Help Choosing a Sub-Compact 16mm Camera

[jbrubaker]

I used to collect subminiature cameras and so I have cassettes available that I would be willing to sell. I have cassettes to fit Minolta, Mamiya, Rollei, Mec, Gami, Minicord, and Minox. Contact me if you are interested in purchasing any of these. thanks ---john.

 

[ciniframe]

Keeps the 35mm canister in place without trouble. Seems to work, haven't tried in camera yet though but it does roll onto the Yankee reel after some work.



I've seen a few MGs and they look pretty sleek. I'll keep an eye out for one. It's good to know that width isn't so critical. I might be off by a hair or so.



You used shaving razors or regular blades? Shaving razors seemed too flexible and bendy, I went with snap off's instead. The camera I bought off of Ebay showed a cartridge in the photo, but you never know, sometimes people 'forget' to send things shown in the photo. I wonder if anyone 3D prints the carts, and 110 carts.



I'm on the fence, I love taking photos but I do like messing around with the cameras too. It's all fresh to me, having grown up in the 90's I didn't have access to all this stuff. It was relatively expensive, now it's peanuts and there are loads of resources online walking you through the cameras and film formats. No more educated guesses.



I lucked out, less than 60k on mine when I bought it a year ago. Needed a new starter and battery, otherwise I'll drive it till it rusts.

Yes, the thin double edge blades. They are sandwiched between blocks of wood, angled at about 35 degrees and only about 3/16 inch of the blades stick up above the wood. Don’t really know how to describe it in words although the idea came from pictures of slitters I’ve seen online. I’ve modified their designs to come up with my own. A table saw and drill press came in handy making this thing.
Are you in the US? I could probably just cobble one together and send it to you. Double edge razor blades are getting harder to find. I had to search several stores to get a package. Everyone seems to have gone to disposable shavers.

 

[Cholentpot]

Yes, the thin double edge blades. They are sandwiched between blocks of wood, angled at about 35 degrees and only about 3/16 inch of the blades stick up above the wood. Don’t really know how to describe it in words although the idea came from pictures of slitters I’ve seen online. I’ve modified their designs to come up with my own. A table saw and drill press came in handy making this thing.
Are you in the US? I could probably just cobble one together and send it to you. Double edge razor blades are getting harder to find. I had to search several stores to get a package. Everyone seems to have gone to disposable shavers.

Yes, I live in the USA. I'll trade ya, send me a slitter and I'll send you enough razors to last for a while. Local off brand super market carries them.

I used to collect subminiature cameras and so I have cassettes available that I would be willing to sell. I have cassettes to fit Minolta, Mamiya, Rollei, Mec, Gami, Minicord, and Minox. Contact me if you are interested in purchasing any of these. thanks ---john.

Sure thing! This website is awesome...

 

[Cholentpot]

Well here's my update. Got the Minolta 16 in along with the roll of Kodak Microfilm. Rolled up and shot a test roll then developed in Rodinal 1:100 for an hour stand. I scanned it with a DSLR, funny enough my EF 100 2.8 macro could not get close enough for my tastes so I went with a Nikkor 55 macro and some extension tubes. It was sharper than the EF 100 when used with tubes. I don't think the EF likes tubes.

Anyhoo, here's the shot

So, shortcomings I've noticed. Out past 25-30 feet things gets crummy a bit and out of focus. Time to look for a camera that does infinity. Any suggestions? Hows the MG sound? Whats the difference between the MG and MG-S?

Thanks guys, this was a fun journey that's only getting started!

 

[ProgramPlus]

That's a pretty nice pic!! Yours is the 16-II? I think you can get add on lenses that are supposed to focus to infinity. I actually got a set but haven't tried them out yet. I'm impressed with quality of your pic. Might be time to load a roll and bust out the 16-II.

 

[summicron1]

That's a pretty nice pic!! Yours is the 16-II? I think you can get add on lenses that are supposed to focus to infinity. I actually got a set but haven't tried them out yet. I'm impressed with quality of your pic. Might be time to load a roll and bust out the 16-II.

