Minox B, light meter

Hi,

Have just managed to pick up a Minox B, (wanted one since I first saw a spy +

documents etc) and am unsure if the built in meter is functioning correctly.

I know they're running on a selenium cell and that these don't last forever,

(similar setup on my Zenit EM), however never experiencing one failing I

wondered if they tend to fail immediately or is it a gradual thing?

mine does read light input but doesn't seem to compare well to my Leningrad 4.

Assuming that there is a potential fault, can anyone recommend a reliable and

trustworthy Minox specialist to service the camera and (hopefully) repair the

meter, (I know they're a sealed unit otherwise I'd have a go myself but wouldn't

want to butcher such a beautiful piece of engineering)

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

Here is a link http://www.butkus.org/chinon/minox/chart02.jpg to an exposure guide for the Minox. The meter on my Minox B does not seem to coincide with my other cameras, yet it exposes the film perfectly. Run a roll through your camera and see what it does.

The meter is a selenium meter, which means that the sensing element itself generates an electrical current when light strikes it. This is as opposed to CDS meters, which are powered by batteries, and the sensing element controls the amount of current that floows through it.

 

This all results in a (selenium) meter that can gradually lose its function. This happens when the meter element is exposed to light, so it is theoretically possible for a Minox B to be stored in absolute darkness for years and not lose any of its function or accuracy.

 

That said, these are old cameras, my Minox B included, and I do not depend on its meter for exposure calculations after all these years. It was great in 1971, but those days are gone.

 

Don Goldberg, otherwise referred to as "DAG" in these forums (fora?), services Minox and can restore it to full functionality. It may require a replacement of the element. It'll cost a bit, but contact him and get his base price.