Minilux questions

[Peter_S]

Hi!

I am feeling like shooting more film again, getting a Leica Minilux as addition to my trusted Contax T3. A few questions:

- how fast and precisely does it focus in comparison to the Contax T3?
- does it have an AF light like the T3?
- can the default flash setting be turned off (and stay off also after restarting the camera)?

Cheers,
Peter

 

[pvdhaar]

My experience is with the non-zoom Minilux, the one with the 40/2.4 Summarit lens, which gives gorgeous results by the way.

The Minilux AF accuracy is good, mine almost never missed nailing it right. Focussing is very fast, about the fastest I've encountered on a P&S, but it's very far from silent. And as soon as focused, the shutter responds immediately when pressing the shutter button all the way. Keeping it pressed makes the camera go into continuous mode.

It doesn't have an AF assist light, because it uses active IR (invisible) focussing. For shooting difficult situations, like through glass, or fog, there's a manual focus setting. Focus and aperture dials are lined up such, that when you set the aperture to a value, and align the focus dial green dot with the chosen aperture, the lens is set at its hyperfocal distance.

The flash settings revert to auto when the camera is switched off. That's one of the two downsides to the Minilux. The upside when it comes to flash is that it does an incredible job of getting fill flash right. The other downside is the viewfinder; it's tiny. As in 0.35x. But if you can live with that and the flash reverting to auto all the time, it's a remarkable camera.

 

[Peter_S]

Cheers!
Pity about the VF - but then, my X1 does not have one at all. I could always put on my external 40mm finder I suppose.
Other than that - sounds good...I think I get one 😎.

Thanks!
Peter

 

[David W.]

Cheers!
Pity about the VF - but then, my X1 does not have one at all. I could always put on my external 40mm finder I suppose.
Other than that - sounds good...I think I get one 😎.

Thanks!
Peter

Remember, it doesn't have a hot shoe!

I agree the big minus with the Minilux is the horrible viewfinder. The lens in super though. It has no distortion at all, unlike the X1, which has some barrel distortion.

 

[Peter_S]

Ah, yes...the hotshoe. I have a beaten-up Voigtländer 40mm VF I could attach permanently (my T3 has seen some super-glue customization as well 😱).

It will be a secondary camera alongside the T3 anyway, loaded with other film (color or bw or other ISO) and a bit tighter VOF (never really liked 35mm but love the T3 regardless).
I wanted to get a CL, but I am a little tired of repairs and problems with Leica RFs.

Thanks for the input and help!

 

[jamin-b]

BEWARE OF e02

BEWARE OF e02

i loved the minilux and the few rolls I put through always had a high number of keepers, including in difficult light situations. BUT it died after only a few rolls with the dreaded E02 error, unprovoked by any misdoing on my part. Now that it's gone I really miss the special rendering i found its legendary lens gave. I was curious if anyone can suggest what lens they have used that gives a similar result - not necessarily 40mm but that special character. i have a number of new zeiss and vintage leica etc. lenses in different focal lengths, but it's never quite the same effect...

 

[Peter_S]

Hi!
Two more questions - is there any way to
a) separate AE from focus lock,
b) prevent the film from winding all the way into the cartridge?

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

No. No. But don't over think this
The minilux is loads of fun.
Here is a recent shot with acros 100.
Lab developed

 

[Daan]

A) No, apart from manual focus. When you half press the shutter button it locks both exposure and focus.
B) Yes, you can see it counting back from the amount of exposures. Just open the back right when it hits zero.

 

[Peter_S]

Hi!

Cheers! Awesome shot, Ray!

Yes, it is tons of fun - I got one, but I have not used it much yet. I am thinking of giving up my M and move to Minilux/T3 + MF only. I modified mine a little to take a yellow filter and I think I like it. A very swift camera.

But for this I need to make sure the Minilux can replace the M6 in some situations - backlit envorinments, dark rooms with some relatively bright light sources around, etc. Hence my AE/AF question. I guess I could always meter with my Digisix and see how to compansate the EV...

Thanks for the hint with the film - that solves one issue I had with the camera.

 

[Daan]

I really like my minilux but backlit situations are quite annoying. You either have to use the EV button which you have to press for 3 seconds or focus/ ae lock somewhere with the right distance and the right light.

By the way regarding the EO2 failure. I made a lens cap and rarely turn mine completely off anymore. The camera goes to sleep and batteries last for months. The bonus is that the camera now remembers the flash setting.

 

[Peter_S]

Daan,

thanks again. I will test it a bit over the next weeks. Good idea with the lens cap and leaving it on - I have a self-made tubus + lens cap too so that works.

Cheers!
Peter

 

[pvdhaar]

By the way regarding the EO2 failure. I made a lens cap and rarely turn mine completely off anymore. The camera goes to sleep and batteries last for months. The bonus is that the camera now remembers the flash setting.

Also saves on the chainsaw sound that you get when the lens collapses and extends again at power off/on..

 

[siracusa]

I briefly had a Minilux some years ago and do not recall ever finding its af a cause for frustration. I do, however, remember being incredibly impressed by the lens, and griping about the viewfinder, both of which have been noted by others in this thread. But my, that lens...🙂

 

[MRohlfing]

I had one for a short time, got the e02, had it repaired, but sold it soon afterwards.

The lens is great, but mine missed focus about 1 of 3 times and I did not like the tiny viewfinder and just could not stand the terrible sound.

 

[Rayt]

The Minilux is a great camera. I have 5 of them!?! I got a Minilux hood from SK Grimes. The hood attaches to the lens by friction. You can remove the lens from an A36 filter and attach it to the hood.

 

[jamin-b]

So - having started a recent thread about a Minilux that suddenly went dead with the dreaded E02 syndrome - does anyone have a suggestion for a repair of an otherwise pristine Minilux? Does anyone know if the Leica CM suffers from the same or other known issues. I did so love my Minilux...Or is anyone interested in taking this one off my hands and dealing with the repair?

 

[Dirk]

One of the best lenses ever. If I had the money, I would have it converted to M-mount. Very well built titanium body, tiny viewfinder, fiddly manual focus. But that lens...

 

[zleica]

Totally agree about the performance of the lens. My Minilux died a while ago with e02 code. I like the lens so much that I just sent the camera to Japan to have the lens converted to the M mount lens. Just can't wait to use the lens again on my M bodies.

 

[kzphoto]

If anyone has an E02 minilux they're willing to part with, I'd be happy to take a look at it, see if it can't be fixed. I'm not sure why they die but it could just be bad solder points or something easily remedied.