Minolta 16 Ps - introduction

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The Minolta 16Ps was introduced in 1965. Almost identical to the 16P it has a lever on the front of the camera allowing a slower shutter to be selected for flash use. The standard shutter is 1/100th and for flash bulbs 1/30th.It can be used at 1/30th even without flash making he camera very flexible in a wide range of light conditions.

 It is often mistaken for the P since the Ps just says "P" on it, without the "s".  This is a much underrated camera and has a very low resale value, yet the lens is very good even when results from transparencies are projected.

The film speed ranges of the Ps is slightly different from the P  (10, 32, 40, 80, 160 e.g. 450698 & 471640 -> 12, 25, 50, 100, 200 ASA e.g. 705127 compared to ASA 10, 25, 40, 80, 200 -> ASA 10, 32, 40, 80, 160 on the P) so pick up where the P left off and returned to a top film speed of 200ASA and back to 25ASA.  See ASA Ranges. A mini-exposure guide was etched on the back of the camera for quick reference. Aperture adjustment from f3.5 to f16.

To determine the aperture the film speed is set and then the f-stop scale rotated to match up with the weather symbol. When used with the 1/30th shutter the f-stop has to be selected without reference to the weather symbols. You can step down two f-stops from what the exposure system recommends, e.g. if the exposure system recommends f8 with the 1/100 shutter speed setting, use f16 with the 1/30 shutter speed

It has a built-in PC contact and tripod socket.  The combination flash bracket/tripod adapter was also modified and the screw is fixed to the bracket and not loose as in the original.

The point of focus for the three element lens was fixed at 16 feet. The depth-of-field is adequate and controllable by aperture selection. There are also two auxiliary lens for close up. No.1 was for focusing at about 1.2m (4 feet), and No.2 0.7m (2.5 feet).  Filters included a  UV, Y48 (yellow), 80A, 81B, ND (4x) and 1A.  The filters and lenses used a bayonet system and twisted into place on the lens surround.

Models were chrome, but a gold version may also have been made.

During the 7 years of production the packaging was changed along with the house style of Minolta. The red boxes of the 16P where changed to a dark blue with yellow sides and base. A kit version was also sold that included the flash bracket and B-C or Duofit-S flash unit. The final packaging has a photograph on the top and matched similar packaging for the 16II, MG, MG-s and QT. The case is made of grey green plastic although the last cases made are black.

In 1968, this camera cost about £16, rising to about £20 in 1972, when a kit which included camera, case, flashgun and accessory shoe was available. In 1971 Green Shield Trading Stamps sold  the camera in the blue box for 23 books.

Specification

Accessories

Depth of Field Scale

The f/3.5 25mm Rokkor lens provides extreme depth of field. You are in sharp focus from 8.7 feet to 158 feet at f/5.6

NB: The French manual shows the table in 'pieds' and not a metre in side!

 

Lens Opening	Without Close-up Lens	With No. 1 Close-up Lens	With No. 2 Close-up Lens
F 3.5	10.5 ft. - 37 ft.	3.5 ft. -4.5 ft.	2.1 ft. - 2.5 ft.
F 4	10 ft. - 45.5 ft	3.4 ft. - 4.6 ft.	2.1 ft. - 2.5 ft.
F 5.6	8.7 ft. - 158 ft.	3.3 ft. - 5 ft.	2 ft. - 2.6 ft.
F 8	7.3 ft. -  infinity.	3 ft. - 5.6 ft.	2 ft. - 2.7 ft.
F 11	6 ft. -  infinity.	2.8 ft. - 6.6 ft.	1.9 ft. - 3 ft.
F 16	4.7 ft. -  infinity.	2.5 ft. - 9.7 ft.	1.7 ft. - 3.4 ft.

Last Updated on 24th June 2007