Minox 8x11 - Light meters

introduction | MinoSix Colour coded | Minosix | DIN/ASA 10,20,40,80 | DIN/ASA s/n 10,20,40,80 | DIN/ASA 12,25,50,100 | ASA 12,25,50,100 | ASA 25, 50, 100, 200 | Black | Gold | Cases | Dual Range | dis-assembled

In 1950 Josef Stüper suggested to Walter Zapp and E.Pfaffenberger that a special exposure meter be designed for the Minox. When it appeared in September 1951 the MinoSix was the smallest precision meter in the world measuring just 53 x 30 x 18mm.

The meter has a viewfinder. Early versions have a white line frame, similar to the camera's. The bubble glass and shade narrow the measuring angle. A selenium-coated element converts the light into a weak electrical current. The current flows into a galvanometer which deflects a pointer. The galvanometer has a jewel bearing and the button on the top releases the pointer to swing freely by lowering a bar below the counter balance on the needle.

The bottom has a thumb dial which is rotated to move the barrel and it's numbers into place. The top of the barrel has a symbol. The table on the back shows symbols and reference the film speed. The accompanying table has readings for f3.5 (centre) and columns headed f2, f2.8, f5.6 and f8. Whole seconds are silver on black back ground and fractions of a second are black numbers on a silver background. The conversion table and instructions enable settings from f1.4 to f32.

Gossen in Erlangen, Germany manufactured the electrical components, hence the name Minosix, a combination of Minox and Gossen's trademark "Sixtus". After 1954 Minox sourced these parts from other manufacturers and the the name replaced with the Minox eye logo.

The light meter continued to manufactured in small numbers after the introduction of the Minox B until the early 1960s, mainly for export.

Early light meters have no serial number. The ASA/DIN scales read ASA 10, 20, 40 and 80 next to a DIN scale 11, 14, 17 and 20, then  ASA 12, 25, 50 and 100. Later models have a scale of ASA 25, 50, 100, 200. One version, with ASA scale 12, 25, 50, 100 uses colour coded dots instead of the blank, square, triangle and rectangle symbols.

 

The final version, from slightly above 90,000, have a dual scale; white and red which could be selected by a knurled knob at the end of the meter. The red scale compensated for the orange filter, factor 3.

A black eloxierte and gold plated versions where sold. The gold plated ones have a black bases and where sold in crocodile cases with matching fob and a gold chain.

A Plexiglas model with cut out windows on the side and above the galvanometer was made as a demonstration model.

Minox light meters are mostly sold complete with camera. Light meters in original boxes are rare.


Last Updated on 23rd October 2005