Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 18:50:00 -0500
Reply-To: MARTIN TAI <martin.tai@w....>
Sender: The Subminiature Photography Mailing List <SUBMINI-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
From: MARTIN TAI <martin.tai@W....>
Organization: Westonia Computer Systems of Canada
Subject: Minox A vs Minox II/III/IIIs
Mechanically Minox A for European market were the same
as Minox II/III/IIIs for USA.
But externally there are two major distinctions
scale and roman numeral stamp
SCALE WETZLAR ROMAN NUMERAL
Minox A meter YES/NO NONE
Minox II feet YES II
Minox III feet YES III
Minox IIIs feet YES/NO III
(Late model A / IIIs dropped the Wetzlar )
Since in Europe, there were no external distinction
between the different variants of Minox A, they were all
known as Minox A.
When exporting to USA, Minox GMBH stamped the "Feet"
Minox with II /III/ IIIs in addition to the Wetzlar, supposely
to guard against "grey market ".
Very few Metric Minox A were exported to USA, except
a black Minox A ( not Wetzlar no Roman numeral ), hence
quite rare.
IMO, at the time of Minox II, III, IIIs, the Minox A
in Europe probably was called simply Minox, without the
'A'. Only after Minox B came out, the 'A' was added
retroactively, (as Mike pointed out.)
When Minox B came out, Minox GMBH stop using
different designations for Europe/ USA, otherwise we would
end up with Minox B vs Minox IV Minox V !
Martin Tai
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 1996 19:57:00 -0500
Reply-To: MARTIN TAI <martin.tai@westonia.com>
Sender: The Subminiature Photography Mailing List
<SUBMINI-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
From: MARTIN TAI <martin.tai@WESTONIA.COM>
Organization: Westonia Computer Systems of Canada
Subject: Missing hyperfocal point on IIIs
In a previous message, I pointed out in LATE model of Minox A
or Minox IIIs, there was an extra dot between B and 2 on the
speed scale.
It is interesting to note that on EARLY Minox IIIs, the
red dot between Infinity and 2 meter (or 6 feet ) indicating
hyperfocal distance was missing.
In Riga-Minox, there was no dot between infinity and
2 meters.
The red dot on Minox IIIs appeared since 1995.
When you see a Minox A or Minox IIIs, if there is no
hyperfocal point, it indicates that camera is a pre-1955
product.
Martin Tai
|