other products it introduced. KarlWK (talk) 23:34, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

Rollei MiniDigi
The MiniDigi isn't a Minox product as far as I can tell - it's actually produced and marketed by Rollei in Japan, and Minox merely remarketed it in Europe. Rollei offer red and black versions and have just announced a new 5.0Mp version (3.2Mp sensor, square), Minox offered the red as a premium "Limited Edition" through Lufthansa. The DCC M3 does appear to be a Minox product, though it's vastly inferior to their miniature film cameras and is crudely "developed" from an off the shelf reference design. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.148.189.133 (talk) 15:15, 22 March 2008 (UTC)

what's "Office of Strategic Services"
it might be worth adding to "Office of Strategic Services" reference that it is (was) an "United States intelligence agency" - i had to click around to figure that out

I strongly disagree. The articles refers to it as the US Office of Strategic Services, and said reference is immediately preceded by the sentence, It also attracted the attention of intelligence agencies in America, Britain and Germany, due to its small size and macro focusing ability.

I submit that you did not need to click around to figure that out, you needed only to pay closer attention.--Patronanejo (talk) 23:11, 22 November 2012 (UTC)

Document duplication
In the Spy Camera section, there is a sentence which I do not find to be self-explanatory...
 * An 18-inch (460 mm) measuring chain was provided with most Minox cameras, which enabled easy copying of letter-sized documents.

...does not suggest how such an item might be used, or how it might ease the duplication of printed documents.

I realise of course that a chain can be easily compacted, requiring only gravity to reach full extension. I can only imagine that eighteen inches is the nearest focal distance at which the area of A4 paper is fully within frame? I'm not asking for a diagram, just a cursory explanation of the significance of that distance. --Patronanejo (talk) 22:46, 22 November 2012 (UTC)

This portion of the text is incorrect, according to my understanding. The chain provided with the camera (for sale in those countries not using the Metric System) was two feet in total length, with brass beads strategically placed at 8", 10", 12", and 18" to assist the user in close focusing, for photographing documents, for example, or still-life portraits. Alpine Joy (talk) 10:04, 12 July 2014 (UTC)

Pronunciation
I don't know whether this article needs German IPA transcription ([ˈmiːnoks]?) or English ([ˈmiːnəks]?).--Carnby (talk)♀

Disambiguation Needed for Complan (Lens)
A disambiguation section is needed to disambiguate "Complan".

The article discusses the "Complan Lens", but incorrectly links to the Wikipedia entry for the British food company Complan.

I do not know if this company was once involved in making camera lenses.

Alpine Joy (talk) 10:10, 12 July 2014 (UTC)

Categories
Added this article to Category:Estonian inventions and Category:Latvian inventions, as the prototype was forged in Estonia in collaboration with people from both Estonia and Latvia. Per this article, the serial manufacture of the device took place in Latvia. - Mardus /talk 14:32, 19 October 2016 (UTC)

Prices?
Can anyone supply what the original selling prices were? It would be interesting to see what it cost to be a spy :-) BMJ-pdx (talk) 04:41, 8 November 2022 (UTC)