Mamiya Super 16* | Frank Titze

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Mamiya Super 16*

Overview

The Mamiya Super 16* is a compact, high-quality "subminiature" film camera produced by Mamiya in Japan, beginning in the early 1950s. It was designed to be an ultra-portable device, fitting into a pocket or palm, and is often categorized as a "spy" or "detective" camera due to its small size and discreet operation.
Key Characteristics:

Subminiature Format: The camera uses 16mm film, which is much smaller than standard 35mm. This allows the camera to be tiny enough to hide in a palm or a pocket, fitting the "detective camera" aesthetic of the mid-20th century. Subminiaturformat:
Build and Portability: Measuring roughly 65x45x32mm, it is extremely small. The camera body is made of metal, making it feel robust and solid for its diminutive size.
Retractable Viewfinder: A signature feature is the pull-out frame viewfinder. When the viewfinder is retracted (pushed into the body), it covers the lens and physically locks the shutter release button, preventing accidental photos while the camera is in your pocket.
Lens: It is equipped with a 25mm f/3.5 Mamiya-Sekor lens. For such a small format, this was a high-quality, sharp lens capable of producing surprisingly good images if handled correctly.
Shutter: It features a leaf shutter with speeds ranging from 1/2 to 1/200th of a second, plus a "B" (Bulb) setting for long exposures.
Focusing: Like many cameras of this size, it uses zone focusing. There is a sliding scale on the front (or top, depending on the specific revision) that allows you to set the distance to your subject.
Built-in Filter: A quirky and useful feature of the Mamiya 16* series is the built-in yellow filter (and sometimes others) that can be slid in front of the lens using a small dial—perfect for adding contrast to black-and-white landscape shots.
Film Cassettes: It uses proprietary Mamiya 16mm film cassettes.

In summary, the Mamiya Super 16 is a classic, precision-engineered Japanese subminiature camera from the 1950s. It is prized by collectors for its clever design, such as the integrated viewfinder-shutter lock and slide-in filter mechanism. While it was a highly capable tool in its era, using one today is a niche pursuit that requires manual film loading and a deep appreciation for the mechanical ingenuity of mid-century subminiature photography.

Evaluation

TBD - Kamera system not yet ready to use.

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25.07.26

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