Camera for discrete photo taking circa 1970 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2014, 10:17:23 pm
content: All that talk about Google Glass for discrete shooting. Back in the 1970's, this camera is almost the smallest consumer professional class camera. Its bigger brother (which is smaller) is the Minoxby Minolta(Edit, Minox is NOT made by Minolta). Minox was the movie star - many spy movies cast the Minox as the spy camera. The Minox uses 8mm film, it is a little smaller than this one and just a bit longer.This one is the Minolta-16. It uses 16mm film providing a bit better picture than 8mm film of the Minox. The film is also in small drop-in cartridges. Typically, people who shoots a lot buy movie film in hundred(s) of feet, cut and reload the film into a used cartridges. I did that with the 16mm film for this camera. I also did that with 35mm - just buy movie or bulk film (100ft roll) and reload.(picture 1) Size of the leather case.(picture 2) A view of it partially out of the case.(picture 3) Sitting by a ruler to show how small it is - small then, it would be consider huge today.(picture 4) You pull on the two ends, the camera extends with the trigger button visible in the photo.(picture 5) With the camera extended, can see through the view finder . The one with the blue dot is the lens. The other window (with the cracked glass) is the view finder.(picture 6) A close up of the camera extended and ready-to-shoot. This camera accepts lens filters. Look carefully on the blue-dot side and you see the missing UV filter. I use UV filter as lens protection.(picture 7) The setting wheels on the side. The sticker "PASSED" is typical of Japanese products of the days. The camera's available aperture setting is normal for a professional camera. The shutter speeds available is not as full. Most professional camera of the day goes B & 1/15 to 1/1000 second. This one goes B, and then 1/30 to 1/500 second. It does support B but without a camera mount, B is practically useless anyhow. B is expose as long as trigger held. BTW:It is called B for Bulb because with early (first generation) production camera, you squeeze an air-bulb pump and that pushes the trigger. Even after the remote trigger became mechanical, "B" for the external trigger stayed for a long while.(pictureThe camera removed from outer case and the camera body with the film cartridge door open.---------------------------------It is still in good condition but I doubt film cartridge is available. I suspect even 16mm movie films would be hard to get if available at all.I think you may find this interesting...Rick

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 09:11:00 am
content: 40 years later...http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/20-megapixel-glass-lens-mini-usb-digital-camera-card-reader-function-support-16gb-micro-sd-card-purple-p-11198I still think it's amazing just how much electronics have miniaturised since then - the sensor ICs are only a few mm^2 at most, and same for the support ICs.

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 10:59:03 am
content: Still got the Minox 35MM GT:It never took great photos, but was easy to carry around.

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 11:18:34 am
content: That's a stock photo, mine has the correct screw, like the one on the other side. Just needs a new battery, otherwise it is perfect.Made in Germany!!

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2014, 12:49:19 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on January 26, 2014, 10:38:25 amI must have my names mixed up. 1970 was a long time ago. Well, I must do some research on what their 8mm version was called. Perhaps just like my 16mm and merely named Minolta-8.EDIT: Adding below.I did some research and found the Minox I was thinking of. I did mixed up the name with the manufacturer. My memory got confused by the similar sounding name. Minox made the smaller one, but not Minolta.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2014, 03:07:03 am
content: Quote from: amyk on January 26, 2014, 09:11:00 amOne can imagine pocket watch as one of the first miniaturization successes. A small 1-inch diameter by 1/4 inch height cylinder, with many gears, springs, jewel (to reduce friction damage so I was told), jewel for decoration... All working to near-perfect precision.1 day is 86400 seconds. 1 second out of 1 day is 0.00116% but 1second a day lost would be consider not a great watch. Forget the advertisements of 2 seconds delta per month for now. That these mechanical watches can do something even around 0.1% in such small form factor is damn awesome. 0.1% is 86 seconds or over 1 minute off per day.To me, mechanical watches are amazing feasts of engineering and miniaturization. In some respects, they are more amazing than integrated circuits as watches for years were done with bare hands designs (no CAD, no computers) and the resulting designs are manufactured in large (production) quantities again with largely manual processes.