The perfection of the legendary Riga Minox
The Minox AX is the culmination of a decades-long tradition that began with the legendary Riga Minox. This tiny but powerful camera, manufactured in Latvia, was once a symbol of innovation and espionage.
The Minox AX closes the circle. The manufacturer set itself the goal of reviving the legacy of the Riga Minox, while at the same time incorporating 55 years of experience.
Minox AX
There is little information about the Minox AX, neither in literature nor on the Internet. This is probably because this camera was only produced in small numbers and is relatively expensive. However, since it is the best purely mechanical Minox of all time, I would like to present it here in detail.
Like the Riga Minox and the Minox A (II, III, IIIs), the Minox AX is a purely mechanical camera without any electronics. A camera straight out of the textbook of precision mechanics. It therefore follows an extremely purist approach, also in relation to the Minox LX and EC models that were current at the time. It’s not an automatic system that takes good photos, but the user.
The dimensions of the Minox A were retained. The already very high quality has been further improved. The latest production methods achieved the highest mechanical precision: every detail is carefully processed and testifies to the highest manufacturing quality. Each of the 250 cameras of the 24 carat gold-plated version underwent an additional final inspection that was even more stringent by Minox standards in order to guarantee flawless function and appearance. It is a camera that you can feel and see. The housing is made of brass due to the gold plating and is easy to hold due to the resulting higher weight of 127 g.
The housing design and the shutter release mechanism were taken over from the Minox LX. The rest of the mechanics and production were largely derived from the Minox BL, which, however, hardly differs from the Minox A.
Three models – one vision
Walter Zapp, the ingenious mind behind the Minox camera, had a revolutionary vision for photography. He dreamed of a camera so small and lightweight that it could be carried virtually anywhere without being noticed, all while delivering exceptional image quality.
Zapp’s vision went beyond mere miniaturization. He envisioned the Minox not merely as a spy camera but as a versatile tool for photographers of all kinds. He sought to create a camera smaller than a cigar and lighter than a lighter, yet capable of producing stunning photographs.
Of the three cameras shown above, the first two were built entirely under his direction. The Minox AX was built 40 years later as the culmination of his vision. Let’s take a closer look at what’s different about this model.
Riga and Minox A revisited
All three cameras have a different lens. While the Riga Minox has a lens with three lenses in three groups, the MINOSTIGMAT, the Minox A has the COMPLAN, a completely new development after the Second World War, with four lenses in three groups. The Minox AX has the MINOX, a newly developed lens from the 1960s. If you are interested in the details, you can find a comprehensive comparison of MINOSTIGMAT and COMPLAN here. What all lenses have in common is a focal length of 15 mm and a fixed aperture of f3.5.
The Minox AX has the same lamella shutter with two lamellas and escapement as the Minox A, quite different from those of the Riga Minox which instead had a one-piece guillotine shutter.
With the Riga and Minox A, the film is always transported when the camera is closed, even if no photo has been taken. This avoids double exposures, but sometimes film is wasted. The Minox AX, like all later Minox models, has a freewheel in the film transport, which avoids this problem.
The control plate for the Minox LX was given a new design, which was adopted for the AX. While the dials on the early models were turned by pressing from above, the dials are now turned from the side. This is why the wheels on the AX are smooth on top and grooved on the side.
The shutter release knob has been widened and moved from the middle to the left to make it easier to reach. The bulge on the counter window has been omitted in order to adapt it to the new design.
Unlike the earlier models, the AX frame counter counts backwards. This has the advantage that you don’t have to remember the film length, but rather set it when inserting the film and then always remove the film at frame zero.
Starting with the Minox A, Zapp had included a lock for the measuring chain and other accessories. This was a very elegant (housing closed when accessories removed) but proprietary solution. The AX has a 1/4” standard tripod thread, so that adapters are no longer needed.
Like the Minox A, the AX has a significantly improved viewfinder compared to the Riga. It has a larger view and a bright frame. All three cameras have the exceptional parallax compensation.
Unlike the Riga, the A (IIIs only) and the AX have a standardized X-contact for connecting a flash unit. It is debatable whether it makes sense to lug around a flash unit for a subminiature camera that is perhaps larger than the camera itself.
Of course, there is also a leather case for the Minox AX. It is designed in exactly the same way as the case for the Minox A. The measuring chain is screwed into the tripod thread. The eyelet in the case is large enough that the threaded part of the chain can be pulled through. This has the big advantage over the Minox A that the AX can also be stored in the case without a chain if you want to.
Conclusion
The Minox AX is more than just a camera. It is a piece of Minox history that has been brought back to life and perfected. It is certainly a collector’s item, but it is also fully suitable for everyday use and takes excellent pictures:
This might also interest you: My Minox A cameras.
