Mamiya 16 Automatic

introduction | 16 cameras | 16 | 16 Police | 16 Black | Super 16 | Super II | Super III | Tower 16 | Automatic | Revue 16 Automatic | 16 Delux | 16 EE  

The Mamiya 16 Automatic is a Mamiya Super 16 with a built-in selenium meter on the right hand side. As the meter took the space for the slide out viewfinder it was replaced with an optical viewfinder that is folded flat when not in use. The finder has a bright image with a parallax-correction frame projected in it. Substantially larger than the earlier model it is also considerably heavier; 110x48x31mm (4 3/16 x 1 7/8 x 1 1/4 inches) 275 g (9 3/4 oz). If was listed in the USA, in 1960, as $69.95, two years ahead of the Minolta 16 EE and at double the price of the Minolta 16I and Mamiya 16 Super II (both $39.95).

The meter is a needle matching type with a large dial to set the shutter and then to adjust the aperture to the meter. The setting of the aperture is reading through a small peep hole on the top of the camera. This "automatically" sets the correct f-stop. The aperture dial also has a dial to adjusts for the film speed.

The Mamiya 16 Automatic has a fast Mamiya-Sekor f2.8 optic with three elements in three groups, 25mm (f2.8-16) lens. Speeds of B, 1/2-1/200.  Later versions are fitted with a standard flash shoe and the clip on strap replaced with one that screws into the tripod bush in the centre of the cold shoe.

Like most other Mamiyas, various minor styles exist. Early versions have the same round filter style of the Super series, while later serial numbers uses rectangular filters. Earliest production had f2.8 to f11 and no door latch or cold shoe (#2404400 reported, sample wanted). The front is normally brushed aluminium, but there is also a grey enamel version.  It was also sold as the Revue 16 Automatic.  

The variation listed below are very slight. The release on the film chamber door was simplified. Some cameras are without a cold shoe. An 'EP' (exchange post for the US Armed Forces) version and then labelling of focusing scale in imperial and metric.

Last Updated on 20th July 2005