Minox Clamp Gallery

Clamp Hold Of Your MINOX

A MINOX CLAMP GALLERY

The original contract between Minox inventor Walter Zapp and the VEF factory in Riga, Latvia, called for development of several accessory items, among them a clamp to allow the use of the Minox camera with an ordinary tripod. Over the years there have been several clamp devices made by the Minox company: tripod clamps, binocular clamps, copy stands. In addition, there have been some very intriguing devices by independent makers.

As you can see, I NEED PICTURES! Please spare your jpegs where you can.

Click on any picture for a larger image.

The original Riga tripod clamp. The clamp is actually polished chrome, but this picture reflecting the gold background is so striking I had to use it. Note that there is no provision for locking the camera into the clamp as in the later models. There is no chain attachment on the Riga so no lock was possible. Provided by Mr. James Jones.

Aluminum tripod clamp developed for the Minox II and later models with the chain connector. The knurled ring rotates the locking key up, and into the camera, firmly securing the camera to the clamp. The arm swings up to provide a threaded socket for a shutter release cable. These will work on any metal Minox up to and including the C. All that I have seen have a 3/8th inch threaded tripod socket INTO WHICH is an insert for 1/4 inch threads.

No picture avail. Later version of the above tripod clamp with black plastic knurled locking ring. Looks just like the above tripod clamp, but with the same black plastic lock ring as shown in the Later Binocular Clamp below.

Earlier version of the binocular clamp for the Minox II through C metal cameras. Note the oft-missing cable release holder which attaches to the center post of the binoculars. In theory, these allow you to use your Minox in combination with a pair of binoculars to have a telephoto Minox. In practice, this is very difficult. There are spacer shims in the clamp jaws to permit some adjustment to the binocular eyepiece.

Later version of the binocular clamp for the early cameras. Note the black plastic knurled locking ring as well as both an all satin aluminum finish and a black and aluminum combination. Note also the lack of threads for a tripod mount. Presumably one is to mount this using only the binocular eyepiece jaws.

Picture not avail. The current model of the tripod clamp appears to be only offered in the black and aluminum combination similar to the the binocular clamp as shown above. It differs from the early versions by being usable on the LX/TLX/CLX cameras as well as the Minox II - C models.

Ah yes, the favorite of spies everywhere - the Minox copy stand. The legs extend to four positions, corresponding to the first four positions on the beaded chain, or the first four distance settings on the camera - on inch/feet models that is 8", 12", 18", and 24". There is a slight, but significant difference in the metric and inch/feet models. Unfortunately, this is not marked in any way on the copy stand. Given the extremely narrow depth of field at those differences one should make sure one knows which they are using.

This Minox copy arm is designed to work with the enlarger by attaching to the column. There was also an insert available that had a 1/4" threaded head to attach any camera with a like tripod socket to the copy arm. These come available only rarely.

Possibly the most popular Minox accessory ever. Still in production, it can be purchased with or without a leather carrying case. One leg attaches to the head; a twist of the leg will lock the head tilt in place. Two other legs nest inside the fixed leg, and a tripod release cable nests inside the third leg. The cable release can also be purchased seperately. While nearly all have 1/4" threads, I have one in my possession with 3/8" threads - just the thing for a Hasselblad!

Here is an interesting little tripod clamp made by an unkown manufacturer. Quite simple, it allows one to lock a Minox into it at the chain connector without any moving parts. Unlike the Minox unit, no provision is made for a cable release.Image provided by Mr. James Jones.

Accessory shoe for any metal Minox. This is a german made aftermarket product which provides an accessory (cold shoe) for Minox cameras with a chain connector. I include it here as one can clamp about anything with one adaptor or another to the accessory shoe.

	The original Riga tripod clamp. The clamp is actually polished chrome, but this picture reflecting the gold background is so striking I had to use it. Note that there is no provision for locking the camera into the clamp as in the later models. There is no chain attachment on the Riga so no lock was possible. Provided by Mr. James Jones.
	Aluminum tripod clamp developed for the Minox II and later models with the chain connector. The knurled ring rotates the locking key up, and into the camera, firmly securing the camera to the clamp. The arm swings up to provide a threaded socket for a shutter release cable. These will work on any metal Minox up to and including the C. All that I have seen have a 3/8th inch threaded tripod socket INTO WHICH is an insert for 1/4 inch threads.
No picture avail.	Later version of the above tripod clamp with black plastic knurled locking ring. Looks just like the above tripod clamp, but with the same black plastic lock ring as shown in the Later Binocular Clamp below.
	Earlier version of the binocular clamp for the Minox II through C metal cameras. Note the oft-missing cable release holder which attaches to the center post of the binoculars. In theory, these allow you to use your Minox in combination with a pair of binoculars to have a telephoto Minox. In practice, this is very difficult. There are spacer shims in the clamp jaws to permit some adjustment to the binocular eyepiece.
	Later version of the binocular clamp for the early cameras. Note the black plastic knurled locking ring as well as both an all satin aluminum finish and a black and aluminum combination. Note also the lack of threads for a tripod mount. Presumably one is to mount this using only the binocular eyepiece jaws.
Picture not avail.	The current model of the tripod clamp appears to be only offered in the black and aluminum combination similar to the the binocular clamp as shown above. It differs from the early versions by being usable on the LX/TLX/CLX cameras as well as the Minox II - C models.
	Ah yes, the favorite of spies everywhere - the Minox copy stand. The legs extend to four positions, corresponding to the first four positions on the beaded chain, or the first four distance settings on the camera - on inch/feet models that is 8", 12", 18", and 24". There is a slight, but significant difference in the metric and inch/feet models. Unfortunately, this is not marked in any way on the copy stand. Given the extremely narrow depth of field at those differences one should make sure one knows which they are using.
	This Minox copy arm is designed to work with the enlarger by attaching to the column. There was also an insert available that had a 1/4" threaded head to attach any camera with a like tripod socket to the copy arm. These come available only rarely.
	Possibly the most popular Minox accessory ever. Still in production, it can be purchased with or without a leather carrying case. One leg attaches to the head; a twist of the leg will lock the head tilt in place. Two other legs nest inside the fixed leg, and a tripod release cable nests inside the third leg. The cable release can also be purchased seperately. While nearly all have 1/4" threads, I have one in my possession with 3/8" threads - just the thing for a Hasselblad!
	Here is an interesting little tripod clamp made by an unkown manufacturer. Quite simple, it allows one to lock a Minox into it at the chain connector without any moving parts. Unlike the Minox unit, no provision is made for a cable release.Image provided by Mr. James Jones.
	Accessory shoe for any metal Minox. This is a german made aftermarket product which provides an accessory (cold shoe) for Minox cameras with a chain connector. I include it here as one can clamp about anything with one adaptor or another to the accessory shoe.

Clamp Hold Of Your MINOX

A MINOX CLAMP GALLERY

RETURN TO MINOX ACCESSORIES