Minolta 16 P (1961)
The Minolta 16 P is a subminiature camera introduced in 1961. It belongs to Minolta's "16 series," built around 16mm film in 10-exposure cassettes. It's fixed-focus and fully manual - no light meter, no flash options. The lens is a Rokkor 22mm f/3.5 and there is a single shutter speed, 1/50s. Aperture runs from f/3.5 to f/11. Focus is fixed from 2 meters (roughly 3 feet) to infinity. Sighting is through a direct-vision optical finder.
The camera is small - 86 × 56 × 31 mm - and quiet in operation. Owners report it's fairly easy to load, though loading film in dim light is quite fiddly. An exposure meter could be attached to the body. The self-timer differs slightly from those on other Minolta 16 cameras: it can be folded forward, where other models had a fixed position. A self-timer adapter (Y-16) was listed at $1.20 USD. One source described the fixed-focus design as providing "high quality photos of the things you see," and users note that despite its size it can still produce lovely photos. Surviving examples are often still functional, and shutters on the 16 P are reported to still be working.
The record on this model is thin. The 1961 issue year is confirmed across three sources, as are the lens, shutter speed, and film format. Weight is a point of conflict: one source lists 170g, another 240g, and the discrepancy is unresolved. No original retail price for the body, production run dates, or detailed market context have surfaced. A boxed example with the exposure meter and original papers appeared in a CollectiBlend listing at $112.50 USD. A 1992 directory listing in Mix Magazine (May 1992, p.173) includes studio equipment references, though no specific Minolta 16 P details are identified in that entry.
Known specs:
- Film: 16mm, 10-exposure cassettes
- Lens: Rokkor 22mm f/3.5
- Focus: Fixed, 2m to infinity
- Shutter: 1/50s fixed
- Aperture: f/3.5–f/11
- Viewfinder: Direct vision optical
- Size: 86 × 56 × 31 mm
- Year: 1961
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