introduction | B-C Fan flash | Model U | A | B
Minox introduced the Minox A with flash nipple PC socket in 1954 but where very slow in making any flash unit for the camera. With Minox GmbH support Minox USA marketed a bulb unit in 1955. The B-C flash unit has a large folding reflector and uses an AA size mercury battery.
Minox first sold a flash unit in 1961. B-C flashgun matches the shape and style of the camera. It fits directly to the flash nipple the unit requires no synchronization cable. The small fan reflector slides out of the back of the unit and when retracted the used bulb is ejected.
From the beginning there were three versions of the B-C flash gun. A short shoe version for the Minox A, a long shoe with cut out for the Minox B's meter and a cold shoe version, Model U (universal) with synchronization cable to work with any camera with an accessory shoe.
The two tone grey plastic U version was sold by EMO the company owned by Arthur Seibert who also invented the Emoskop.
The B-C flash gun uses AG1 bulbs developed by General
Electric. Originally Minox sold American made bulbs.
The unit uses 15 volt microdyne anode battery to charge the condenser. The battery would last for several hundred pictures.
On the first models the slot for the flash bulb was parallel to the reflector. After a year it was changed to a perpendicular position which better used the parabolic reflector. A black version was introduced for the black Minox A and B cameras.
With the introduction of the Minox C a B-C flash gun was made for it. A modification of the shoe to the Minox A version. All versions now have a ribbed metal twist knob that releases the housing in place of the push button on earlier versions.
Cases for the Minox A and Minox B versions matched the cases of the cameras and where offered in brown, red or green Saffian, cow hide black or pig skin (natural colour).
The industry was pushing buyers to use flash cubes and Minox capitulated and discontinued the B-C flash gun at the end of the 1960s.
AG1 flash bulbs where sold in packs of 10. Some packs where in two halves. This meant that used bulbs could be disposed off one by one and the pack at the end of every 5 (10) bulbs. A flash cube has to be carried until all 4 bulbs are used.
Last Updated on 26th October 2005