Sources
of information..
(Gerald McMullen's huge private collection, the No.1 internet sub-miniature camera reference website!)
(Matin Doctors's huge private collection, many interesting pictures & stories)
Minox Photo competitions
Japan Minox Club
Minox Historical Society USA (defunct?)
(Massive
private collection of
museum quality, and as far as I know the only true Minox
Museum?)
Worth a visit [photo (c)Minoxmuseum.nl]
Minox Museum (Germany)
Camera Auctions
Ebay.com & Ebay.de
(While ebay.com is the first place to look, a lot of Minox items are only traded through the german website)
Westlicht (Viena, Austria)
(famous vintage camera auction house, always have rare Minox items on offer)
Auction Team Breker (Cologne, Germany)
(very cool auction house, specialising in technical, mechanical toys, intruments and cameras)
Foto Rahn (Frankfurt, Germany)
(big camera dealer and vintage camera auctions)
LP Foto (Stockholm, Sweden)
(big camera dealer and vintage camera auctions)
(offshoot ofTamarkin, focusing on vintage camera auctions)
Peter Loy (London, UK)
(frequently stocks Minox cameras and early VEF Minox Riga cameras)
MW Classic (London, UK)
(frequently stocks Minox cameras and early VEF Minox Riga cameras)
Rocky Cameras (Dorset, UK)
(sometimes stocks Minox cameras and early VEF Minox Riga cameras)
Setadel Studios (Toronto, Canada)
(frequently stocks Minox cameras and early VEF Minox Riga cameras)
Pacific Rim (Salem, Oregon USA)
(sometimes stocks Minox cameras and early VEF Minox Riga cameras)
Igor Cameras (USA)
(frequently stocks Minox cameras and early VEF Minox Riga cameras)
Keh (USA)
(frequently stocks Minox cameras and early VEF Minox Riga cameras)
| Book | Information | Comment |
 |
Title: 75 Jahre Rigaer Minox year: 2012 pages: 84 language: german author: Hubert Heckmann publisher: 1. Deutscher Minox Club e.V. |
not available :( |
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Title: Minox The Queen of Spy cameras year: 2012 pages:304 language: english author: Hubert Heckmann publisher: Rita & Dr Sigmar Wittig |
Recomended! 7 years later Hubert Heckmann completely revamped his old Variations in 8x11 book and created a new version. As it is much better than his first, I list it as a seperate edition. Likley thats why Hubert also chose a new title |
 |
Title: [名機の系譜 「ミノックス」は誰が創ったのか]
"Minox" Genealogy of the camera and who made it year: 2005 pages: 163 language: japanese author: [斎 藤 正治] Masaharu Sahito publisher: Ashai Sonorama |
Direct follow-up of the 2002 book. Small changes here and there. It was released to the wider audience as part of a classic camera book series. This means, that it is luckily available on amazon japan today. If you cant get the 1987 book buy this one :-) |
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Title: The 30th anniversary of Japan Minox Club year: 2003 pages: 158 language: japanese author: [?] publisher: Minox Club of Japan |
Very comprehensive book with a lot of insight knowledege. It has over 150 pages covering all topics from general history to photography tips, development tips and recepies, prints and ultra large enlargement tips etc. Very very good book |
 |
Title: [Minox 8x11のすべて]
All of the Minox 8x11 year: 2002 pages: 215 language: japanese author: [斎 藤 正治] Masaharu Sahito publisher: Minox Club of Japan |
Recomended! Very good book. Compliled by another great japanese author, Masaharu Sahito. This book shows off the passion of a true collector. Masahru has an eye for detail and in his this book he displays a wealth of information that I was never aware of. Unknown to me he also created a list of surviving cameras with their variations for all models, not just the VEF Minox. Very good, but only limited release through the Minox Club Japan |
 |
Title: Minox Marvel in Miniature year: 2000 pages: 200 language: english author: D. Scott Young publisher: 1st Book Library |
Good, a lot of energy went into this book. However it does not have as much detail as the older 1989 book by Morris Moses. Good news is that it is widely available today through amazon. |
 |
Title: [Ur.MINOXはApre's
MINOXか?]
