Miniature and Subminiature Minox Cameras Compared

With film cameras being all the rage with indie photographers today retro styled cameras have become all the rage.

For those who want the cool retro styling but don’t want to mess around with physical film, the Minox DCC 14.0 is a great standout piece to add to any photography lovers camera collection.

What is the Minox DCC and Why is it so Famous?

Minox is a legacy German optics company founded in 1945 by Walter Zapp. The first product that eventually became Minox’s primary “claim to fame” was the Minox subminiature camera.

Called the “Riga”, named after the town in which founder Zapp was born, this first-of-its kind subminiature camera was a work of technological genius.

authentic minox riga

Because of its dependability and tiny size this first Minox camera quickly became the favorite camera of choice amongst British, German and Britain.

Also because of the expensive manufacturing process and thus high price tag the camera became a popular luxury item for the wealthy elite of the time.

The original subminiature Riga evolved into the Minox A, B, C, LX, EC and eventually the 35 model.

Due to the increasing popularity of digital cameras the original Riga line slowly faded into obscurity, popping up in post WWII movies and collectors events only.  The LX model from the 70’s however was eventually made fully electronic.

The most recent model currently on sale is the Minox EC, still billed as the world’s smallest camera it with a retro 8x11mm film format.

Starting in 2014 Minox began manufacturing their own 8x11mm film to supply their user base. Available directly from Minox the EC retains the original design of the original Riga.

Definition of Miniature vs Subminiature Cameras

The original Minox Riga was a true subminiature camera. Subminiature meaning pretty much the smallest possible form a camera can be manufactured in yet still function in a reliable and tactile manner.

There is however another unique camera segment called simply “miniatures” which are slightly larger than subminiatures but not the full size of a “regular” camera. Minox’s current (as of 2019) miniature is called the DCC 14.0 and is built on a 1:3 scale of a normal digital camera.

Minox DCC 5.1 Classic Digital Camera
8 Reviews
Minox DCC 5.1 Classic Digital Camera
  • 5 Megapixels: With a resolution of up to 5.1 megapixels, the Digital Classic Camera delivers detailed images with impressive sharpness
  • Classic Miniature With Innovative Technology: On the outside it features a miniaturized shell designed in great detail
  • Viewfinder and 2" Display: As a supplement to the included removable optical viewfinder, the display can help the user compose an image.
  • Easy To Use: Extremely easy to use and therefore excellently suited for those getting started in the world of digital photography.
  • Memory Options: There's no need to worry about memory space. All data are stored on SDHC cards with a capacity of up to 16GB.

DCC stands for “Digital Classic Camera” and the DCC 14.0 from Minox is definitely a modern “classic”.

It’s miniature form factor, besides having a quality retro feel to it, also makes it a great little classic for traveling as it can easily fit in smaller purses/bags or hung around the neck without the weight strain associated with full-size digital cameras.

The 14 mega pixel DCC 14.0 is the evolution of the previous DCC which has a lower pixel count.

This new classic is still engineered in Germany, features a reliable 14 MP CMOS sensor, has optional SD card memory up to 32gb, features a full 2′ TFT LCD display, and has a focal length of 7.4mm (43mm on a 35mm camera) with a lens aperture of f/2.4 and 4x digital zoom.

These features make the DCC 14.0 a fully modern camera in terms of capabilities. It also comes equipped with a self timer (up to 10 seconds), a USB-chargeable lithium ion battery, is Windows & Mac compatible, yet still weighs only 113.5 grams.

So where the subminiature camera has more or less been relegated movies, novels and perhaps spies who are unable to use smartphones for whatever reason, the DCC 14 is a fun little miniature version of a classic that makes a fun tactile little travel camera sure to satisfy true photography geeks all over the world.

Last update on 2019-06-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API