I'm curious whether you (Martin) are willing to venture a guess, or a few guesses, as to:

(a)how many subminiature Minox cameras have been made in the last 40 years; and

(b) roughly how many ended up in North America;

(c) how many of the sub-miniature Minox cameras are still operational and in regular use in north America.

I would assume that most users do not cut their own film, and accordingly the suppliers of submini film must have a rough idea as to the number of regular Minox shooters.

-- Daniel Iggers (iggers@hotmail.com), April 07, 2000

Answers

1. The total number of Minox 8x11 cameras ever made is over one million, as inferred from the SN range.
2. Since Minox 8x11 camera is very durable, I estimate about 60-70% still remains, probably in drawers, attics, basements; some collectible ones in showcases.
3. USA has long being an important market for Minox, I guess, half or more than half of these camera is in North America, the rest in Europe.
4. Hard to guess how many Minox 8x11 cameras are still in use. Optimistically at 100,000, in the hands of 10,000 Minox affectionados, each hogging ten or more.
5. Majority of Minox users use factory loaded film and factory processing.

-- martint ai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), April 07, 2000.

Ten or more? I say: Such iniquitous shameless hoarders! Redistributive measures are called for. The government should, no, MUST intervene, in the interest of fairness and equity.

(Do I hear envy talking?)

-- Dan Iggers (iggers@hotmail.com), April 07, 2000.

So the average Minox 8X11 owner has TEN of them? I guess I better go buy 8 more. Seriously, I would venture to say that the majority of Minox USERS only have one. Notice I said USERS, not COLLECTORS. BTW, I am a user, I shoot B&W in one B and color in the other.

-- James A. Jones (jaj01@gnofn.org), April 08, 2000.