The Minolta 16 series of 16mm subminiature cameras began life shortly after the end of World War II with a small, all metal manual camera called the Konan 16 Automat. This camera used a different film cartridge than the one that Minolta would later make an almost universal standard, but the innovative design caught the eye of Minolta, who ultimately bought out the company, improved the design and redesigned the film cassette entirely.

The 16 Automat was the first Konan design camera that actually bore the name Minolta and used the new, Minolta designed film cartridge, appearing in 1955. A relatively limited feature set (compared to today's models) included a aperture range of F/3.5 to F/11, and a shutter speed range of 1/15^th to 1/200^th of a second plus a Bulb setting for time exposures.

The Minolta Model 16 I is really the first of the classic Model 16 cameras most people associate with the Minolta name, although they did not actually invent it: they licensed the design of the Konan 16 II Automat from Konan. With the license in hand, they modified the design to allow for slip on supplemental lenses and filtres, and moved both the shutter speed and aperture selection dials to the side of the camera, instead of on the top deck where Konan originally had them. An important side note for collectors and users is the fact that the supplemental lenses and filtres for the Model 16 I will not fit the later Model 16 II. The lens remained the same as the 16 Automat, while the shutter speeds ran 1/25^th, 1/50^th and 1/200^th of a second in range. The camera was produced from 1957 through to 1960, and was successful enough to spawn not only the standard silver coloured model, but rare and collectible models in blue, green, red, black and yellow (sometimes called gold, but not actually gold plated). The camera included a PC flash synch contact.

The Model 16 II was introduced in 1960, and is, I feel, the very best of the original, manual and smallest of the Minolta subminiature cameras made. It's all metal, solid construction will easily fit inside of a standard cigarette pack (indeed, several were thus concealed for espionage purposes over the years). For a relatively small price in comparison to a Minox camera, it offered the same classic push-pull film advance operation that also provided protection for the lens when the camera was not in use. The lens was improved, and the aperture range went from a fast F/2.8 down to F/16, while the shutter speeds now went from 1/30^th of a second up to an action stopping 1/500^th of second, with the traditional Bulb setting for time exposures. A PC flash synch contact was provided, of course, along with a count down film counter calibrated for the 20 exposures a standard 16mm cartridge of film provided.

  The Model 16 II was designed with a comprehensive (for the time) set of accessories to maximize the flexibility of the camera, making it a system camera that could easily be carried in one's pocket or the smallest purse, a' la Minox. In addition to a series of five slip on filtres (UV, Y-48 Yellow, 1A Skylight, 80A Tungsten and 81B Daylight colour conversion filtres) there was also a three piece set of slip on supplementary distance lenses for focusing. The Model 16 II lens was fixed focus, requiring a little mental adjustment for those photographers used to a camera with adjustable focus capability. This is because adjusting the focus on a Model 16 II is done solely by the manipulation of Depth of Field (the zone of sharp focus for a lens as determined by the F/stop setting in use at that moment). Without a distance lens in place, the 16 II offered sharp focus from 6.6 to 10.8 feet if the aperture was set for F/2.8, and from 3.5 feet to Infinity if the lens was stopped down all the way to F/16. Therefore, in addition to thinking about F/stops in relation to shutter speeds to achieve proper exposure of the film, the photographer also has to consider the selected F/stop in terms of where the zone of sharp focus is when aiming at a subject.

The # 0 lens basically allows you to achieve focus out to great distances, often to Infinity, over the full range of apertures. Conversely, the # 1 and # 2 lenses allowed you to focus closer than 6.6 feet at wider apertures. The depth of field chart presented below will give you a clear idea of how the using the distances lenses (or not) varied the Depth of Field (DOF) available to the photographer at a given aperture:

The photograph at the top of the page shows a Model 16 II in the open, picture taking position with the distance lens dismounted and the blue dot indicating a cocked shutter clearly visible. The Model 16 II also had a very handy combination tripod socket/cold shoe flash mounting bracket that wrapped around the camera allowing it to be simultaneously mounted on a tripod with a flash gun attached without interfering with any other function of the camera. A variety of flash guns utilizing the AG-1 "peanut" flash bulbs of the time were available, as was a daylight film developing tank, a small slide projector and a dedicated 16mm print enlarger for the darkroom. Unusual for the time, the owner's manual for the cameras also gave a very clear discussion on how to reload the film cassettes at home for the real enthusiast.

