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Minox are probably best known for their miniature cameras where they gained wide notoriety as a spy camera in the past. Today MINOX Optics continue to produce cameras as well as binoculars, monoculars, night vision devices, macroscopes, riflescopes and spotting scopes.
Like many of the other German optical companies including Leica and Zeiss, MINOX pride themselves on the quality of their workmanship. They are also a very innovative company, which is demonstrated when they produced the worlds first purpose built digital camera monitor and eyepiece that fits to the end of a spotting scope (digital camera module) as an affordable way of getting into digiscoping and is perfect for both birdwatching and wildlife observation.
Minox currently produce scopes in two sizes with 50mm and 62mm objective lens diameters. Each size forms part of a series and are available in either angled or straight body designs. The Minox 62mm scopes are also available with ED fluoride glass for an even better quality image.
Minox Digital Camera Module
This combination of a digital camera, 2.0“ TFT monitor and eyepiece all in one, is fitted to the eyepiece bayonet on a spotting scope and even though it has been around for quite some time now remains a simple and relatively inexpensive way to get into digiscoping. You can buy the module to fit most quality spotting scopes including Minox, Kowa, Leica, Zeiss and Swarovski.
In all Minox have 6 spotting scope models, with the 62mm versions being sold as "body only" and eyepieces are purchased separately.
Minox MD 50 Spotting ScopesThese compact 50mm spotting scopes from Minox weigh just 660 grams and come in either straight (Product No.:62226) or angled (MD 50 W - Product No.:62225) body designs and both come with 16-30x zoom eyepieces.
Filled with Nitrogen, they are fully fog and waterproof down to 16.4 ft meaning that they can be used in most adverse weather conditions. Bird watchers who travel a lot or who want a scope that is easy to carry in the field will appreciate these Minox Scopes.
The 16-30x zoom eyepiece with it's twist-up eyecup with plenty of eye-relief allows those who wear glasses to use the scope without removing them and still get the full field of view. The focusing mechanism is on the barrel and there is a rotatable tripod mount for ease of use when in a hide. The scope comes with a protective carrying case.
The good news is that their small size has not meant that quality has been compromised for convenience as the e MD 50 features the M* lens multi coating first used on the Minox HG High Grade binoculars for superior light transmission and excellent contrast with natural colour rendition.
With the zoom eyepiece set to 16x magnification the MD 50 can be hand-held and therefore makes an excellent supplement to binoculars, especially if a more powerful magnification than what most binoculars provide is required (although for optimum use a tripod is always recommended.)
MINOX MD 50 WD (Angled Scope)
MINOX MD 50 (Straight Scope)
Price Range & Where to Buy
Minox MD 62 Spotting Scopes Minox currently produce four different 62mm spotting scopes, two with standard glass lenses and two which use ED (Extra-low Dispersion) fluoride glass and I have decided to write about them separately here: The MD 62 ED's. Whilst it is true to say that the ED version are a step up from these standard glass versions, they still have plenty of quality features to get excited about.
The standard glass MD 62 spotting scopes come in either straight (Minox MD 62 Straight Spotting Scope - Product No.:62210) or angled (MD 62 W - Product No.:62211) body designs and all are usually sold as body only, using the bayonet system to attach your eyepiece (view the available Minox Eyepieces).
Whilst slightly larger than Minox MD 50's, these are till fairly compact (328x99x89mm), weigh well under 1kg and with a close focusing distance of just 5 meters the MD 62 Spotting Scope is an ideal all-round nature watching tool, equally suited to distant wild life as well as close up subjects. To focus the scope you use the small knob on top of the scope, unlike the barrel focusing mechanism on the smaller MD 50's.
100% Waterproof, the high quality optics are protected on the outside with a sturdy metal housing and the nitrogen filling prevents fogging up as well as corrosion of the optical system on the inside, even under extreme temperature fluctuations.
Minox Digiscoping
Being a legendary camera manufacturer, MINOX has, of course, also produces an appropriate photo adapter for use with all camera systems. (Part No. 0623106)
The Minox MD 62 Straight Spotting Scope and Angled versions (MD 62 W) come with a nylon ever-ready case that can be used even when attached to a tripod.
Main Features:
MD 62 Eyepieces
There are five Minox eyepieces that are compatible with all scopes in the MD 62 Series that are usually sold separately, the Vario 20-45x, 21-42X L.E.R, 22x ww, 40x ww and the 30x ww. For more information take a look at this section on Minox Eyepieces.
Price Range & Where to Buy
The ED versions of Minox's 62mm spotting scopes use the same outer body available in angled and straight though designs as the standard versions, but come with very high quality ED (Extra-low Dispersion) fluoride glass producing clearer and sharper images with better contrast. They do this by concentrating and directing the wavelength of light more effectively onto your eyes (preventing chromatic aberration). Lenses made from extra low dispersion glass have less air bubbles and glass deformities that are more likely to cause image distortion.
Like the standard versions, all prisms and lenses are fully multi-coated and still weigh under 1kg making them an ideal all round scope to use in a variety of situations.
