Picture yourself in the grand ball at the summer home of the Russian ambassador in 1970. So far, your cover is holding, but your minder Olav is keeping a pretty close eye on you. Your date (and part of your cover) Mischka has Olav distracted with a glass of vodka, so you've only got a few minutes to sneak into the secretary's office, find the plans for the submarine deployment scheduled for the coming winter, photograph them, and return to the party with nobody the wiser. It's okay. You've trained for this moment and the agency has given you the right tool: the Minox C. Unlike the Minox B which served you well for so many years, this model has a battery and an automatic mode that will help you nail the shutter speed. No more over-exposed or under-exposed photos.
The attached chain helps you measure twelve inches perfectly and you're off and shooting. You haven't got time to appreciate the build quality right now as the clock is ticking, but even though it is a little bigger than your beloved Minox B, its smooth and quiet operation feels just the same. Seventeen pages of documents later you're slipping the file back where you found it and remembering that the paperweight was just slightly askew when you walked in. A quick look through the crack in the door reveals Mischka and Olav still chatting and you swiftly return to her side. You ask about her headache, which is the signal that it's time to go. You, Mischka, Olav, your Minox C, and the plans for the submarine deployments all leave together.
That, of course, was many years ago. You've retired and living in a quiet town where you and your Minox C are still firing away. From a habit developed so long ago, this little camera never leaves your side. This time, however, you're making photos of the grandkids, the dog, and whatever crosses your path on your walks. Do you miss Mischka? Sure. But it's your Minox C that you're glad you have in your life these days.
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Minox C with Spy Film 1600
Spy Film 1600 was the latest addition to our subminiature film stock, rolled out in October 2019. Re-purposed from a standard ISO 3200 film, in our experience we find that the film works more consistently when exposed at ISO 1600. It appreciates that extra stop of light.
Minox cameras are amazingly versatile, little film cameras. With their fixed f/3.5 apertures, top shutter speeds of 1/1000 (on most models) and built-in filtering options, you can generally use them with great success in most situations. We figure that, as the weather changes from summer to fall, more of you will be spending time indoors and because of that, you could benefit from a film that would make that dim, indoor photography just a bit easier.
Well, here you go! ISO 1600 really ought to help you tackle most indoor situations and, with the dampened outdoor lighting, it ought not to be too much trouble if you do venture outside.
...And the grain, you might ask? When you are producing an 8x11mm negative from Spy Film 1600, it is naturally going to be a bit grainy. But Spy Film 1600 is perhaps not as grainy as you might expect. We have included some recent sample images from a roll shot by one of our staff, Jackson Keller.
If your Minox needs an extra burst of speed to it, this film will now be available as regular stock in our inventory.
Go forth and shoot Minox.
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Minox C
If you have a Minox stuffed in a drawer somewhere, lacking nothing but film to expose, let us know. We've got film for that! Likewise, if you are already living a life of international intrigue and espionage, tag your on-line images with #SpyFilmMinox and let us see what you are up to.
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The Minox C and Minox Magnifier
As if the Minox camera wasn't amazing enough on its own, you should see the mind-boggling array of incredibly engineered accessories and accoutrement they made for this line of cameras. The depth of thought that went into the Minox line is truly staggering. There is a tripod attachment, cable release bracket, various flash attachments, even a binocular coupling, to turn your pocket spy camera into a telephoto spy camera. There is a copy stand setup and a customized leather case with a metal chain, that not only clips to a belt loop, but is measured out in increments that match the focus scale of the camera. This Minox C is pictured with the film magnifier and cutter used for reviewing those 8x11mm negs. Is it any wonder that we are so fond of Walter Zapp's creation? Should you be fortunate enough to come across one of these miniature marvels, know that we can hook you up with fresh film, as well as develop it, print it, or scan it. We even have the original Minox enlarger in our darkroom, designed to make enlargements from these subminiature negatives. You ought to bring us your favorite b&w Minox image and let us make an 8x10 for you. You may be surprised by how well it turns out. Then again, if you know these cameras well, you may not be that surprised after all.
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Minox C
They say the best camera in the world is the one you always have with you. What better camera than a Minox C? It's smaller than autumn and definitely compact enough to always have tucked in your pocket. Don not underestimate the quality of those 8x11mm negatives.