16mm CAMERAS
Just because all of these cameras used 16mm film does not mean that they all produced the same size image. For example, some of the images produced are 9x12mm, 10x10mm, 10x14mm, 12x17mm, 13x17mm, 14x14mm, 14x21mm, even 10x52mm! To complicate matters even more, not all 16mm cameras used the same film. Although all used film that was 16mm wide, some cameras used double perforated film, others used single perforated film, and others were designed for unperforated film. Some use paper-backed film, many use special cassettes.
This list is inaccurate and incomplete. Much of the information about any particular camera, especially rare cameras, is virtually impossible to find. Sometimes all that is available is very limited information or a photograph of the camera. As a result, details about the camera may be incorrect. To complicate matters, many cameras were available in different styles with different features.
If you are able to provide more accurate information than is listed here, please contact us.
see Shincho Albert
see Wirgin Alka
Hit type camera (with other "spy" devices) built into an attache case.
see the 17.5mm cameras section
(1960) -- Tiny camera with fixed-focus 25mm (f3.5-?) lens. Speeds of B, 1/50-1/200. It was made by Kowa, not Minolta, but used the Minolta cassette. This is the same camera that was put into the Bell Kamra and the Ramera, but it is much more unusual than the radio camera.
see Kiev cameras
see Lure
see Knoedler cameras
see Moller Cambinox
see Coronet Cameo
see Okada Camera "B" No. 2
see Eastman Kodak Matchbox camera
see Mundas Camerette
see Knoedler cameras
see Croma Color 16, Mundas Color and Mundas 16
see Fuji Comex
(1948) An inexpensive bakelite camera from Postwar England. It had an inexpensive, fixed focus f11 lens with a single shutter speed of 1/25. The image size was 13x18mm.
(1934) An inexpensive, but colorful, bakelite camera from England. Many were made, but they are hard to find since they sold for $2.50 and are snatched up today by collectors. Sported an inexpensive, fixed-focus, f10 lens with a single speed of 1/30. Available in black, brown, red, green and blue. The war ended production and it was never resumed.
Similar to the Mycro Fine Color 16 and the Whittaker Pixie. Available in black, red, green and brown.
see Toko Cyclops
(1947) Shaped like a tiny Leica. Sported a THUNDER 30mm (f6.3) fixed-focus lens. B, 1/25-1/100. Image size of 10x14mm
see Shincho Darling
(1952) A pistol-shaped camera designed for police use with a focusing 17mm (f2.5-16) C-mount, interchangeable lens. Speeds of B, 1/25-1/100. The trigger not only exposed the film, but ignited special magnesium flash "bullets" that could be loaded on the top of the "gun", but had the tendency to explode in the photographers face! Pop-up viewfinder on top (unlike its predecessor -- the Doryu-1-9.5 -- that had a viewfinder and used 9.5mm film). Image size for the Doryu 2-16 were 10x10mm in special cassettes. Different configurations were made, such as different lenses, wooden handle or metal handle, etc.
(1944) Made for the OSS (forerunner to the CIA) during WWII, this camera was shaped like a matchbox. It was not designed to be sold to the public, and so it does not have a nameplate -- or even a name. A 25mm (f5.0-8) fixed focus lens with speeds of B and 1/60. As very few were made, they are very rare and very expensive. SEE ALSO, OPTIMAR (below).
see Wirgin Edixa
see Knoedler cameras
A round submini from the 1950's. The film format is unclear. It might have originally been designed as a 9.5mm camera, but most were made to use 16mm film. This camera is round -- as in a tube, not a sphere. It had a 20mm f2.8 lens and a shutter with speeds from 1 - 1/250. The images were 8x12mm which might be why some authors list it as taking Minox sized film. Various colors and covering were available.
See Minifex
see Kunik cameras
A rare variant of the Edixa 16. Not to be confused with the Franka company that made 110 cameras.
Some sources lists this as using 16mm film, but it apprently used 9.5mm movie film. Please see the Miscellaneous section.
see Galileo GaMi
One of the earliest (1920's?) still cameras to use 16mm film.
