Emulsions-Albumin-Papierfabrik (1893 - 1897)
Rheinische Emulsions-Papierfabrik Heinrich Stolle (1897 - 1913)
Mimosa AG (1913 - 1948)
VEB Variochem Mimosa (VEB Mimosa) - (1948 - 1950)
VEB Zeiss Ikon Dresden (1950)
 VEB Photokopierwerk Dresden (1956)

As You can see from the above timeline, the history of Mimosa AG looks very much like so many other corporate histories in German camera- and photoindustry. Mr. Antonetty and Mr. Wandrowsky founded the company in 1893, but apparently they disappear into oblivion some 6 years later where a Heinrich Stolle leads the company. The company are now named Rheinische Emulsions-Papierfabrik. Around 1899 the company introduces the trademark "Mimosa" for their range of  photopaper, sheetfilm, plates and other related material. In 1904 the company moves from Köln-Ehrenfeld to Dresden, and in 1913 the companyname are changed to Mimosa AG. Their range of product remains the same during the II world war and until 1948 where they start to produce cameras. Mr. Robert Graichen was the designer of the Mimosa cameras, and the company also manufactured the Velax shutters.  In 1948 the company were finally nationalized, and in 1950 after just 2 years of camerabuilding the company was merged into the VEB Zeiss Ikon, and the production of cameras was stopped. From 1948 to 1950 they only produced 2 models, the Mimosa I (1948) and the Mimosa II (1949). They returned to their core business, and in 1956 they once again changed their companyname to VEB Photokopierwerk Dresden. The long history of the Mimosa company ends during the privatization in the early 90's, and finnaly the company are being liquidated in 1991.
 

Mimosa II  (1949 - 1950) VF
Serial no.: 12298
Format:  24 x 36 on 35mm film
Optics: Meyer-Optik Trioplan 1:2,9 50mm
Shutter:  Velax B + 1/10 sec. => 1/200 sec. + self timer
 

There are no camera quite like the Mimosa. It's very difficult to decide whether it's charming, beautiful, strange or simply just plain ugly. I think I will settle for strange and charming.

As you can see from the thumbnail below, it's actually a quite compact camera. Of course the viewfinder is a joke but the overall finish are very nice. Oh yes it's all metal !. No plastic here...The cameratop looks like some other cameras bottomplate; only the basics. Windknob, shutter releasebutton, manual reset framecounter and rewind knob. The rewind action are unlocked by lifting the windbutton. Perhaps the most strange feature on the Mimosa are the big locking latch for the backcover. Strange as it may look, it really works like a charm, and after removing the big backcover that slides right off, theres plenty of room for filmchange. The film pressureplate are furthermore locked by a tensioned tab in its "down" position.

On the camerafront you'll find the big distance setting ring with the halfmoon-shaped knob. Hmm it's really nice with a distance scale like this, but where the hell are the accessoryshoe for a rangefinder ? The Mimosa II has also got a flash connection...But no accessoryshoe for that either.. The Velax shutter are very mediocre, but the wellnown triplet Trioplan are actually able to provide some really nice results. On the other hand i'm somewhat of a triplet-fan, so don't listen to a weird old man ;-)  

To summarize, the Mimosa II are a charming little camera, a very, very well built camerabody that unfortunately hasn't got the mecanics that quite match. It's rather difficult to find a Mimosa with a working shutter and distance-setting, and the rewind-lock for the film transport are also a weak point.

When I was a teenager and a young man I was in fact very shy when it came to make passes on the girls. The Mimosa reminds me of the girls that were still not sporken for when I finally pulled myself together and showed a little courage.. Charming, a little chubby and not the hottest chickens in the coop... ;-)

View from right	Whoa ! It's small !	View from top
Backcover removed. Note backcover locking latch	Backcover removed and film pressure plate	Framecounter

Click on thumbnails to enlarge