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Minox

The Minox, the archetypal sub-miniature camera, was invented by Walter Zapp of Riga, Latvia, in 1936. Production started in 1938. After WWII, production was re-started in Germany from 1948.

Minox were thought of as "spy" cameras by some. While there was indeed some use for espionage and covert surveillance, most cameras were actually sold as luxury items. Some Minox marketing efforts played up the "spy camera" story in an effort to boost sales.

The Minox cameras use a small cartridge of 9.5mm film.

Minox 9.5mm camera models

I
II
III
IIIc
B
C
LX

Earlier cameras are collector's items.

The Minox LX remains in production yet today, essentially unchanged since the 1970s.

Minox also made a very compact plastic bodied 35 mm camera series, as well as a 110 film camera (the EC), both introduced in 1974. Neither was especially successful.

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