Although it sounnds like this cmera might use 16mm film, it did not. It actually used 17.5mm film, so the camera is listed in that section.
see Okada
(1964) -- Give-away, promotional, toy camera shaped (sort of) like a pistol. Speeds of B and I. Used the Minolta cassette, but was not made by Minolta.
see Goldammer
see Steky/Ricoh cameras
see Steky/Ricoh cameras
see Steky/Ricoh cameras
see KMZ cameras
A few of these cameras, commonly referred to as "HIT" cameras, used 16mm film, and are listed in this section -- under various names. But the vast majority of HIT cameras used 17.5mm film and are listed under that category. These types of cameras are still being manufactured today in Hong Kong, Singapore and other locations. If you have additional information about new models or more accurate information about those listed here, please contact us.
see K.W. Jolly
see Kiev cameras
see Kiev cameras
see Homer
see KMZ
Despite its name, the Kiku 16 cameras -- there was more than one -- used 17.5mm film. Please see the 17.5mm film section
see Eastman Kodak Matchbox camera
(1936) A Leica look-a-like in a submini, bakelite body. There were a variety of models, the difference being the lens. The typical lens was a non-focusing, non-interchangeable 30mm (f4.5) with speeds of 1/20-1/200. Other versions have focusing lenses as fast f2.8. Some models even have interchangeable lenses. The format size is somewhere between 13x17mm and 14x18mm. Since these cameras are old and bakelite doesn't hold up to aging very well, these cameras are very hard to find.
(1950) Another post-war submini from Germany, it produced 10x15mm images. Similar to the Kalos with a simple viewfinder on top, fixed-focus lens and a simple shutter.
A French 16mm camera from the 1930's that looks like a miniature twin-lens-reflex, but isn't. It is marked, "Xyz", with the quotation marks. It has a 22mm f7 lens with speeds of B, I and 1/25. Image size of 12x15mm on paper backed 16mm film. Pop-up sports finder on the top.
The Linex of 1954 was an odd beast. First, it was made by the same company that made Lionel model trains. In addition, it was a stereo camera and about the same size and shape of a toy train -- not a submini camera. But still, we must list it -- just like we've listed the Taiyokoki Viscawide-16 ST-D panoramic camera -- which, while not a stereo camera, used 16mm film. Like the Viscawide, the Linex used 16mm film in a pair of special cassettes. It produced images about 16x20mm in size that were viewed with a special viewer. It had a pair of 30mm f8 lenses in a large, heavy cast iron body. Use it to take pictures of your Lionel train set.
see Lure
see Lure
see Kunik cameras
see Eastman Kodak Matchbox camera
see Feinwerk
About 100 years ago, in 1929, a 27-year-old man, named Kanbei Hanaya, opened a camera shop and darkroom. Despite being in a small Japanese town, business was good thanks to the Japanese love of photography. Like many other businesses, the shop was completely destroyed during the War, but Mr. Hanaya rebuilt his shop soon after the War ended. His new dream was to produce a high-quality miniature camera that the impoverished Japanese could afford -- using 16mm film, to enable amateur photographers to take many photographs cheaply on one roll of film. He engaged the services of a mechanical engineer, named Gakan Nishimura, to design it. Mr. Nishimura, financed by Mr. Hanaya, founded the Konan Optical Institute. In fact, Mr. Nishimura and his family were also provided housing, in addition to his salary. Mr. Hanaya financed the Konan Optical Institute during its development of its new miniature camera in 1947 - named the Mica Automat. In many ways, it was similar to other miniature cameras of the time having a fixed-focus 20mm f4.5-16 lens, and shutter speeds of 1/25 - 1/200, plus B. But it used 16mm film in special double-lobed cassettes creating 10x14mm images, instead of the more common 17.5mm (split-35mm), on spools, in cameras creating 14x14mm images. Even more unusual was that the Mica Automat used the push-pull film advance -- similar to the Minox camera of the 1930's.
But after being on the market for only a short time in 1948-49, Mr. Hanaya simply ran out of funds, and gave up
his plans -- literally. Out of necessity, he was able to sell his patents to the Chiyoda Optical Company - which
was better funded (and would later become Minolta). This resulted in a slightly different camera - produced by
Chiyoda, but named the Konan-16 Automat -- followed soon after by the Minolta-16
Automat.