The mistery of the birth of the minox year: 1999 pages: 50 language: japanese author: [宮 部 甫] Hajime Miyabe publisher: Minox Club of Japan |
I just recieved it, I will update you soon. |
 |
Title: Minox Variations in 8x11 year: 1995 / 2012 pages: 200 / 304 language: english/german author: Hubert Heckmann publisher: Rita & Dr Sigmar Wittig |
Very
good book, again much more a "collector" book when you compare it
to other
Minox books. It is so popular that it was re-released in Germany for a
second time. A new 2012 version has just been released, under the name "Minox 8x11 Queen of spy cameras" containing over 100 additional pages! |
 |
Title: The 25th anniversary of Japan Minox Club Pictures in
8x11 mm year: 1994 pages: 60 language: english/japanese author: Sadahiro Umezawa publisher: Minox Club of Japan |
A superb idea! The Minox Club of Japan released a photo book containing beautiful 8x11mm pictures from all its members. The Minox Historical Society (MHS) which organises the 8x11 photo competitions should also relelease such a book. I think its marvelous. |
 |
Title: Spy camera - the Minox story year: 1989 pages: 196 language: english author: Morris Moses publisher: Chilton Book Co |
Recomended! Very good english Minox book! Small, a lot of detail, touches upon everything, well written, good price, widely available...excellent! So good it was re-released a second time! A book for collectors |
 |
Title: [M*I*N*O*X] year: 1987 pages: 188 language: japanese author: unknown publisher: Minox Club of Japan |
Recomended! This book is my favourite book. It is excellent, even slightly nicer then the japanese books of 2002 and 2005. The beauty of the japanese books is that they are very informative for Minox "users" and not only "collectors". Maybe because it was released in 1987 when the LX was still in its prime. However it is difficult to obtain. Lucky me, I got one |
 |
Title: [ミノックスとミニカメラ(現代カメラ新書〈no.48〉]
Minox mini camera - modern camera series No.48 year: 1978 pages: 166 language: japanese author: [宮 部 甫,金井 浩] Hajime Miyabe, Hiroshi Kanai publisher: Ashai Sonorama |
This book belongs to a camera book series. It is therefore concise touches briefly on history, models, uses and finishes with a sample picture gallery. Written by the famous minox author (Hajime Miyabe), it is a nice little book. Through its wider release it is avaliable today on amazon japan. |
 |
Title: The New Minox Guide year: 1963 pages: 128 language: english author: Kenneth Tydings publisher: Chilton |
x |
 |
Title: The Minox Pocket Companion year: 1962 pages: language: english author: Joseph D. Cooper publisher: |
It is exaclty what it says on its cover, a pocket companion. Very tiny, it was made to be carried around with you and to quickly get some tips and tricks. Very nice and extremly small it was sold successfully unil the 3rd edition. |
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Title: Minox Manual year: 1961 pages: 160 language: english author: Joseph D. Cooper publisher: Universal Photo Books |
Very good user manual, it was re-released twice more until 1968 (3rd edition) however it never had a chance against the Minox Guide which was published an epic 22 years (1957-1979) |
 |
Title: Small Minox Big Pictures year: 1957 pages: language: english/german/frensh author: Rolf Kasemeier publisher: Heering Verlag |
Recommended! First released in 1957, it talks about everything you ever want to know about Minox 8x11 photography. A true Minox user bible it managed to be re-released up to a respectable 5th edition (in 1996)! The author worked for Minox since the 1950s and the book was popular on the european continent with its frensh and german editions. It is my favourite user guide. |
 |
Title: Minox Guide year: 1957 pages: language: english author: Walter D. Emanuel publisher: Focal Press |
First printed in 1957, this Minox user handbook was so popular, it was re-released a staggering 9-more times reaching the 10th edition in 1979. This must be a record for any Minox book. |
Please participate in this website:
minoxriga@yahoo.com
What was your motivation to start the Minox registry?
Share
all the information I have on this fantastic little camera. There is so
much information on the german Minox cameras but so little on the VEF.
So I started the Minox Registry for everyone to add or search their
little camera and exchange stories and material on their favourite
camera.
It is such as cool camera, so small and of such high quality and made an amazing 75 years ago. Even pictures taken with the VEF today look amazing. Anf of course, while not intended, it got famous as -the- spy camera during WW2! Every small boy has read spy novels (e.g. Johnny Fedora, The Saint, James Bond, and many others), so maybe its the small boy in me as well when I see one. I also love the 1930s the optimism and flurry of activity just before the start of the war. That is where Walter Zappp and the VEF Minox slots right in.
What camera shall I buy?
If you never ever owned or used a Minox, go to ebay and buy a german Minox immediately. They are amazing too. The enormously popular and thus now very affordable Minox B is a fantastic camera to start! When you experience this new world and get hooked on Minox-ing, then buy a true gem like the VEF Minox. If its your first, and you are not into rare and expensive versions (yet), I think go for an early export camera (e.g. No.04000-06000). Also go for original condition (e.g. flat 3-toothed film spool). These also have the lovely fine polish and they are just very nice and pretty cameras! Statistically export cameras are rare cameras in their own right but they never really fetch a premium.
Why are there no values or recent sale prices listed?
I know this is the number one question I recieve. Sorry folks, I am not interested in tracking prices . It is time consuming and of little use or joy (to me)! Currently cameras trade for a minimum of 450 USD+ but be prepared to pay 695 USD+ for a nice example and a few thousands for a rare one
What kind of a collector are you?
I feel guilty seeing cameras collecting dust on a shelf. They should be used, as they were inteded to. Thats why I keep them in good working condition. I also try not to own more than three at any given point in time. I think its already one too many but as a collector owning just two doesnt work also. I also admit that I get more joy from my dented and worn camera. Its much more fun (compared to the rare & pristine) as I can take it everywhere, have it in my pocket and use it without feeling guilty.