135compact.com 16mm film ultra compact cameras Minolta 16 EE II
The Minolta 16 EE II
was first released 1963. It is the successor to the selenium metered
Minolta 16EE. It was only produced until 1965. It was a camera for 16mm
Minolta cartridge
film* (see below). It
has a very good lens, only 2 focus zones which is better than other Minolta 16mm cameras,
as all the others were fixed focus, except the late 16QT. There is only a choice of 2
speeds + flash, apertures
from 2.8 to 16 are set by the built-in CdS meter. There was some choice of
accessories
available.
*
16mm film is a movie film format, as was 35mm film. In the early
days it was cut from 35mm film and thus had perforations on one
side (single perforation). Please note, that the perfs and their area
of 35mm are bigger than those of modern 16mm film. As soon as 1923
Kodak introduced a set with camera, projector, tripod,
screen and splicer (or was it a slitter?) aiming at amateurs. The new format was rapidly
adopted by still camera producers to build smaller devices. The film
usualy sits
in a cartridge, but no standard has been established, many have 2
cassettes, one feeding and one taking. So every maker made his own
system. Some, like Minolta, even sold a choice of readily available
film cassettes. If you want to use your camera, you should at least
have one (pair of) cassette(s).
16mm
film is still made. There is double perf, single perf and unperforated
film. Check, which one suits your camera. Some need perfs to advance.
Smaller picture formats can use double perf film, bigger ones would
have the perfs (or sprockets) visible in the picture area. There is
10mm of usable space between the perfs of double perf film, 12.5mm to
the side of single perf film. Film can also be s(p)lit from other
formats like 120.
The camera's main features are:
25mm
F2.8 Rokkor lens, 23mm, 3 elements in 3 groups, F2.8-F16, min. focus ~1.8m (6 feet) Shutter speeds 1/50 and 1/250, 1/30 and F11 for flash 10x14mm picture format, Minolta cartridge, can use any perf or unferfed 16mm film Size 115x53x31, Weight 250 gr. 25 - 320
ISO, viewfinder with parallax compensation marks, CdS meter
Some photos of the camera:
The Minolta 16 EE II.
Camera front. CdS meter setting. Lens behind the shutter and an UV filter. Big viewer.
Back view.
The viewer shows in the upper right corner a yellow LEDs if the
exposure is within the limits. It has parrallax correction marks.
To the right: film advance.
Seen
from the top. Exposure setting, chooses
the speeds, 1/200 = H or 1/50 = L + 1/30 = F for flash. The shutter button sits near
the front edge. Film counter. Film advance wheel. Set 1/50s speed.
Set to flash. This sets the aperture to 11.
Seen
from below. Tripod socket. Slider for distance setting, set to portrait setting. Film compartment lid with opening button.
Set to landscape.
Right side: Battery compartment, takes one 625 battery.
Left side: Strap lug and PC socket.
Film
compartment.
This
camera is very easy to use, it's always ready. There is no shutter
release protection and nothing to switch the camera off. To prevent
battery draining, keep it in the dark when not in use.
It has 2 shutter settings, the aperture is set via the meter. A yellow LEDs in the finder confirms correct exposure. Remind to set the distance, it's not indicated in the finder. Then frame, which is easy via the bright
framelines. After taking
a picture, you have to turn the advance wheel for film advance and shutter
cocking. Putting a film is easy as well,
you drop the film into the compartment, advance to the first frame and that's it.
It's
an automatic point and shoot camera
with a very good lens and nice picture quality, good quality
finish in a not so small small pocketable body. This camera feels a bit heavy.
It's a major advance that the lens can focus in 2 zones. Picture results are fine, but it has the smaller 10x14 picture size.