.
see Kunik cameras
see Whittaker cameras
see Optimar
see Knoedler cameras
see Coronet Midget
see Meopta Mikroma
see Meopta Mikroma
Hit type camera
see Goerz Minicord
(1932) This is one of the first cameras to use 16mm film for still photography. It took high-quality 13x18mm images on unperforated film. When you first look at the camera, what you notice is not the camera body -- which is rather large -- but the large, round shutter. Various types of shutters were used, such as Compur, Vario and Pronto. As a result, various shutter speeds were available. Various 25mm lenses were used as well. The most common are is the f4.5, but a f2.7 lens, a Vidor f3.5, and a rare f0.95 were made. Most, if not all, of the lenses had focusing mounts. Having a model with one of the rarer lenses increases the value substantially. The camera had a simple viewfinder on the top of the camera, but a clip-on reflex viewfinder was made. A rare motorized version was developed but may not have been marketed. Accessories, such as filters, cable release, developing tank, enlarger, etc. were made -- amking this the first system subminiature camera.
see Universal Minute 16
see Knoedler cameras
(1956) A top-quality seven-power (7X) binocular with a top-quality 16mm camera built on top. The camera has interchangeable lenses and produced a 10x14mm image. The available lenses were 35mm, 90mm (this was the standard lens and had the same perspective as the binocular), 135mm and 180mm. All lenses had f-stops from f3.5 through f16 and focused to 6.5 feet. Shutter speeds were B, 1/30 - 1/800. Very pricey then and now, but top quality.
see 17.5mm camera list
Similar to Whittaker Pixie. Took 13x13mm images on 16mm film.
see KMZ Narciss
see Steky/Ricoh cameras
A relatively early, good quality camera from the 1950's for 10x14mm images. Its shape is halfway between a small Leica and a Hit camera -- so many people assume it uses 17.5mm film. In fact, it uses paper-backed 16mm film in two, slightly different, cassettes -- one "feeder" and one "take-up". These are inserted through the bottom of the camera -- which comes off, instead of a typical film door. It has a fixed-focus Gemmy 25mm (f4.5-12.0) lens with speeds of B, 1/25-1/100. It is marked "ZANY" on the top, and appeared in slightly different models over time with very minor changes -- and markings on the top, such as "SII". Collect them all.
see KMZ
This was a very advanced 16mm camera that was designed for use on a microscope. In fact, a microscope adapter was built into the camera instead of a regular lens. Some of its advanced features were an SLR design and a built-in, electric motor drive. This was all packed into an incredibly small body. The viewfinder (which many people mistake for the camera lens) has built-in diopter adjustment. Since the camera is designed for the microscope, exposure was set by the microscope and flash setup rather than by the camera. Another interesting feature of this camera is that it uses Minolta 16mm cassettes. Has built-in cable release connection and exposure counter.
see Kunik cameras
see Simda Panorascope
(1949) It's hard to believe, but the Parker Pen Company once made a camera! The very strange horse-shoe-shaped camera produced 13x16mm images with a focusing 37mm f4.5 lens. Speeds of 1/30 and 1/50.
(1947) Less than ten of these top-quality cameras were made, so don't look for it at the local swap meet. This Italian beauty had a focusing, interchangeable 20mm (f3.5) lens with speeds of 1/40, 1/100 and 1/150. No other lenses were made.
See Secam
It looks just like a 110 bar camera but it uses 16mm film in special cassettes. It has a 27mm f8.0 lens with shutter speeds of B, 1/30 - 1/250. Shutter speeds are selected by weather symbol icons on the top of the camera.
see Kunik cameras
see Kunik cameras
see Kunik cameras
see Kunik cameras
see Whittaker cameras
see Kiev cameras
see Shin Nippon Poppy
Same as the Bell Kamra, but with different nameplate.
see Lure
see Steky 16mm cameras and Ricoh 16mm cameras
see Franke & Heidecke
see Parva (above)
see Tower 16 (below)
(1949-1955) French submini with 30mm (f3.5) focusing lens. It used unperforated film in special cassettes for about 22 14mm x 23mm images. It was made in two versions. Shutter speeds of 1/25-1/400 on the first model and 1/30-1/400 on second model. Close-focusing to about 40 inches. Available in black, grey or blue, the camera had a built-in sliding yellow filter and a built-in rangefinder. Not to be confused with the SFOM spy camera which used 9.5mm film.
