john_shaeffer

I've never used a flash with my Minox, so I can't help much there--but I am sure you can find the information you need at this website:

 

http://www.minoxography.org/index1.html

 

There is a Silver oxide battery that is widely available to replace the original mercury PX 27, and it is probably a store brought version of your scheme using the smaller silver oxide cells:

 

http://www.photobattery.com/PX27.html

 

I've read that the Minox cameras are also capable of very long shutter speeds, on other threads here, although this is not widely known as the long Lomo shutter speeds are. I've had success with night shots with both cameras.

 

I have a Minox 35MB and a Lomo LC-A. The Minox lens is sharper. The Lomo lens is wider, allowing for the famous shoot from the hip technique better than the Minox--the Lomo is easier to hold in one hand to take pics. Set you Minox at f8 and you have a pretty reliable point and shoot camera for available light photos. Both cameras suffer from focus imprecision at distances of less than 5 ft. since they are zone focusers and not made for precise focusing, although the wider Lomo lens helps it a bit in this category.

 

Gee, I thought using a Lomo with a flash was not allowed :).

Canon MC. This camera was produced in 1984. It is smaller than a Lomo LC-A with the flash detached. It has a 35mm f2.8 lens. It is essentially an autofocus, auto advance, auto rewind Olympus XA. One of the best auto focus cameras you can get, if you can find one.

Well, my experience has been that the FF-1 is very rugged and has held up better than the older Minox camera, that I have, that had to be repaired when the focus and lens ring came apart. I can't compare it to the newer Minox cameras and frankly would not spend over $300 (US) for a GTE or GTS. I can't say the FF-1 is a better camera than a new Minox 35, only a better bargain--however, good luck!

The Ricoh ff-1 is actually a better camera than the Minox 35's. The lens is sharper on the ff-1 that I have, compared to my Minox 35MB. The downside of the Ricoh camera, is that it is pretty much an automatic exposure camera, where you cannot determine the speed and vary the aperture, unless you take it off the A setting. Then you are limited to a speed of 1/60th and whatever aperture you set it at. The camera manual stresses that you should leave it on the A setting for all but flash photography to get good results. If you can live within that limit and you can find an ff-1, you will be suprised how good these cameras are.

 

If you like autofocus and a flash built on to virtually the same lens, try an ff-90 or ff-70. Much bigger and heavier, although still allowing you to take one handed photos, you get virtually the same lens performance and a motordrive in the camera. I have a quirky ff-90 I bought on ebay for $5, that is on par with my ff-1 in lens performance. It does tend to act up, now and again, so I am looking for one in a bit nicer shape.