Minolta 16 (c. 1957–1962)

Name: Minolta 16
Brand: Minolta

The Minolta 16 is a subminiature camera that shoots 10×14mm frames on 16mm film in cassettes. It was marketed as the world's smallest camera when introduced. The body is roughly the size and shape of a pack of cigarettes. The name comes straight from the film format. A contemporary note in High-Fidelity (March 1983, p.17) shows Minolta 16 cameras were sold alongside other consumer electronics of the period.

The camera is built around a fixed-focus Minolta Rokkor 25mm f/3.5 lens with an adjustable aperture from f/3.5 to f/11. Shutter speeds run B plus 1/25 through 1/200 on a Seikosha 4-speed shutter. The viewfinder is a brightline albada type. It's about as simple as subminiature photography gets. Set your exposure, compose, shoot.

The record disagrees on the introduction date. CollectiBlend says 1957. Subclub.org says the camera was produced from 1959 to 1962. The original Japanese price was ¥7,000 for the body or ¥9,600 as a kit, and the US release was approximately $24.95. A later Minolta 16 EE variant was also offered in white.

The Minolta 16 spawned a whole family. The EE, MG, QT, PS, and II models followed, and the line stayed in production in some form into the mid-1960s. Documentation on this specific base model is thin, and no dimensions or weight have surfaced.