What he said -- Minolta made a set of little filters that go on to set the focus at infinity or at a cupla close distances -- they work just fine, but I always got sharp enough by keeping the lens opening small.

flebay has them for sale: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Minolta+16+II+filter+set&_sacat=0

That's an amazing quality image you got there.

 

[mshchem]

Our 2014 Fiat 500 has been absolutely trouble free, has almost 100,000 km on it, and is arguably the best car that either of us have ever owned - certainly it is the most fun to drive.
As the saying goes, YMMV.

When I was visiting one of Whirlpool's plants in Italy, I told them about my Fiats, yes I had a Spyder as well. They said "Ah, there's the Old Fiat and the New Fiat" The old Fiat was kinda like a MG. Beautiful but, not so good.

 

[Cholentpot]

That's a pretty nice pic!! Yours is the 16-II? I think you can get add on lenses that are supposed to focus to infinity. I actually got a set but haven't tried them out yet. I'm impressed with quality of your pic. Might be time to load a roll and bust out the 16-II.

Thanks! I'm not sure if its the I or II. It just says Minolta 16 on it.

What he said -- Minolta made a set of little filters that go on to set the focus at infinity or at a cupla close distances -- they work just fine, but I always got sharp enough by keeping the lens opening small.

flebay has them for sale: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Minolta+16+II+filter+set&_sacat=0

That's an amazing quality image you got there.

I was shooting microfilm rated at about 25 so...ya know, tightest I was going was f/8. Also those fleaBay prices on the filters, might as well buy another camera. Just gotta find which ones go to infinity without filters. It's amazing what a 'lil tiny negative can resolve to no? Thanks!

When I was visiting one of Whirlpool's plants in Italy, I told them about my Fiats, yes I had a Spyder as well. They said "Ah, there's the Old Fiat and the New Fiat" The old Fiat was kinda like a MG. Beautiful but, not so good.

First car I ever worked on was an MG Spyder. Horrible little thing but a lot of fun to drive.

 

[ciniframe]

Yes, I live in the USA. I'll trade ya, send me a slitter and I'll send you enough razors to last for a while. Local off brand super market carries them.

Sure, I’m out of town now but will be back after June 1st. Don’t see that Photrio has a PM provision so when I get home I’ll look up my gmail address to send you and we can communicate that via e-mail.
Nice picture by the way. Right now I’m using the last of my Eastman Double-X 16mm and it’s a lot grainer than microfilm.
You can tell if you have the Minolta 16II by the lens speed and shutter speed range and viewfinder. If your rear viewfinder window is round then it is the 16II. It will also have shutter speeds of 1/30 to 1/500 plus ‘B’ and a 22mm f2.8 lens.
The only Minolta (widely available) that focused to infinity was the QT model. Unfortunately of the last 4 or 5 that I’ve handled not one worked. Either the shutter didn’t work or the focus control was frozen. The 16II on the other hand are almost always found functional, practically bulletproof.

Sure thing! This website is awesome...

 

[ciniframe]

Okay, that last post came out as all quotes. But I’m sure you can get the sense of it.

 

[Cholentpot]

Okay, that last post came out as all quotes. But I’m sure you can get the sense of it.

Yep, I got the II. goes from B-500 2.8-16 and has a round viewfinder. Guess I lucked out, it was listed as just a 16. I loaded up some cut down HP5+ (expired oh well) and I'm going to see how it goes.

Photorio has a PM function. Click on user name and click on 'start a conversation' to the right. I PMed you yesterday it should show up in your inbox on the top of the page (the little envelope turns red)

 

[ic-racer]

Off topic post, but film photograph of my 1971 124, from 1977 with my Yashica 124G:
.

 

[Cholentpot]

Off topic post, but film photograph of my 1971 124, from 1977 with my Yashica 124G:
. View attachment 224109

And here's my '90 Corolla taken on my Minolta 16 II

 

[MattKing]

Okay, here is our Fiat - a digital image this time:

 

[Cholentpot]

And here's the results from my home slit film. Expired Hp5+, talk about grain. I tried to stay at between f/8 and f/16 for this roll and things do look a bit sharper.