Operating the camera is simplicity itself: tug on the two ends to telescope the camera into the open, firing position, exposing the lens (the top of the camera is the side that has "Minolta-16" stamped into it, the shutter speed and aperture selection dials being on the right side of the camera). Turn the camera over and depress the small "D" shaped metal stud with a thumbnail; while holding it in, slide the main body shell complete off the camera works. Notice the sliding metal plate that actually operates the film advance, shutter cocking and the movement of the film counter. Now turn the camera back over; the film door is the metal flap with two small bent arms on it (springs to keep the door firmly closed when film is loaded into the camera). Open the film chamber door by lifting it with a fingernail and insert the 16mm film cartridge with the bridge to the top; occasionally you may notice that when you insert the cartridge into the film chamber, one side does not seem to be fully seated. If that is the case, gently push the sliding plate on the bottom of the camera in until the cartridge drops down into place (pushing the plate rotates the film advance spindle enough to allow the cartridge to seat properly).

Turn the camera back over and look at the film counter wheel. If the sliding plate is fully extended, there will be a small pin that engages teeth on the film counter wheel. Push the plate in just a little to free the wheel from the pin so that it rotates without interference. Turn the wheel with a finger until the red dot next to the red letter "S" (for "start") lines up with the red index mark. Now replace the body shell, depressing the locking stud again while sliding the shell fully into place. Through the little film exposure counter window, you will see the red letter "S" indicating the start of the film. Telescope the camera open once and press the square silver shutter release button on the top deck to fire the shutter. Advance the film and fire the shutter a second time. Notice that now a third red dot shows in the film counter window. The third time you open the camera, the number 20 will display, indicating that you are now on the first of 20 shots available to you on the roll. The counter will count down with every picture you take, until you have taken the last photograph (the number 1 showing in the counter window). At that point, advance the film and fire the shutter twice more until the letter "E" (for "empty") shows in the window, and remove the film.

Setting exposure is as simple as dialing in the desired shutter speed with the wheel on the right side of the camera, marked B, 30, 60, 125, 250 and 500, all for fractions of a second speed setting. The B (for "Bulb") is a time exposure setting: pressing down and holding the shutter release button opens the shutter and holds it open for as long as you hold the shutter release down. When you release the button, the shutter will close again. Lens openings from F/2.8 to F/16 are dialed in on the second wheel located next to the shutter speed selector dial. Viewing is done through the round, porthole style viewfinder window when the camera is open in the shooting position.

Changing lenses or filtres is done when the camera is telescoped open. Looking at the front of the camera, gently push the right side of the filtre or distance lens frame toward the left to dismount the lens or filtre. Mounting the distance lens is done with the camera telescoped open as well; simply line up the two clips at the back of the lens or filtre frame with the sideways "U" shaped opening in front of the camera lens (on the outer body shell) and slide it into place.

Be very conscious of the fact that opening and closing the camera without taking a picture will still advance the film to the next frame. In other words, it is possible to completely wind through a fresh roll of film without ever having taken a picture simply by continuously opening and closing the camera.

Using flash requires the attachment of the tripod/flash adapter bracket accessory. Bulb type flash guns normally come with a short PC synch cable which plugs into the flash contact nipple recessed in a little hole on the far right end of the top deck of the camera. Flash synch speed for bulbs is set by selecting 1/30^th of a second shutter speed. Mounting more modern electronic flash units that don't have a PC synch cord will require you to purchase a small hot shoe/PC synch cord adapter (these are still made today and available at any well stocked photography store). This adapter slides into the flash mounting foot on the tripod/flash adapter bracket, with the cord being connected to the PC socket. The flash unit is then slide into the adapter. I am told that electronic flash units can synch with the Model 16 II at any shutter speed, but have not tested this.

The Model 16 II was one of the most successful 16mm subminiature cameras ever made, and can now be found in excellent condition on Internet auctions for as little as $25 to $35 for the camera itself. As with the earlier Model I, Minolta also produced these cameras in a variety of coloured finishes, including black, red, blue, yellow and green, but being much harder to find, their price is correspondingly higher. The Model 16 II was the last of the telescoping bodied 16mm cameras Minolta ever made; later cameras were larger, rigid body designs, making the 16 I and II series a delightfully designed classic of their type.

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© February, 2002 by D. Scott Young