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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:

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The Minolta 16 EE II.


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Camera front. CdS meter setting. Lens behind the shutter and an UV filter. Big viewer.

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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.

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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.

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Set 1/50s  speed.

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Set to flash. This sets the aperture to 11.

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Seen from below. Tripod socket. Slider for distance setting, set to portrait setting. Film compartment lid with opening button.

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Set to landscape.

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Right side: Battery compartment, takes one 625 battery.

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Left side: Strap lug and PC socket.

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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.

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