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Julian Tanase Photography

My Minox journey continues…

The Minox lightmeter

The Minox lightmeter

My first Minox light meter came together with my first Minox A/IIIs camera, both in excellent working condition, purchased from Steve of SWSsec.com (RIP, Steve). Purchased in 1998, I took it with me everywhere and got very good results out of it. Coupled with good film and the Minox A/IIIs camera, was a working tool which did its job and beyond. I still have it, and although it is 1/2 stop slower than 20 yrs ago when bought, it still is fighting its battles when it’s needed. Not using them little jewels much these days, though.

During the years, I have acquired another 3 of these meters, all working, but none was found to be 100% cell-fresh. All are reading either 1/2 or 1 full stop, but they are usable of course. Just have to remember to adjust my shutter speeds accordingly. The cases are a beautiful thing, with higher prices for colors such as green, red, pig skin (yellow). The brown and black are the most usual ones to be found.

Using one couldn’t be easier: put the meter to your eye and look through the viewfinder as you would do with a Minox camera (the prism is similar in both). While looking at the object to be metered, press the button of the meter hold it for a few secs and release it. Then have a look onto the meter’s scale to read the required shutter speed for that situation. As said, easy.

The background of Minox meter is a brief one: introduced in 1951, as a companion to the (then) new model of Minox A, it took the world by surprise: the smallest light meter at only 53/30/18 mm. It was initially manufactured by Gossen, hence the name on the first model, MinoSix (Minox and Sixtus, the then flag meter produced by Gossen).

Starting 1954, Minox decided to go their own way and started to manufacture their own meter, getting the needed parts from elsewhere. Production appears to continue after the introduction of the Minox B, around 1960. Usually they were sold only with the companion Minox camera.

As said, I rarely use one these days. No particular reason for it, but with years came a better understanding of the light and a better reading of it. No need for a light meter these days, and if I need it, Sunny 16 is there to assist.

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