See Sola
Extremely rare vertical style submini with 22mm (f2.8-6.3) lens. Shutter speeds of B, 1/25, 1/50. Made in the 1950's.
(1956) An unusual camera in that it could take single images or stereo pairs. It is estimated that about 2500 of these cameras were made. It had two 25mm (f3.5- 11.0) lenses and speeds from 1 - 1/250. Flash synch. It sported a pop-up sports finder on top of the camera. The body was fairly large and could load up to 25 feet of film. This would produce about 240 images.
see Lure
(1938) A German, horseshoe-shaped, high-precision camera from the 1930's. Shutter speeds of B, 1 - 1/300. 13x18mm images. Schneider 25mm f3.0-11.0 focusing lens with dual viewfinders. One is a pop-up sports-finder on the top of the camera. The other is a 90 degree, reflex, waist-level finder that sits on top of the lens. The camera also sported a built-in spring drive that gave about 12 exposures on one wind. Because of its precision and low production numbers, it was very unusual and expensive when it was made. It is even more expensive today. Another reason for its high collector price is its reported use in Nazi death camps. However, there is absolutely no published evidence to support this rumor. In fact, logic and evidence points to the contrary. German cameras of the time, such as Leicas and Robots, were often used by the military. These were often clearly marked to indicate military use. Even a few Minox cameras have military markings. No Sola has ever been found with such a mark. And while there was plenty of Nazi photography going on at the concentration camps (the Nazis own images were used as evidence at the Nuremberg trial), there have never been any Sola negatives produced from the camps. Perhaps more to the point, the Nazis were in control of the camps. They frequently took pictures. They did not need to use concealed cameras with small negatives. That's why there are plenty of Leica and Robot images. In sum, these stories only perpetuate a myth about the well-engineered Sola.
see Minolta cameras
see Secam Stylophot
Although it has "16" in the name, it did not use 16mm film. See the 17.5mm cameras
see Mundas cameras
see Toko Teleca
(1959) -- 25mm (f3.5-11); B, 1/2-1/200 . A Mamiya 16 Super III marketed by Sears. It it marked "TOWER" not "MAMIYA", nor "SEARS". These tend to get pricey, since they are more unusual and so sought after by collectors. Here's a depth-of-field chart.
Despite the name, the Toyoca 16 used 17.5mm film. For information, see 17.5mm cameras. Not to be confused with the Tokyo Koki Rubina 16, which DID use 16mm film.
see Kunik cameras
see Kunik cameras
(1950) A movie-camera-shaped submini with a 45mm (f6.3-16), fixed-focus lens. It has a single-speed shutter (1/50) and a pop-up viewfinder on the top. It uses a special, double-lobed cassette that takes a 12.5 inch strip of film and creates fourteen 10x15mm images. The camera format was designed for double perforated film, but the cmera works perfectly well with single perf or unperforated film, too.
(1949) Looking like a miniature 16mm movie camera, it has a f6.3-11.0 lens with a pop-up viewfinder. The anastigmat fixed-focus lens works with a fixed shutter speed of 1/50 second. It takes a film magazine containing 16mm single perforated film to make 14 exposures per magazine. It has flash synch, and a single-swipe film-advancing lever on the side of the camera like the Mamiya RB67. Poor-quality lens and pictures -- but maybe that's what you are looking for.
see Kiev cameras
see Taiyokoki Viscawide 16
see Kohnlein Wiko
(1963) A rare submini from West Germany. Very few were made. It produced 10x14mm images with a very wide 16mm f2.0 (-22) lens, and speeds of 1/25 - 1/250. It had a built in selenium meter which set the f-stop automatically. The special cassettes are different for each film speed, which set the shutter speed automatically, similar to the later Fuji Mini 35mm half-frame -- which was about the same size.
see Lure
see Lancart "Xyz"
see KMZ cameras
see Nihon Zany
see Steky/Ricoh cameras
(1959) -- It's basically a Minolta 16 with a built-in meter!! Fixed-focus 23mm (f3.5-11) lens, and shutter speeds of B, 1/50-1/200. It was the first 16mm camera with a built-in meter (selenium). This camera was made by Zunow Optical, not by Minolta, but it used the Minolta cassette.
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