Models:
Main Features:
Minox Digiscoping
Being a legendary camera manufacturer, MINOX has, of course, also produces an appropriate photo adapter for use with all camera systems. (Part No. 0623106)
The angled MD 62 ED W and Minox MD 62 ED Straight Spotting Scopes come with a nylon ever-ready case that can be used even when attached to a tripod.
MD 62 ED Eyepieces
There are five Minox eyepieces that are compatible with the MD 62 ED Series scopes that are usually sold separately, the Vario 20-45x, 21-42X L.E.R, 22x ww, 40x ww and the 30x ww. For more information take a look at this section on Minox Eyepieces.
Price Range & Where to Buy
The Minox Digital Camera Module (DCM) is simply fitted to the eyepiece bayonet of a spotting scope and is an exciting combination of a 5 megapixel digital camera, 2.0“ TFT monitor and eyepiece all in one.
Digiscoping Made Easy
With the DCM fitted to a high-quality scope, a fast and easy-fitting solution has been provided for practical digiscoping without the need for brackets and special adapters. Compact and lightweight, the Minox DCM is a convenient accessory for every quality spotting scope. The screen allows more than one person to not only view the subject at the same time or view images and video clips that have been taken. A flip-up built-in shield protects the TFT monitor and the operating controls during transportation and storage and also acts as a sun-shade when in use. The 5 megapixel Minox Digital Camera Module is watertight and shock-proof and is powered by a replaceable high-capacity lithium-ion battery, ensuring it can be comfortably used out and about, even in adverse weather conditions.
Weighing just 22 grams and very compact size of 68 x 56 x 71 mm makes the MINOX Digital Camera Module very convenient to carry and travel making it the perfect accessory for every quality spotting scope.
Compatible Spotting Scopes
*requires Kowa eyepiece adapter (TSN-EC3)
Price Range & Where to Buy
Minox Scopes on Amazon:
Minox currently produce 5 fixed and zoom eyepieces for their 62mm spotting scopes and all can be used with either the straight through or angled versions. So that includes the MINOX MD 62, MD 62 W, MD 62 ED and MD 62 W ED models. Minox covers all their eyepieces with a five-year limited warranty.
Minox 30x WW Eyepiece (Wide Angle)
The 30x fixed power eyepiece offers you a wide field of view and generous eye relief. It has an adjustable Eyecup that twists up and down for comfortable viewing with or without eyeglasses. The Minox 30X Wide Angle Ocular 62304 is both waterproof and fogproof.
Minox 40x Eyepiece
The 40x Eyepiece from Minox is a high-quality 6 element eyepiece for the Minox MD 62 spotting scopes and is a great choice of eyepiece for general viewing of more distant subjects where a wide-angle eyepiece does not get close enough. The Minox 40X Wide Angle Ocular is waterproof and fogproof, making it suitable for any weather.
Minox 22x WW Eyepiece (Wide Angle)
The Minox 22x Wide Angle Eyepiece not only offers a wide field of view, but is small and bright. When mounted on these scopes it provides a field of view of 3° and an exit pupil of 2.81mm. The Minox 22x WW is a great choice of eyepiece for general viewing as well as birdwatching as the wider apparent field of view makes a big difference. Like all other Minox eyepieces, it is both fog and waterproof.
Minox 21-42x Long Eye Relief Eyepiece
The Minox 21-42x LER Eyepiece (Product No.:62303) is a high-quality 9 element zoom eyepiece for the Minox MD 62 spotting scopes. The long eye relief of 20.2-22 mm makes viewing comfortable even over long periods. The Minox 21-42x Long Eye Relief Eyepiece is waterproof and fogproof, making it suitable for use in all weather conditions.
Minox 20-45x Eyepiece
The Minox 20-45X Vario Eyepiece is a high-quality 8 element zoom eyepiece for the Minox MD 62 spotting scopes. When mounted on the scope this zoom eyepiece provides a field of view of 1.7° - 1.1° and an exit pupil of 3.1 - 1.38mm. The Minox 20-45x zoom eyepiece measures 80mm in length and 53mm in diameter, and weighs just 111g, making it a useful kit addition to any Minox MD 62 owning birder. Like all other Minox eyepieces, this one is both fog and waterproof.
The range of binoculars from Minox focuses on the highest quality optics and are produced mostly for serious bird watchers, for nature observation and as hunting binoculars. All MINOX binoculars feature a multi layer coating on all air to glass surfaces. This reduces any reflection and makes the image sharper and even more brilliant. The prisms in the MINOX binoculars are coated with a phase correction layer which enhances the contrast, even in difficult light conditions, therefore increasing the twilight factor of these new variable power binoculars.
Popular Minox Binoculars:
The top of the range binocular are their APO HG Binoculars that include SCHOTT fluoride ED-glass lens elements as well as high quality ED glass other popular lines include the Minox BV and BL range of binoculars.
MINOX GmbH
Walter-Zapp-Str. 4
35578 Wetzlar Germany
tel +49 (0) 6441 / 917 0
fax +49 (0) 6441 / 917 612
e-mail: [email protected]
