• Minox 35 GT with original box and manual — view 2
  • Minox 35 GT with original box and manual — view 3
  • Vintage Minox 35 EL ad — "World's smallest full-frame 35mm camera" — view 4
  • 1981
  • German engineering
  • Smallest 35mm full-frame

Minox 35 GT

The smallest 35mm full-frame camera ever made.

The Minox 35 GT was, when it shipped in 1981, the smallest 35mm full-frame camera ever made. It's still in the running. The body folds shut in a clamshell roughly the size of a deck of cards; the lens collapses into the body when the camera is closed. Open it and the Minoxar 35mm f/2.8 — a real 4-element design, ground in Germany — extends out and locks in place.

Aperture priority only. The TTL CdS meter sets shutter speed automatically, programmed from 1/500s down to 30 full seconds (yes, 30 — the long-exposure capability is unusually serious for a camera this small). Hot shoe takes any standard flash. ASA 25 to 1600.

If pocketable matters to you and you don't want to give up a full 35mm frame to get there, this is the body.

Match

Who this is for

Good for

  • Travel
  • Pocketable everyday carry
  • Photographers who want German engineering at compact size

Not for

  • Photographers who want manual mode
  • Fast-action shooters

Character

What it feels like to shoot

The clamshell mechanism is a piece of mechanical jewellery. Folding the camera retracts the lens; opening it cocks the shutter and extends the lens to its taking position. The shutter release is a single satisfying click. The original mercury cell is long gone, but a CR1/3N lithium adapter handles the substitution cleanly.

Born 1981

History of the Minox 35 GT

Made by Minox GmbH in Wetzlar, Germany — the same town as Leitz/Leica. The Minox 35 line started with the EL in 1974 and ran through GT (1981), GT-S, GT-X, AL, MB, ML, AF, and others until the early 90s. The GT is the most-loved iteration: full programmed AE in aperture-priority mode, longest slow speeds in the line, and the cleanest controls.

Technical specifications

MFG. 1981 – 1986
01
Format
35mm full-frame ultra-compact
02
Manufacturer
Minox · Germany
03
Production
1981 – 1986
04
Lens
Minoxar 35mm f/2.8 (4-element collapsible)
05
Metering
TTL CdS
06
Viewfinder
Reverse-Galilean with bright frame and parallax marks
07
Shutter
1/500s – 30s (programmed)
08
ISO range
ASA 25 – 1600
09
Flash sync
Hot shoe X-sync
10
Exposure modes
Aperture priority
11
Dimensions
100 × 62 × 32 mm (folded)
12
Weight
200 g
13
Power
1 × PX27 alkaline (or 2 × CR1/3N lithium)

Backed by GPP

Service & guarantees

Every analog camera ships through our bench

This unit has been bench-tested by GPP. Shutter speeds verified, light seals replaced where age had taken them, meter calibrated against a known reference. Cosmetic condition is reflected in the listing photos.

Comes with our 7-day functional return policy: if anything we declared isn't working as described, we'll exchange or refund.

  • CLA'd by GPP — shutter speeds checked, light seals replaced where needed, meter calibrated against a known reference.
  • 7-day functional return — if it doesn't work as we declared on this listing, we exchange or refund. Wear-and-tear consistent with the listed condition isn't returnable.
  • UAE & worldwide shipping — Dubai same-day before 12 PM (AED 50), UAE-wide in 2–3 business days (AED 40), international tracked in 5–10 business days (calculated at checkout). Insurance can be added on request. Customs and import duties are the buyer's responsibility on international orders. Full shipping policy.
  • Walk in to inspect — Warehouse D36, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. Mon–Sat, 10am–7pm. Bring a roll if you'd like to test-fire on the spot.

Questions

Things people ask

What film does it take?

Standard 35mm film. We carry the widest selection in the Middle East — colour, B&W, slide — across consumer, professional, and cinema stocks. Need a recommendation for this body? Just ask us.

Is the camera serviced before sale?

Yes — every analog camera at GPP goes through our bench before it goes on the listing. Shutter speeds verified, light seals replaced where needed, meter calibrated against a reference.

What's your return policy?

7-day functional return. If anything we declared isn't working as described, contact us within 7 days of receipt for a full refund or exchange.

Can GPP develop and scan the photos I shoot with this?

Yes — our in-house film lab handles colour, B&W, and slide development with scanning. 24-48 hour rush available. More on the film lab.

Can I see the camera before I buy?

Always welcome. Visit Warehouse D36, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am–7pm.

Reading

Further reference

Camera-Wiki entry on the Minox 35 line

Minox 35 GT
Dhs. 1,500.00
  • ✓ CLA'd by GPP
  • ✓ 7-day functional return