16mm adventure

I am looking to find a 16mm still camera I can reload using cene 16mm bulk film. I am not interested in the 110 arena.

Any suggestions?

There are many excellent ones. Minolta 16 line are really good, and the 16-II model -- available for about $30 -- doesn't need batteries or anything. They can use 16mm film of just about any type, or you can cut film for them out of 35mm since they don't use the perf to drive the film.

What I liked about the Minolta 16 cameras that I owned in the past, the cameras did not require that the film be perforated to function properly. So, you could split your own films, 35mm, 120 etc or use films such as Kodak ImageLink HQ (16mm) which is high resolution (250+ lpmm). Fun cameras for sure. I really need to get another.

Here is the skinny on Minolta 16 cameras which I also recommend.
There are several models and probably the most versatile is the 16II.

Frame size; 10X14mm
Film advance; push-pull (note; the film advances every time you open and close the camera, so, if you open it to view and expose a frame, change your mind and close it again, you lose that frame. It will be blank)
Lens; 22mm 3 element 3 group f2.8 to f16 in whole stops focus fixed at 2.5 meters (note; there are supplementary lens sets with the "0" -.25 diopter that brings focus to 10 meters and the "1" lens that brings focus to 1.3 meters and the "2" lens that brings focus to 2.6 meters. These lenses and aperture control is the only way to control focus.)
Shutter; front of lens, speeds; 1/500-1/250-1/125-1/60-1/30 and B

That's about it feature wise. You will have to buy original Minolta film cartridges on e-bay, they are available sometimes as NOS for about $10~$20 each. They can be reloaded over and over but you MUST keep the felt light traps clean! Dust is your main enemy.
Needless to say you need to do your own processing. You can still buy the Yankee brand tank from B&H and the processing reel will adjust down to 16mm.

Eastman still has 16mm single perf. Double X negative film in 100 ft. and 400 ft. rolls. I don't know what is available in color negative in 16mm but as noted you can buy, or more likely build a film slitter and slit 16mm out of the center of 35mm film.

I've been using my 16II cameras off and on for 15 years or so.

And yes, the lens really is a 3 element lens despite being reported as a 4 element many places on the WWW.

I'd recommend Minolta 16 series. All take the same cartridges. I think I am like many out there that own a bunch of these cameras. No single camera has all the best components.

16QT = last of the generation, has biggest image area but is mostly plastic. Has focus and built-in meter but only 2 shutter speeds
16MG = next-to last camera. Has the big image area and more shutter speeds but no focus. More metal in the construction.

16 II = fully metal camera with fully adjustable f-stop and shutter speed. Focuses with interchangeable diopter lenses. Smaller image area (not much bigger than Minox).
16 I = just like above but with less shutter speeds and f-stops. Smaller lens, less elements and uses different set of interchangeable filters.

16P = Pretty basic. May be fun to use if you get one for free.

Nearly unlimited supply of negative film here: http://motion.kodak.com/motion/Products/Production/Black_And_White_Films/5222.htm

My favorites are these two:

I bought a Minolta 16MG way back when, probably 1968. I used it for years, until I got a Rollei 35. The shots from it were ok, but nothing great. My camera linked the light meter to the shutter speed and f-stop, thus you could not change them individually. The light meter died, as most of them did, but rule of 16 allowed me to continue to use it.

The size was not great either when compared to the Rollei. Getting film was hard, and no one processed the stuff after a few years. That said, if you load your own cartridges you will have no problem. I think I still have mine someplace, but I have not used since the early 80's, so I doubt that it even works anymore. Look on ebay, they are there, some priced really stupid, others very reasonable.

The italian GAMI 16

The non-plus ultra in 16mm. A kind of 16mm system-camera.

It seems obvious the Minolta series is the clear winner. Although the GAMI really looks good, when you have deep pockets.

My next question is, how delicate are those cartridges? Are they easily refilled?

mrred said:

It seems obvious the Minolta series is the clear winner. Although the GAMI really looks good, when you have deep pockets.

My next question is, how delicate are those cartridges? Are they easily refilled?

Click to expand...

I'm still using the cartridges I got in the 1980s and 1990s. They have felt traps on both ends. I use tiny pieces of electrician's tape to hold the caps on. In darkness I wrap about 2 feet of 16mm single-perf film around a small rod and slide it into the chamber with the free end passing through the felt. I make sure the perfs (which are a little difficult to detect by feel) are oriented correctly, and put the cap on. With that cap on, I can feed the free end across to the take-up spool in dim light.

I use Jobo 16mm reels for processing . Each reel holds 2 rolls.

That was my single biggest concern.

I have some "lasagna" to take care of that end. But I may pick up a SS reel, just because....

For film I buy Eastman Double-X, 100 ft. single perf. It comes in a light tight plastic box with a hinged snap lid. In total darkness I open the box and fish out the film, leaving about 1/2 inch outside the lid and snap the cover closed. Now with the lights on I place this little bit of film on a dowel with a 16mm deep slit cut into one end. (I cut the slit with an X-Acto razor saw). Then turn off the lights, open the box and withdraw 19 inches of film. I can tell 19 inches because I taped a string that long next to the lid. I then close the lid, snip off the film about 1/2 inch from the end and spin the dowel letting my thumb and forefinger guide the film along the edge to keep it tight. When all rolled up slip it into the feed chamber leaving about an inch hanging out of the chamber slot, put on the cap, and now you can do the rest in dim light. I first tape the feed chamber cap with a bit of blue masking tape (tape designed not to leave a residue when removed), then tape the take up spindle to the film, pull out enough film to put it in the take up chamber and them tape the lid on that. I only use this film so I don't label the film type. Don't worry about the 2 inches or so of film you pull out of the feed chamber, there is still plenty to expose 20 frames with and an inch or so of end leader.