A II - Minox 8x11

introduction | Ur | Riga | AII | AIII | AIIIs | B | CBLLXEC | AX | TLX/CLX/LX 2K/100th AnniversaryECXMXClassics | accessories
chrome (m) | chrome (m) black dot | chrome (m) black blades | chrome (ft) | accessories

year 1948-1949/50
serial 20379- 31500
lens 5 element lens with field flatterer Pentar
dimensions 82 x 28 x 16 mm 3-1/4 x 1-1/8 x 5/8"
weight 70g 2.5 oz
shutter 1/1000 - 1/2 B, T
battery none
finish aluminium chrome anodized

4 variations chrome/gold & metric/imperial not counting modifications to AIII and AIIIs.

Finish Lens Shutter Blades Focus Engraving
chrome,  gold Planar lens 5 elements black blades, bright dot Metric,
Imperial (Feet. inch)
Logo, Wetzlar
chrome 5th Element removed AIII modification Replaced

After the war the company, and many of the workers, relocated to West Germany. The first post war model, manufactured by Minox GmbH in Wetzlar, Germany from 1948 to 1951. All subsequent Minoxes were built in Giessen, Germany; very near Wetzlar.  They are stamped Wetzlar since that remained the legal address of Minox until 1961. After the introduction of the Minox B in 1958 these cameras where soon known as the Minox A. In United States of America the variations are distinguished by Roman numerals with the Minox-Riga retroactively dubbed the Minox I. Later, to guard against grey-import market the Roman numerals were engraved on the sliding film cover.

Featured the thereafter-standard "chrome" brushed aluminium bodies, two built-in filters (yellow and green) and a 5-element lens whose last element physically pushed the film against its curved film-plane pressure plate during exposures. Some models (roughly in the range 20550 to 30499) had an internal access hatch often presumed to assist in cleaning the lens system but was used in the testing of the shutter by inserting a probe into the hole and allowing a light path for the shutter tester without the need to disassemble the camera . Some very late models included the spring-loaded chain connector on the camera bottom.

Serial numbers run from 20379 to 31500; thus approximately 10,895 may have been manufactured - although some were later factory-converted to Minox III and Minox IIIs (the last lens element was removed and for the flash contact required the camera to be milled down). Like the Riga Minox, the Minox II is now primarily of interest to collectors rather than photographers, since that last lens element actually touches the film surface and frequently caused scratches on the negatives unless everything is spotless.

Other features of the Minox AII include:-

For additional information on "What is a Minox Model II?" read Martin Doctor's article at http://www.minoxdoc.com/what_is_a_minox_ii.htm

The modifications found on the AII camera are very varied. If any repair has been made then the fifth element of the lens will have been removed. Some retain the position of the filters when the camera is closed, others return to the home position. The original black blades with white solid dot may be seen or replaced with silver blades with a white circle. At least one sample has sliver blades with a solid black dot.

Auction Ebay:
01/10/14 1401.76USD ( black box, #29 653 ),
01/11/26 800DEM ( #30547, black box ),
01/12/01 610USD ( #22268, light meter ),
02/01/27 370GBP ( #23867 ),
02/03/03 199USD ( #27370 ),
02/03/28 361USD ( #28427, red case ),
02/08/02 520USD ( #26152 white dot, black blades ),
02/10/11 251EUR ( #27923 ),
02/10/11 251EUR ( #27923 ),
02/11/18 712USD ( #26 899, black blades ),
* 03/01/23 800EUR ( red case, #30499, modified, but stated as un-modified ),
03/03/10 202.50USD ( #26 500 ),
03/04/01 202.50USD ( #29653 ),
03/06/24 140.49USD ( #25 296, converted to III ),
* 03/07/07 236.49USD ( #24 912, black box ),
03/11/09 570GBP ( (film lens) ),
04/05/02 172GBP ,
04/10/15 273.99USD ( #26035 ),
* 04/12/13 150GBP ( black dot on blade ),
04/12/14 76USD ( #31801, damaged blades ),
05/02/24 202.50USD ( #234xx, metric ),
05/05/27 699USD ( #20981, correct filter, blades ),
05/06/25 137GBP ( #28706 ),
05/07/24 542USD ( #23126 ),
05/08/16 421GBP ( #21868 (black shutter blades, filters retract) ),
03/12/07 786GBP ( black shutter blades, 5 elements ),
03/12/11 156EUR ( #26xxx, film lens nicht geprüft ),
05/01/22 162.90EUR ( #27620 )
05/11/09 210.55GBP (#20556)
06/02/09 517.61USD (#24489)
06/03/21 438.40USD (#25061, shutter not working)
06/03/30 598USD (#
24773, pentar lens, filters do not automatically retract confirmed by Don Goldberg)
06/05/06 281.76USD (#25932, upgraded to III)
06/05/07 167.50USD (#26226, metric, upgraded to III)
06/07/02 101.55EUR (#22958, metric, upgraded to IIIs)
06/07/03 302.31USD (#
29229, metric)
06/10/13 62.51USD (#21827, metric, film kens removed, converted to IIIs)
06/11/12 176.75EUR (#29xxx, metric)
06/11/25  280EUR (#
25591, metric)
*07/01/21 249GBP (#28339, metric)
07/03/31 293USD (#20493, metric, non-functional)
07/04/07 442.77USD (#25191, red case)
07/06/13 810USD (#20309, film lens in, filters do not retract)
07/06/19 900USD (#26552, boxed, Minosix light meter in box, filters do not retract)
08/01/19 671.66EUR
08/09/01 224.72USD (#23425, box, logo in Gold. back engraved III and filters retract when closed)
08/10/23 142.50USD (upgraded to III, #25281)


Last Updated on 6th November 2008