 

[ProgramPlus]

Can anyone recommend a cheap light meter (rather not use an iPhone app), that is reliable and doesn't use hard to find batteries?
I've just loaded film for my Minolta 16 II to try for the first time. I think Sunny 16 will be rather limiting. I have some cut Kentmere 400, so that means the shutter speed will be set at 500. Considering the need to shoot at higher F stops to maximize depth of field with these cameras, it seems rather limiting. I understand Sunny 16 is a starting point and I can lower the shutter speed as I increase the aperture. Is that 1:1? In other words, to drop the shutter speed one click, I open the aperture one setting too?
Still I'd rather not have to guess and also have a spotmatic with a broken meter so I want a meter.


Thanks

 

[btaylor]

Other way around on the aperture/shutter speed. Drop shutter speed from 500 to 250, CLOSE the f stop one more full stop (f11, to start with, f16 one stop more closed).
A great little light meter is the Gossen Digisix. Accurate and tiny.

 

[ProgramPlus]

Whoops. Didn't think about that correctly. You're right. Slow the shutter speed and close the aperture.

Didn't think about this before, but do I have to do anything to compensate for the fact that I'm using faster film? On a more advanced camera, even an oldie like the Spotmatic, I can shoot Sunny 16 but also compensate for the speed of the film by setting the ISO in the camera. This old Minolta 16 has no ISO setting. Was it assumed when these were made that people would alway be using slow film? Seems like it's all ISO 100 or even less when you buy old film for these.

To shoot higher ISO film so I need to adjust? So for ISO 400, I'd increase the shutter speed 2 stops or close the aperture two stops?

Thanks

 

[btaylor]

Sunny 16: ISO 100 film, 1/100 sec shutter, f16. ISO 400 film, 1/400 sec shutter, f16– and so on.

 

[ProgramPlus]

Ahh. Thanks. I think I misunderstood what setting iso on a film camera did. I assumed that it slightly affected the shutter speed to compensate for the different sensitivity of the film. Instead it tells the meter how sensitive the film is so that it can compensate for the different sensitivity of the film.
So there's no need to set the iso setting on my spotmatic either since the meter is broken.

Thanks.

 

[btaylor]

Correct. The Spotmatic is an excellent camera. It was the first “good” camera I had. Use an external meter ( the one on your phone is fine) and try it!

 

[ic-racer]

And here's the results from my home slit film. Expired Hp5+, talk about grain. I tried to stay at between f/8 and f/16 for this roll and things do look a bit sharper.

The loss of sharpness is from the too small aperture. A typical 16mm still camera might have a 25mm focal length lens. You aperture of f11 is 2.2mm. A photograph with visible light will never look good when the rays travel through such a small opening. Sharpest results with your lens will likely be around f4 to f5.6.

 

[Cholentpot]

The loss of sharpness is from the too small aperture. A typical 16mm still camera might have a 25mm focal length lens. You aperture of f11 is 2.2mm. A photograph with visible light will never look good when the rays travel through such a small opening. Sharpest results with your lens will likely be around f4 to f5.6.
View attachment 235769

In this case it's the film. Shooting expired slit down HP5+ is not going to get amazing results.

f/4-5.6 sounds nice but I won't get much depth of field.

 

[ic-racer]

In this case it's the film. Shooting expired slit down HP5+ is not going to get amazing results.

f/4-5.6 sounds nice but I won't get much depth of field.

Look this up please. The post is in error if you are referring to a 25mm lens on 16mm film. Historical information about the development of the fixed-aperture Minox f3.5 lens is required reading for informed discourse on this topic

 

[ProgramPlus]

The loss of sharpness is from the too small aperture. A typical 16mm still camera might have a 25mm focal length lens. You aperture of f11 is 2.2mm. A photograph with visible light will never look good when the rays travel through such a small opening. Sharpest results with your lens will likely be around f4 to f5.6.
View attachment 235769

That's a really nice picture (and subject). I'd be extremely pleased with that level of sharpness on 110 film