I received another Minox B today, and decided to clean it up. Instead of using the rubber eraser method of cleaning the front and back plates, I tried something different.

I used Kodak lens cleaner and lens cleaning paper. It works very well, here's how. Take one sheet of the tissue and wad it up, then put one drop of the lens cleaning fluid on the tissue. Rub the damp wad on the back plate and watch the finger grime come right off. You might have to use 2 or 3 tissues if there is a lot of grime. This works well for the front plate also, as you can get into the small spaces around the dials and shutter release. It comes clean with little effort as opposed to the eraser, which takes a lot of elbow grease.

Of course the lens cleaner and tissue work well for cleaning the lens and viewfinder windows, as well as the exposure counter window. Never, ever, drop or squirt lens cleaning fluid directly onto a Minox lens or viewfinder window, as they are not sealed and the liquid will seep into the camera requiring a professional disassembly. Instead, apply one tiny drop to the tissue and use a circular motion to clean the windows.

-- James Jones (jaj01@home.com), January 09, 2000

Answers

I like to use Kodak lens cleaning fluid on Q Tip to clean Minox 8x11 cameras too. This method left no residue as oppose to eraser, which may left rubber dust on the camera. As for lens cleaning, I use a the cleaning material in LensPen: use a piece of Q Tip to take on the cleaning agent in the cap of the LensPen and clean the Minox lens and viewfinder (applicable to all Minox lenses, from 8x11, to 110 cameras).

As for Minox 35mm lens cleaning, I use Lenspen directly.

Lenspen is the best lens cleaning device I ever used, I use it on my Leica lenses too. I cleans off smudge and make lenses sparking like new.

I was the very first one to introduce Lenspen to usenet photo news group. Now Lenspen becomes very popular.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 09, 2000.

Computer shops sell presoaked "cleainign wipes" for cleaning computer screen, keyboard. It is ideal for cleaning the surface of metal or macrolon Minox camera surface. However avoid touching the lens or viewfinder.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 09, 2000.

I found another good way of cleaning the matte panels on my IIIs. After finding that 40 years of scuzz wasn't even touched by alcohol wipes, I tried Goo-Gone, a citrus-based adhesive remover. I put a drop of Goo-Gone on a cotton swab, blotted off the majority of it on a paper towel, and gently rubbed the camera. Removed it instantly! Be sure to use a barely damp swab to avoid the risk of internal damage.

-- Ken Ford (kford@Ameritech.net), April 01, 2000.

I`ll second the Goo Gone method.When I first got my cameras they were really grungy.I first used a rubber pencil eraser to get off the crud stuck in the shutter speed and focus dials.(You`ll chew up a few erasers doing this.)The eraser also took off the heavy dirt on the back plate.Next I used Goo Gone on the entire aluminum case.It cleans nice and the camera smells really nice,too!The Goo Gone also took the white residue off the inside black area where the film cassette goes.I used a little dabbed on a Q-tip.You`ll be surprised when you swirl the Q-tip around the round areas where the film cartridge fits- it`ll come out black!

-- Lance Novak (roobunny@aol.com), April 02, 2000.