introduction | Riga | 50s grey/gold | 50s grey/blue | 60s rivet | 60s | 60s sponge | 70s | 80s
The
Minox viewer was one of the earliest accessories with the first version being
designed by Walter Zapp for the Riga. The viewer is a 10x magnifying glass mounting in a metal
collar and slotted into the handle. The handle is like a tong gripping the
transparent negative wallet or slide. The two piece handle is held together by
two rivets. The lower part of the handle ends in a ring which grips the sleeve.
"VEF MINOX Made in Latvia" is engraved in the middle of the top of the handle.
In 1951 Minox sold the the magnifying glass in an aluminium collar with out a handle. Within a year the new form appeared with a handle.
The group photographs show the various releases of negative viewers. From the left are two from the 1950s. The earliest has a magnifier with two grip rings in the collar. The later forms and a spring clip and the bottom lens is supported by a longer collar.
The 50s versions are boxes with a slip through cover finished in a grey marble effect. The earlier one has gold logo (the Minox eye) and the later one is in blue. The ring to support the negative from the bottom is riveted to the arm. When used the mask, at the base of the cylinder, has a second viewer, with green filter. This lines up the the numbers on the negative wallet. On the mask is the Minox eye logo and is seen on all the viewers.
The first 60s style box has the same viewer. The next two have the same box, but now the ring is in one piece, part of the arm.
In the 70s, with the release of the Minox C in 1969 the style of box changes to the photograph on the top and a brighter blue colour. The black plastic grip around the lens was replaced with a grey plastic grip. The last box is from the 1990s with the introduction of the Minox LX in 1988 and the box is red, as is the MINOX logo.
Last Updated on 25th October 2005