Minolta 16 (model 1)

This camera has a number of misconception about it. It was a very common camera and many people assume, for some unknown reason, that it was the only 16mm camera that Minolta made. Others assume that this was the first 16mm camera that Minolta made. Then others spread rumors that this camera was officially used by the CIA, FBI, KGB, James Bond, Gordon Liddy, etc. All of these are wrong. This camera appeared in 1957 and was made until 1960 when it was replaced by the Minolta 16 (model II) It has a 25mm lens with f-stops from f3.5 to f11. It also has three speeds of 1/25, 1/50, and 1/200. No B setting. The shutter and aperture dials are on the side of the camera. The basic camera was the Konan 16 II Automat. Once again Minolta bought the rights to a Konan camera -- and modified it. This camera was the first model in the Minolta line to allow the use of slip-on supplementary filters and lenses. The camera was available in seven colors -- chrome, black, gold/yellow, blue, red, purple/magenta and green. The point of focus for the three element lens was fixed at 15 feet. At f5.6, everything from 7.5 feet to infinity is in focus. The lens depth-of-field was adequate and controllable with the aperture and auxiliary lens selection. Filters are 14x14mm square and are not interchangeable with the filters for the Minolta 16II: UV, 80A, Y48(Yellow), 81B. Auxiliary lenses are: Closeup #1, #2. A bracket to hold an electronic flash and tripod socket was available. The camera came with a leather case (with built-in slots for two filters) and a wrist strap. The camera uses a push-pull design to advance the film and protect the camera. Although you can no longer buy the pre-loaded cassettes new, the cassettes are easy to reload yourself and processing is available just about anywhere.