Minox 35 ML
If you just want to see some photographs, skip straight to the results section.
Rollei virtually invented the luxury 35mm ultra-compact camera market with the launch the Rollei 35 in 1966, and it took competitors a little while to respond in force. But when they did this soon became quite a crowded sector. The Minox 35 series of cameras, starting with the 35 EL launched in 1974, is one of the best know examples. These cameras are also the smallest full-frame 35mm cameras ever made. Given that Minox is perhaps even better known for their sub-miniature 8x11mm "spy" cameras, perhaps they had more of a reputation for miniaturisation than most to maintain! The camera featured on this page is the later Minox 35 ML launched in 1985.
Small size is the main selling point of these Mino 35mm camera, as in terms of functionality they are fairly simple beasts. The original 35 EL features focus-by-guessing scale focussing with absolutely no focussing aids at all, and aperture priority automatic exposure with a needle in the viewfinder to indicate what shutter speed the camera has selected. Film is advanced manually with a double stroke of a small thumb lever on the back of the camera.
The 35 ML upped the specification with a choice of aperture priority or fully automatic programmed exposure modes and a top film speed rating of 1600 ISO (the 35 EL maxed out at 800 ISO). Other updates include replacing the needle in the viewfinder to indicate shutter speed with red LED dots, and the use of the much easier to find PX28 battery to replace the PX27 battery used by the 35 EL.
But while these cameras are simple in both concept and operation, they're very impressive when it comes to build quality, and the lens is very sharp (assuming you do a good job guessing the focussing distance!). Film loading is also very easy, though you do have to find somewhere to place the film back which detaches completely from the camera. Also, remember there is no DX coding, so you have to manually set the film speed every time.
And the size is genuinely amazing! Having a full-frame 35mm camera you can easily slip into a jeans pocket is a joy. All the controls you need for day-to-day operations are around the lens, and they're are very small, but easier than you might think to operate. I found the easiest way to use this camera to set the aperture to f/8 and the focussing distance to a little less than 20 feet (i.e. around 5m). When you do this the camera will set the shutter speed and depth-of-field ensures everything from about 8 feet (i.e. 2.5m) to infinity is in focus, you most of the time you can just snap away without worrying about anything! You only need to fiddle with the focus setting for close-ups. Doing this, all my photographs were sharp and perfectly exposed.
| Negative size: | 24x36mm |
|---|---|
| Film: | Standard 35mm cartridges |
| Shutter: | Automatic electronically operated prcision shutter. Speed range from 1/500 to approx 30 sec with ASA 25 / 15 DIN film, to approx. 1 second with ASA 1600 / 33 DIN. Shutter automatically set to 1/30 sec when flash unit is inserted into flash shoe. |
| Shutter release: | Soft action release, locked if front cover is closed or partially open. Cable release socket next to release button. |
| Shutter speed indicator: | LED exposure indication in the view finder (1/30 to 1/500 sec); slow exposure warning (exposure longer than 1/30 sec); over exposure warning (exposure shorter than available 1/500 sec). |
| F-stop setting: | Stepless from f/2.8 to f/16. |
| Lens: | Color-minotar 35mm f/2.8 for element objective; focusing from 0.9m to infinity. Depth of field scale. Lens automatically retracted when front cover is closed. |
| Finder: | Luminous fram viewfinder with built-in exposure indicator. |
| Exposure override: | Switch for doubling exposure time. |
| Self timer: | Self-timer with approx. 10 s countdown. |
| Exposure counter: | Aditive from 0 - 36. Resets automatically to starting position when back cover is removed. |
| Flash contact: | Built into flash shoe. automatic shutter setting to 1/30 sec; X-syncronisation. |
| Tripod socket: | 1/4" thread |
| Battery: | PX 28 |
| Battery test: | Test button; test result visible in viewfinder. |
| Camera housing: | Made of strong fiberglass re-enforced Makrolon. |
| Dimensions: | 100 x 62 x 32 mm |
| Weight: | 180g |
Minox 35 ML results
All these images were shot on Kentmere 400 film (about 5 years beyond it's use by date!).
