Minox 8x11 film cassettesgreenspun.com : LUSENET : Minox Photography : One Thread |
Minox cassettes, metal cassette, plastic cassette, why different size spools.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), December 21, 1998
Minox cassette of the 50s was made of brass, the cap of supply side is flat. The take up spool has only one size, slightly less then 10 mm. Metal cassettes were used in Minox cameras with up counters such as Minox A and B. Metal cassettes has higher capacity then today's plastic cassette. Minox A or Minox B count from 0 to 50.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), December 21, 1998.
In 1967, about the time of honeycomb Minox B production, Minox introduced plastic cassette. I am not sure whether the early plastic Minox cassette was a replica of earlier metal cassette, ie, with flat cap at the supply side. Metal cassette cannot be used in Minox LX/TLX/CLX; usesable on Minox A/B/C/EX Minox plastic cassette had miNox mouse logo on the bridge connecting two chambers. Later, the logo was changed to MINOX till now. Acmel also makes 8x11 cassettes
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), December 21, 1998.
With the introduction of Minox C with down counter, Minox introduced another take up spool for 15 exp film. The 15 exp film take up spool is has a thicker wall vs the 35 exp spool. The recessed cap at supply side was designed in anticipation of the cassette pop up spring of Minox LX.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), December 22, 1998.
The design of Minox caseette, (metal or plastic ) allows direct contact of pressure plate on film, this is one of the key elememt in great sucess of Minox 8x11 cameras, as precision film plane allows the high resolution of Minox lenses to be realized. The Kodak 126 format cassette and 110 format cassette do not allow direct contact of camera presure plate on film, hence picture quality is compromised. Top end 110 format camera such as Minox 110 has oversized pressure plate, corrected the problem to so degrees.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), December 22, 1998.
The Minox cassette (with MINOX on the bridge ) in Minox film is made by Balda, a company in Black Forest region, used to make Balda 35mm rangefiner cameras. There is also ACMEL cassette in circulation. ACMEL cassette is made by ACMEL (Asanuma Camera and Mechanical Laboratory ) in Japan. ACMEL cassette has slighter stronge bridge, measuring 24 mil, Minox cassette bridge is 19 mil. Both cassettes are good quality, can be reuse over and over.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 05, 1999.
When Riga Minox entered the market in 1938, it was the only camera with drop in cassette--- a revolutionary invention by itself. It was much easier to load film than 35mm camera or roll film camera of same period. Because we are so used to 110 cartrige, we take Minox cassette for granted. Even to day, sixty years after its invention, Minox cassette still rivals APS in ease of use and versatility (mid roll change ) s as easy to load as APS, easier and more versatile then 35mm camera cartridge and 120 roll film. Every Minox camera allow mid roll change film, not every APS has this function. The more we think about it, the more we amazed at the far sightness of its inventor Walter Zapp.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 07, 1999.
DIAMETER OF MINOX TAKE UP SPOOLS
Spool for regular 36 exposure : 10.16 mm diamater
Spool for regular 15 expousre : 11.43 mm diameter
Brass spool for 50 exposure : 9.93 mm diameter
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 21, 1999.
Mark 15 exp spool (450 mil diamater ) with a white paint spot to differentiate it from 36 exp spool.The 15 exposure thick spool is not only useful for loading 15 exposure of regular film, but also useful for loading 36 exp or more of 2.5 mil film, to prevent narrow frame spacing.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 21, 1999.
I purchased my first minox IIIs used in 1968 and used it for about 3-4 years. I still have most of the cassettes which I now reload. Several were brass (Agfa document film--50 ex, and a pair with Plus X--36 ex). The brass ones had a flat supply side cover. Most of the plastic ones had the miNox logo though a few had the MINOX logo. They all taped shut and had a depression in the supply side cover. The ones with the miNox logo have a dull finish with sharp edges. the MINOX ones look better finished and have slightly rounded edges. The boxes were all the same with the miNox logo twice on the cover and once on the bottom along with "made in Germany" on the other end panel. I would guess that the MINOX ones appeared on film with an expiration date of about 1971 or 72.
-- Ken Trettin (hogman@netins.net), June 13, 1999.
An interesting question is when did the plastic cassette with supply side indented cap first appeared ?I believe the indent was designed with for the pop up spring of MINOX LX.
