I bought four 16mm cameras in the mid 80s. Of these four the Minolta QT was the best and I have since been using it for some serious work. As you submini people know, this is a plastic camera with an aluminum skin. I would like to move up to an all metal camera with a little better build quality (like my Minox) that still uses 16mm film.

I have reasearched the Rollei 16, Gami, Goerz Minicord and the Richo 16 but have not found much info from people that actually try to use these cameras for some serious work. Perhaps these cameras are just collectors items and no one uses them anymore.

Personally I think the Rolle and Gami might be kind of big (though I have never held either in my hand.

Price is not much of an object as the Gamis are about $300-400. Realistically this is less than any lens I ever purchased for 6x6, and I am going to be using the 16mm for a serious body of photographic work.

Other thoughts would be to just stay with the Minolta (I have about 10 cassetts) and get another as a backup. Also, I could just concentrate on the Minox, however, the 16mm film is a little easier to process. My dream camera would be like a 16mm Minox.

I bought four 16mm cameras in the mid 80s. Of these four the Minolta QT was the best and I have since been using it for some serious work. As you submini people know, this is a plastic camera with an aluminum skin. I would like to move up to an all metal camera with a little better build quality (like my Minox) that still uses 16mm film.

I have reasearched the Rollei 16, Gami, Goerz Minicord and the Richo 16 but have not found much info from people that actually try to use these cameras for some serious work. Perhaps these cameras are just collectors items and no one uses them anymore.

Personally I think the Rolle and Gami might be kind of big (though I have never held either in my hand.

Price is not much of an object as the Gamis are about $300-400. Realistically this is less than any lens I ever purchased for 6x6, and I am going to be using the 16mm for a serious body of photographic work.

Other thoughts would be to just stay with the Minolta (I have about 10 cassetts) and get another as a backup. Also, I could just concentrate on the Minox, however, the 16mm film is a little easier to process. My dream camera would be like a 16mm Minox.


NOT THE MINICORD. Film location is far too 'iffy'.

Best I've had has been the Minolta 16 used with correction lenses (no focusing mount, so you need 'em).

Have you considered a Tessina? (OK not 16mm but about the same size and a LOT bigger neg at 14x21mm -- the latter from memory).

Cheers,

R.

I use a Rollei 16, and while it is a better camera in my opinion than the Minoltas, it has no manual settings. So you must rely on a 40 yr old selenium meter to set the exposure. I was lucky in that mine cost $13 and it worked. To me the Rollei has a more solid feel and the lens performs a bit better. Check out Subclub.org for a complete rundown of models, I beleive they have a top ten list as well.

My Vote goes to the Edixa 16. A wounderfull piece of camera design, by Mr. Waaske who later developed the Rollei 35.

The Edixa takes the same casettes as the Rollei (so called Rada-casettes), but unlike the Rollei, it takes perforated or non-perforated (Rollei: perforated only) Film, which makes Film almost no issue.

Lens is (on most) a Xenar 25mm/2.8, focusing from 0,4m to inf.

What about the Mamiya?

A standard Minox doesn't qualify?

- looking to be educated.

A standard Minox doesn't qualify?

- looking to be educated.
I love my minox but processing the film is very tedious to get good results whereas the Ilford HP5 16mm single perf. move film fits nicely in my JOBO processor and the plastic reels give excellent processing results.

The minox film fits in a modified JOBO reel but the film has to be put under some pressure with some spring tension (I can post my method if you are interested) to keep the emulsion from touching the inner groove of the reel to ensure even rotary processing. It takes 5 minutes to load each film on the reel. Not too bad, just tedious.

I love my minox but processing the film is very tedious to get good results whereas the Ilford HP5 16mm single perf. move film fits nicely in my JOBO processor and the plastic reels give excellent processing results.

The minox film fits in a modified JOBO reel but the film has to be put under some pressure with some spring tension (I can post my method if you are interested) to keep the emulsion from touching the inner groove of the reel to ensure even rotary processing. It takes 5 minutes to load each film on the reel. Not too bad, just tedious.

A friend of mine described Minox developing (even with a Minox tank) as 'developing a watch spring'. I certainly find 16mm a LOT easier.

But then, if I want grainy, small-format pictures I load my Pen W with Delta 3200...

Cheers,

R.