Minox 35mm: models and features?

Dear Minox-mates,

with other various cameras, I proudly own a 35GT since many years

ago. That's exactly the camera that "you'll have no excuses for not

having with you, when you need it", as A. Spoerl said in a book.

The way I bumped into it is quite stupid: a girl that I used to like

had it when we were 16, thus I thought - as everything that had to do

with her was cool - that it MUST have been the coolest camera of that

kind in the world. Not very smart, but that's how things went.

Fortunately, the 35GT is a cool camera FOR REAL, so I bought

something truly worth having.

Now that I got more rational, I've tried to learn on Minox's official

website something about models, specifics and eras. I couldn't

understand much actually: it seems that historical data are given for

110 systems only. Could someone please recall shortly which models

were produced, and point the differences between them? Was the 35GT

considered the top of the serie?

Marck, see thread:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003HQt<p>

Top of the line is Minox M.D.C followed by GT-E/GT-X/GT-S and

35ML<p>

check out

http://www.submin.com/35mm/collection/minox

Table of detailing the differences and all the manuals on line.

The MDC is an ML with a metal over coat - below the gold or titanium shell is the same body as on the ML/MB cameras. Normally people rate the goldtop as the top of the range with GT-E II, ML and GT-X/GT-S. The GT-S has DX coding and no manual setting for film type. GT-E II has soft touch finish and the GT-X is the 60th Anniversary edition. The 35ML produces results that are stunning. The MDC gold is the most expensive, limited edition, heavy presentation box and of course the gold finish.

MDC is NOT a metal coated ML<p>

MDC is ML style body with titanal coated shell but equipped with GT-E lens MINOXAR 35mm f/2.8; ( ML has Minoctar 35mm f/2.8 lens)

MDC is a metal coated ML

As stated the body is the same, it handles the same. Uses the same flash as the ML/MB. It has the same LED meter and not a swinging needle (as in the GT-E/GSE/GT-X). It has the same AE mode and the same aperture priority mode. The only feature common to the post 1996 models is the lens, presumably because the original lens of the ML was not available in quantity.

"The only feature common to the post 1996 models is the lens, presumably because the original lens of the ML was not available in quantity."<p>

Wrong !<p>

<ul>

<li> 1994 Minox brochure already specified Minox MDC with Minoxar

2.8/35mm lens.

<li> MDC also has a DIFFERENT SHUTTER from ML.

<li> MDC has a different aperture control ring vs ML and GT-E; MDC aperture control ring has click stops, ML/GT-E control ring has no

click stop.

</ul>

In short, MDC has BETTER LENS and BETTER SHUTTER vs ML, that makes

MDC a different and functionally better camera, not simply ML with only cosmetic body enhancement.

<p>

Perhaps some one can show us a picture of MDC camera with a

Color-Minoctar lens ? (Only Minox factory model counts, after market

change does not count )<p>

According to Minox GmbH own characterization, the Minox 35 Goldknopf

was not the flag ship of Minox 35: "With the same specification as the

GT-E, the Minox Goldknopf is designed for those who want that little bit extra". Minox Goldknopf may be more expensive, but the difference

between Goldknopf and GT-E is purely cosmetic<p>

Before the advent of MDC, Minox 35ML was considered as the "show piece" (ie, flagship) of 35mm range<p>

The MDC incorporated all the "sophisticated improvements of the ML(memory lock, Pogramm mode ) with the best lens MC-Minoxar in 35mm range, it is the flagship of Minox 35mm range<div></div>

None of the points you raised show additional common features to the GT-E/GT-X/GT-S cameras.

Although it is odd that the MDC has click stops for aperture settings, that none of the other cameras do this, it is marked the same as that of the ML ring. This is no more interesting, in use, than the lack of the release catch in the MDC to the ML/MB. It may be claimed that the Minoxar lens is better than the Minoctar. My own results of normal use can not make such a claim. Nothing I have seen clearly betters the results from the ML although some results do approach it.

As to shutter, claims that it is different from that used in the ML is not covered in the hand book. Production of the ML continued until after the MDC. The MDC was first produced in Oct 92 and both it and the ML where discontinued in 1995. Over 5000 ML (7171451-7176995) where produced after the introduction of the MDC and only 2328 MDC titan cameras where made (7500001-7502328).

There are differences in the ML between the 1985 camera and the 1995 versions. I do not know if there are important differences in the construction of the cameras over the 177000 production.

Minoxar lens and Minoctar lens show little difference on print film, however, with Kodachrome 64, I feel Minoxar lens produces better contrast<p>

IMO, click stop on aperture control ring is an important technical

improvement on the MDC, it makes the aperture ring less likely be

accidentally shifted without the photographer's knowledge<p>

The aperture ring on my Leitz Summitar 50/2 lens for IIIc has no click stop,

consequently, I found the aperture on this lens quite often shifted away from my set stop. The aperture ring of Summitar is so smooth,

easily shifted, I have to check the aperture ring very often to

see whether it has shifted<p>

On the other hand, all my Leitz Summicron R 50/2, Summcron R 90/2, Elmarit R 90/2.8, Macro Elmarit R 60/2.8 and Telyt 400/6.8 have click stop aperture ring( half stop clicks )<p>

All my Carl Zeiss T* lenses for Contax SLR has full step click stop<p>

Rollei 35/35s aperture control dial has no click stop, but the aperture dial has a locking latch, every time one changes aperture

this lock must be press down to release the aperture dial. This latch

is the same purpose as click stop: to prevent accidental shift of

preset aperture<p>

Zeiss Ikon Contaflex aperture ring has latch.

Zeiss Ikon Contessa aperture ring has click stop<p>

IMO, the click stop aperture ring on MDC is an important feature,

it is human error prevention device.

I see that Minox' models history is object of debate. No surprise I had no clear ideas about it... :-)

Anyway, is it correct to say that the 35GT was the flagship back in 1981? I took a look at the timeline in the nice website someone gently pointed me to, and it seemed so.

For sure, it's still the camera that fits me best. I'm not interested in programmed exposure, and the "flat top"'s aesthetics of many later models is questionable, IMHO of course... I would still buy the GT, I guess.