The Minox camera was a subminiature camera first produced in 1937. It used very small film cartridges with unperforated film that produced images just 8 × 11 mm in size.
Initially produced in Latvia, production stopped in 1943 and was then restarted in Germany in 1948. The camera was high-quality and expensive, and become both a luxury item and a tool for spying. The Minox camera was developed over time through several versions, and added features such as autoexposure, as well as a range of accessories including a projector for use with Minox slides.
It is unclear when the first black and white slide (reversal) films were made available for Minox cameras, but since the first slide projector was introduced in 1950, it may have been prior to this. The first colour slide film for the Minox was made by Agfacolor in 1954.
The first projector, introduced in 1950, was made by the Hollyslide Company at the request of the American Minox subsidiary. It could project direct from the transparency holder, or from Minox slide film mounted in standard 2-inch slide mounts.
The Minox HP30 projector line followed in 1954, and this was followed by the HP24 in 1970. Some models offered semi-automatic operation, autofocus and remote control, and the HP24 offered the ability to connect a cassette player to control the projector (rather like a tape-slide set). Some models could project slides from 16 mm film or 110 film.
Minox discontinued production of the HP24 slide projector in 1988, but continued to produce Minochrome slide film until 2003.
It is still possible to obtain reversal film (and negative film) for the Minox from some sources, or it is possible to use a film slitter to make film for the Minox from 35 mm film.