But if the indented cap appeared much earlier then LX, then it was there for mechanical strength reason.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), June 15, 1999.
Appaarently the Minox Processing Lab has suddenly decided to stop selling used cassettes. Their pricelist dated April 1999 lists them at $10 per 10; I telephoned today and wanted to order 20 and was told that they no longer have them available. Is this an attempt at selling more film? $8 per roll of B&W film is a bit high but is it becomming the only way to get empty cassettes?
-- Ken Trettin (hogman@netins.net), June 18, 1999.
MPL has being selling empty used Minox cassette for several years.At $10 for ten it is a bargain, considering used 16mm cassette is selling at $10 a piece
But as long as Minox is still packing new film, there is always new supply of MINOX cassettes.
It is possible that there are more customers who send in film for processing request the cassette be returned.
I think there are always some customers do not want cassette returned, so there are still a lot of empty cassettes to get rid of,
IMO, there are several ways
In any case, if empty casette is not available, buy a dozen MINOX package film is the way to go, it is still cheaper then 16mm empty cassette !
- Sell at $20 for 10 pieces, which I think still a fair price
- Sell to customers at $10 per 10 when that customer also bought other goods
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), June 19, 1999.
Apparently MINOX GmbH is not aware that Minox Processing Labs in New York has stopped selling empty cassettes, since they referred MPL to me on 6/29/99. MPL suggested I just buy Minox film from them and ask for the empty cassettes to be returned to me after processing. I hope to find another source.
-- John Westbrook (j3westbrook@earthlink.net), June 30, 1999.
Seems I spoke too soon. Submini.com is now offering Minox type cassettes (they're made in Japan). Info is still forthcoming but pricing is $5.00 each or $3.00 when purchased with film, or $2.75 when quanties are six or more with film purchase. Check them out at www.submini.com.
-- John Westbrook (j3westbrook@earthlink.net), June 30, 1999.
There are only two companies making Minox 9.4 mm cassettes: Minox GmbH Wetzlar and ACMEL JAPAN.The new Minox cassette offered by submini.com must be ACMEL cassette.
Subclub swap meet has ACMEL cassette for sale, but you have to buy 100 piece lot at $300-- these cassettes are left over from Microtec.
The price for new ACMEL cassetee offered by submini.com is fare price
-- nartin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 01, 1999.
I recently bought some Minopan 25 from MPL to build up my supply of cassettes. Help! How do I open these new ones without breaking them-- all my old ones are taped shut. No tape on the new ones.
-- Ken Trettin (hogman@netins.net), August 16, 1999.
Ken, good question, often overlookedThe newer casssette does not use tape, isntead, it has two snap locks on each chamber.
To open, hold one chamber with middle and index finger hold closed and insert between the two chambers, and the thumb holding the side of one chamber in *O:-O fashin, * is the thumb, : are the middle and index fingers.
Now use the thumb nail to to push on the body of the chamber, just below the snap line (do not press the cap), you will find that the chamber gives way a little, and you can slide the cap off easily with the same thumb.
Repeat the same with the other cap.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), August 16, 1999.
Yashica Atoron Non reuseable 8x11 cassette
Once upon a time, Yashica Atoron had its own 8x11 Minox style double chamber casette. Those Yashica 8x11 Tri-X B&W film casette were not reusable, as the caps were glued one, and cannot be open without breaking the cassette.These non open-able Yashica cassette can be loaded into Minox 8x11mm cameras and Minox daylight development tank.
But if the film leader was pull completely into the take up side without leaving any lead outside, the cassette must be broken up to retrieve the film.
Looked like once upon a time, almost every 8x11 camera maker had made their own cassette, Minox casette for Minox, ACMEL cassette for ACMEL MD, and Yashica casette for Yashica Atoron.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 17, 2000.
I tried asking MPL to return the empty cassettes on Minocolor I sent in to have processed.No dice-they didn`t even acknowledge my request to say they couldn`t return them.
-- Lance Novak (roobunny@aol.com), January 27, 2000.
An idea to save cassette: take the film from Minox 9.4mm cassette in a darkroom, wrap the film in black paper and aluminium foil, mark the type of film on the package then send it for processing.
-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 27, 2000.